Cisco Technology, Inc.

Makarand Deshmukh

Anand Girish Parthasarathy

Praveen K Patnala

Jason Mellblom

Chandra Sekhar Kondamuri

Mechanisms are provided for generating a master key used to secure key objects associated with data blocks in a data center. A cryptographic node creation request is received. It is determined that a master key can not be obtained from another cryptographic node in the data center. A master key is generated. The master key is included in a key hierarchy used to encrypt a data center key object, the data center key object corresponding to a data block maintained in a storage area network (SAN), where the data center key object includes a unique identifier, an encrypted key, and a wrapper unique identifier. The master key is split into N shares, with M shares required to recreate the master key, wherein M is less than N. The N shares are distributed to different entities.

Master key generation and distribution for storage area network devices

An encryption key management system is provided for storage area network devices. A create key request is received at a storage area network switch. The key is created at the storage area network switch and the created key request is transmitted to a key management center. The key object is stored in the key management center and includes a unique identifier, an encrypted key, a wrapper unique identifier, and a key entity. The encrypted key can later be decrypted to generate a decrypted key. The encrypted key is decrypted using keying material accessed using the wrapper unique identifier that identifies another key object.

Encryption key management for storage area network devices

Efficient mechanisms are provided for transferring key objects associated with disk logical unit numbers and tape cartridges from one data center to another data center. A request is received to transfer a source data center key object from a source data center to a destination data center. The source data center key object corresponds to a data block, such as a disk logical unit number (LUN) or a tape cartridge, maintained in a storage area network (SAN) and includes a unique identifier, an encrypted key, and a wrapper unique identifier. The encrypted key is decrypted using a source data center key hierarchy. Key information is transmitted from the source data center to the destination data center. A destination data center key object is generated using a destination data center key hierarchy.

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Makarand Deshmukh