Storage Pool Rekey
In QuantaStor, the "Generate New Storage Pool Encryption Key" feature allows administrators to create a new encryption key for securing data stored within a storage pool. The purpose of generating a new storage pool encryption key in QuantaStor is to enhance data security and protect sensitive information from unauthorized access or disclosure.
This feature randomly generates a new encryption key and registers it to encrypted storage pool devices. Re-Keying is only supported with software encryption and requires that all storage pool devices have at least one available LUKS key slot available.
Here are the key purposes and benefits of generating a new storage pool encryption key in QuantaStor:
- Data Protection: Encryption is a critical security measure that ensures data confidentiality by converting it into an unreadable format, known as ciphertext, using an encryption algorithm and a unique encryption key. By generating a new encryption key for a storage pool, you can protect the data stored within it from unauthorized access, even if the underlying physical disks or storage devices are compromised or stolen.
- Key Rotation: Regularly rotating encryption keys is a recommended security practice to mitigate the risks associated with long-term key exposure. By generating a new storage pool encryption key, you can retire the old key and replace it with a fresh one, minimizing the window of vulnerability in case the old key is compromised.
- Compliance Requirements: Many regulatory standards and compliance frameworks require data encryption to protect sensitive information. By generating a new storage pool encryption key, you can meet the encryption requirements specified by regulations such as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), or PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard).
- Lost or Compromised Key Recovery: In situations where an encryption key is lost or suspected to be compromised, generating a new encryption key allows you to regain control over data access and mitigate potential security breaches. By generating a new key, you can ensure that only authorized personnel have access to the encrypted data, effectively revoking access for anyone with knowledge of the old key.
- Enhanced Security Controls: QuantaStor provides robust security controls for managing encryption keys, such as key escrow and key rotation policies. By generating a new storage pool encryption key, you can take advantage of these features to strengthen your overall data security posture and ensure adherence to best practices.
It's important to note that generating a new storage pool encryption key typically involves re-encrypting the existing data within the storage pool with the new key. This process can be time-consuming, depending on the amount of data and the performance capabilities of the storage infrastructure. Therefore, it's advisable to plan and schedule the key generation process during maintenance windows or periods of low activity to minimize any potential impact on ongoing operations.
By providing the ability to generate new storage pool encryption keys, QuantaStor enables administrators to enhance data security, meet compliance requirements, and effectively manage encryption key lifecycle within the storage infrastructure.
Navigation: Storage Management --> Storage System --> (Storage System Grid) --> Import Storage Pool Keys... (right-click)
