… Adopted by Compellent

To help enterprises increase data protection and reduce costs associated with data encryption, Compellent Technologies, Inc. will support the new host-based encryption solution announced by Emulex Corporation.

The Emulex solution includes the OneCommand Guardian software security product and OneCommand Key Manager, an enterprise-class, Key Management Interoperability Protocol (KMIP)-compliant key manager.

The Emulex encryption solution allows customers to adopt a phased deployment of encryption and grow with the customers’ businesses as their needs change.

Compellent customers will be able to convert unencrypted Emulex 8Gb LightPulse Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapters (HBAs) into encrypted HBAs by adding the Emulex OneCommand Guardian software. HBAs are devices installed in servers to enable the connectivity and transfer of data between the servers and their shared storage.

Compellent expects to offer Emulex’s host-based encryption solution for the Storage Center system in 2011.

Compellent Viewpoint:

• Encryption technologies have traditionally been viewed as expensive and difficult to implement, leaving businesses without a cost-effective encryption option that could help control the risks associated with a data breach.
• A host-based encryption solution protects data where it is created – at the server – and the new Emulex solution addresses common encryption pain points with flexible, scalable and cost-effective encryption architecture for data in-flight on the network and for data at-rest on disk arrays.
• A persistent hardware and software architecture is the foundation of Fluid Data storage, and Compellent and Emulex share this vision of delivering a lasting and secure enterprise solution that is backwards and forwards compatible, enabling customers to protect technology investments and minimize risk.
• Emulex HBAs as a core part of Compellent storage platforms enable customers to seamlessly grow and manage virtualization initiatives without the complexity and cost of rip-and-replace upgrades.

"Enterprises need to protect their data against unauthorized access and are faced with a vast number of choices that can be expensive or difficult to implement," said Bob Fine, director of product marketing for Compellent. "Through our long-standing partnership with Emulex, we aim to help overcome the common encryption hurdles that many of our customers face. We’re pleased to join with Emulex to offer enterprises data security and protection solutions that can intelligently scale as their business needs change."

"By securing data at the host, where it originates, we are able to significantly reduce cost and offer a non-disruptive and secure encryption solution," said Steve Daheb, chief marketing officer and senior vice president of business development for Emulex. "Emulex is partnering with Compellent to continue delivering streamlined, scalable, virtualized, secure and reliable solutions to our customers."