With corporate governance mandates, e-discovery requirements and government regulations driving the need for confidentiality and longer data retention times, organizations must properly secure the data in their distributed tape environments to prevent loss and theft. While tape encryption is a viable data protection solution once information leaves the datacenter, some organizations have been reluctant to implement it because of the complex processes involved in earlier efforts to manage encryption keys.

Built to Comply with Federal Security Standards

Quantum's Scalar Key Manager Appliance is designed to help end users easily meet state and federal regulations and avoid the increasingly costly and reputation-damaging data breaches associated with stolen or lost tapes that have not been encrypted. Users can set an initial encryption policy through the Scalar tape library and the Scalar Key Manager Appliance(TM) manages the rest by generating, maintaining, and synchronizing keys to keep track of encrypted tapes -- all administered directly from the tape library. As a result, minimal oversight is required, and data can be safely retained for an extended period of time.

The Scalar Key Manager Appliance complies with Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 Level 1 to provide a sufficiently robust solution as data security legislation evolves. FIPS 140-2 Level 1 is a U.S. government computer security standard used to accredit cryptographic modules, which other countries are also beginning to adopt as a standard. It is designed to ensure the security of devices that have passed its rigorous certification process. With the Scalar Key Manager Appliance, the encryption keys used to protect valuable data are themselves protected, and that protection is FIPS 140-2 certified.

"We're seeing a dramatic increase in the need for tape encryption and key management solutions, driven by new laws requiring full disclosure of data breaches and harsher penalties for businesses that lose data that's not encrypted," said Greg Schulz, Founder and Senior Analyst, the StorageIO Group. "Organizations of all sizes are looking to implement encryption policies, some by legislative or regulatory mandate, and others due to corporate or industry governance. Quantum is bringing to market a solution that today can manage the entire process with minimal manual intervention, making daunting tasks associated with tape encryption a thing of the past."

A Scalable Tape Encryption and Key Management Approach

The Scalar Key Manager Appliance can manage encryption across multiple Quantum tape libraries, including those at different sites, thereby alleviating the time-consuming task of overseeing encryption processes on each individual tape system and providing a way for users to effectively secure data that is not in their immediate control. It can scale to serve any organization's needs, reducing the costs associated with purchasing a new key management solution for individual tape systems. Users can set up as many security policies as needed to protect multiple data sets while the Scalar Key Manager Appliance manages the entire tape encryption key process, eliminating the need for constant monitoring. Furthermore, the Appliance can import and export keys, easily facilitating key sharing with third parties when necessary.

"Organizations have been challenged to implement data encryption processes across their distributed tape environments because the first efforts were perceived to be time-consuming and cumbersome," said Janae Lee, senior vice president of Marketing for Quantum. "The Scalar Key Manager Appliance(TM) simplifies data security. By integrating the key manager intelligently with the Scalar tape libraries, we've reduced ongoing administrative involvement, which saves organizations significant time and money."

A complete description of the Scalar Key Manager Appliance can be found at: http://www.quantum.com/Products/TapeLibraries/ScalarKeyManager/Index.aspx

More about Quantum's security solutions can be found at: http://www.quantum.com/Solutions/encryption/Index.aspx

The Scalar Key Manager Appliance is available today through Quantum and its channel partners.

About Quantum

Quantum Corp. (NYSE: QTM) is the leading global storage company specializing in backup, recovery and archive. Combining focused expertise, customer-driven innovation, and platform independence, Quantum provides a comprehensive, integrated range of disk, tape, and software solutions supported by a world-class sales and service organization. This includes the DXi-Series, the first disk backup solutions to extend the power of data deduplication and replication across the distributed enterprise. As a long-standing and trusted partner, the company works closely with a broad network of resellers, OEMs and other suppliers to meet customers' evolving data protection needs. Quantum Corp., 1650 Technology Drive, Suite 800, San Jose, CA 95110, (408) 944-4000, www.quantum.com.

Quantum, the Quantum logo and Scalar are registered trademarks of Quantum Corporation and its affiliates. DXi and Scalar Key Manager Appliance are trademarks of Quantum Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

"Safe Harbor" Statement: This press release contains "forward-looking" statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. Specifically, but without limitation, statements relating to 1) customer benefits and value to customers from using the Scalar tape libraries and the Scalar Key Manager Appliance and 2) customer demand for and Quantum's future revenue from such libraries and appliances are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Safe Harbor. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Quantum on the date hereof. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Quantum's actual results to differ materially from those implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks include operational difficulties, unforeseen technical limitations, unexpected material deviation in product operation, the ability of competitors to introduce new solutions that compete more successfully with our solutions, unexpected changes in market conditions and unanticipated changes in customers' needs or requirements, as well as the risks set forth in Quantum's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, those risks and uncertainties listed in the section entitled "Risk Factors," in Quantum's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 30, 2009. Quantum expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact:
Bob Wientzen
Public Relations
Quantum Corp.
(720) 406-5667
bob.wientzen@quantum.com

SOURCE: Quantum Corporation