BOSaNOVA Revs Encryption Engine, Adds AES Support

December 2, 2008 Alex Woodie

BOSaNOVA recently unveiled the Q3 Enterprise, an updated version of its all-in-one encryption storage appliance that works with the Power Systems boxes, among other servers. The increase in throughput with the new Q3e, as it is called, will allow organizations to encrypt more data without worrying about degradation of application performance, while support for the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithms will satisfy the most stringent security requirements.

Q3 is a rack-mounted encryption device that employs a dual-laced encryption engine to give organizations maximum protection against unauthorized use of their data. The product, which is based on DISUK‘s Paranoia device, is typically used to encrypt data as it’s being sent to a backup device, such as a tape drive or optical library, is available in SCSI and Fibre Channel versions, and is commonly used to comply with regulations like HIPAA, Sarbanes-Oxley, GLBA, and PCI.

With the introduction of the Q3e, BOSaNOVA has increased the throughput speeds to 320 MB per second for SCSI and 4 GB per second for Fibre channel. Encrypted throughput has also increased to 300 MB per second, the company says.

The new product also gains support for AES-128 and AES-256 encryption keys. Previously, the product only supported 112-bit 3DES data keys. Support for the newer and stronger AES algorithm will enable the product to be used in more sensitive environments, and give it a wider audience.

BOSaNOVA has always marketed its Q3 product line as a simple to use encryption solution, and with the new Q3e, that story becomes more cogent, says Martin Pladgeman, BOSaNOVA president.

“The Q3 has filled a need in the market for a simple, secure, non-intrusive hardware encryption device for protecting backups,” he says. “Our newest model now offers increased speed and allows users the flexibility to determine the encryption mode that is best for their environments.”

BOSaNOVA also announced it is offering free professional services on all new Q3e sales. This deal includes sending a technician on-site to install the solution, ensuring proper operation, and educating the IT staff on the product. For more information, visit www.theq3.com.