Steve,
The vendor claims it is only a few percentage points of CPU usage on
average that got sucked up. Since we loaded other new software with the
encryption, it is hard to separate out where the slowdowns are
occurring. We took a standard laptop and did the full software load to
test. It ran fine in the lab, but we still get complaints in the field.
If I had it to do over again, I would find a cooperative but thorough
user to field test the solution, I think it is the only way to get real
results.
To encrypt the drive, at least with SafeGuard, you load the software on
the regular hard drive and it boots into a DOS like program that
actually does the encryption. It sets up a boot password that must be
used to start the drive. Once past that, it is pretty seamless, the
decryption happens without any intervention required.
The products I am familiar with, including BitLocker, all use a small
boot partition with the data on a second encrypted partition. The
hardware solution we are going with still has a small unencrypted
partition to allow the password entry and such to be done. However,
with this solution the boot files and the rest of the "C" drive are
encrypted, which makes imaging a lot easier. You don't really need to
manage these partitions, the setup routines do it, but you do need to be
aware of their existence.
John had asked about keys. The solution we are going with has a
companion server product for key escrow and remote management of the
encryption and Trusted Platform Module chipset. Other than being
pricey, it seems fine, though not quite as elegant as BitLocker in that
respect.
We are also looking forward to the integration of the encryption
password and the fingerprint scanner that comes with our Dell's now. We
are testing that with good results on the Windows login. Supposedly the
next release of the encryption driver will be able to use that as well.
Regards,
Jim Reinardy
Badger Meter, Inc.
-----Original Message-----
From: pctech-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:pctech-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Steve McKay
Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2007 10:59 AM
To: pctech@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [PCTECH] Laptop hard drive encryption
What sort of overhead are we talking about? Is there a way to measure
it?
Is there a way to determine whether or not your laptop can handle the
encryption process?
If I were encrypting my laptop for the first time, what is the process?
I
presume you load the encryption software (but not to the hard drive?)
and
encrypt the entire partition or drive. In actual use, I presume that
there
is something that decrypts a document/spreadsheet/.exe prior to use.
Can I boot from an encrypted drive? Or do I have to have a bootable
partition and then do all my work in an encrypted partition?
I have a few questions, as you can see . . .
Steve
"Steve McKay" <steve.mckay@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:mailman.14658.1193865443.4459.pctech@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Is anyone encrypting their laptop hard drive? If so, is it
corporate-mandated or personal choice? What product would/do you use
to
do this?
TIA,
Steve
midrange.com
