PMC Rolled Encryption Technology into Its New Controllers

Published:2011/10/26 1:33:00 Author:Phyllis From:SeekIC

PMC-Sierra, Inc., a leading provider of enterprise storage system solutions for networked (SAN/NAS) and server storage applications, has rolled encryption technology into two new versions of its 6 Gbit/s Serial-attached SCSI controllers. The Tachyon SPCve chips let storage array designers provide embedded security as an alternative to external appliances, software, self-encrypting drives or separate security chips.

The virtualized nature of cloud data centers make securing corporate, financial and sensitive data paramount. Until now, data security was a network add-on, which made scalability, data encryption and key management difficult and expensive.

PMC’s SPCve controllers integrate line-rate data encryption into the existing data flow, providing a central, scalable and cost-effective means to secure and manage stored data. In addition, the controller-based encryption architecture is agnostic to drive type or vendor, allowing OEMs and cloud providers to mix and match HDDs and SSDs, and to encrypt their deployed storage infrastructure.

According to the company, the data path is the right place to handle security since the chips also can help control other storage functions like compression and de-duplication.

The company announced 8- and 16-port versions of the security-enabled SAS controllers. Three years ago, PMC rolled out a similar set of Fiber channel controllers with embedded security. Fiber Channel is still strong on the storage network side, and Fiber Channel over Ethernet and iSCSI hasn’t replaced Fiber Channel there yet. But SAS is replacing Fiber Channel on the back end as the drive interface.

The new chips can work with hard drives or flash disks. They include four hardware encryption engines that handle inline encryption and decryption of data at throughput estimated at about 6 GBytes/second, about 90 percent of the maximum SAS data rate.

The chips have similar package and power requirements as controllers without security. They will be prices at about a 50 percent premium over parts without security features.

The new devices support the IEEE 1619 standard and 256-bit AES encryption keys. PMC provides security APIs and reference software along with the chips. The components ride an eight-lane PCI Express 3.0 bus.

PMC is the semiconductor innovator transforming networks that connect, move and store digital content. Building on a track record of technology leadership, we are driving innovation across storage, optical and mobile networks. Our highly integrated solutions increase performance and enable next-generation services to accelerate the network transformation.

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