Linoma Breaks Crypto Tool into Two

July 26, 2011 Alex Woodie

Customers can now separately purchase the database and backup encryption capabilities of Linoma Software‘s IBM i encryption tool, called Crypto Complete. With last week’s release of version 3, customers that only need the tool to protect their backups and IFS files can save up to 50 percent in license fees. Version 3 also sports performance enhancements in the encryption and tokenization processes.

Linoma launched Crypto Complete in September 2007 in response to customer demand for database encryption tools. The vendor had already been providing i5/OS encryption in its managed file transfer (MFT) tool, Transfer Anywhere (now called GoAnywhere), but System i shops in regulated industries were increasingly under the gun to ensure that sensitive information sitting in production databases, such as credit card and social security numbers, was as protected as data on the move outside the protection of the firewall.

Customers’ encryption needs continue to evolve, and today it is apparent that customers that are encrypting or tokenizing their live production DB2/400 databases aren’t necessarily encrypting their backups as well, and vice versa. This gave rise to Linoma’s decision in Crypto Complete version 3.0 to effectively split the product into two versions: one that supports database field encryption, and one that encrypts backups and IFS libraries.

Customers that license the Field Encryption feature of Crypto Complete, which starts at $4,995 for a P05 machine, get the field encryption registry, tokenization capabilities, APIs, and functions. The software also supports IBM’s SQL field procedure, which simplifies implementation of encryption and eliminates the need to modify applications. (Customers that aren’t on IBM i 7.1 can’t use the field proc and will need to make some database changes.)

Customers that license the Backup Encryption feature, which starts at $1,995 for a P05 machine, get AES encryption for their IBM i backups and IFS files. Backups can be decrypted by using either passphrases or symmetric keys, according to Linoma.

Previously, the combined product started at $3,995 for a P05 machine, and that product offered both database and backup encryption. At a starting price of $1,995, customers that just need the backup encryption capabilities will save money compared to the previous release.

The uptake of Crypto Complete’s backup encryption capabilities spurred the move to split the features, explains Linoma marketing manager Brian Pick. Linoma has partners that are just using the backup/IFS encryption part of Crypto Complete, and they wanted to offer a lower price to their customers. This way, customers that weren’t using the database encryption weren’t paying for it, he says.

IBM i shops that need database encryption will be paying more with version 3.0, but only at the P05 level; pricing for bigger machines has not changed from previous releases. Customers licensing the Field Encryption feature will not get backup and IFS encryption as well. However, most customers that are doing database encryption aren’t also encrypting their backups, Linoma says. Customer that need both capabilities will get a 15 percent discount, with pricing for P05 machines starting at about $5,100.

Besides the repackaging, Linoma has added new features in Crypto Complete 3.0.

At the top of the list are new batch capabilities that enable customers to activate up to 25 fields at a time for encryption, or up to 600 libraries at a time. Linoma has also made enhancements in the way it tokenizes data originating from other systems (the software also supports Windows, Linux, and Unix). Version 3.0 also incorporates backup commands into existing processes such as CL programs, BRMS, and schedulers, the vendor says.

“IBM i shops are under increasing pressure to protect their sensitive data and get compliant,” Bob Luebbe, chief architect at Linoma, said in a press release. “With Crypto Complete, these customers can easily encrypt this data without spending a lot of money.”

Crypto Complete provides encryption, data masking, and tokenization capabilities for data residing on IBM i, Windows, Linux, and other computer systems. Encryption capabilities include support for AES256, AES192, AES128 or TDES algorithms, and an integrated key management utility that complies with provisions of PCI DSS. The software, which runs on OS/400 V5R2 and higher, provides native IBM i and SQL interfaces for integrating encryption routines directly into applications and collects a full audit trail for compliance purposes.

For more information, see the company’s website at www.linomasoftware.com.

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