With the implementation of vista coming to desktops (ultimate and Enterprise for sure) will have Bit locker as part of the o/s.  Until then I have been using truecrypt for my xp machines.  I have not done so on 2k or 2k3 servers from fear of performance hits with back ups on those nodes.  There are few pitfalls, but losing your decryption password/key is the biggest concern… with any encryption.  I love Biometric options myself to secure machines, but encryption is apples and I just brought up an Orange.

Have a good day Firm.

           Timoteo "Timo" Vasquez - AIS

Departmental Systems and Services

[log in to unmask] - 353.4420 Ext.249

Michigan State University

                 2 Administration Building

              East Lansing, MI  48824-1046

From: MSU Network Administrators Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Charlot, Firmin
Sent: Friday, September 12, 2008 12:43 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MSUNAG] Encryption on File servers, desktops and laptops

Encryption is something that I have been thinking about for a while now and a lot of the solutions that I have seen are extremely user unfriendly, very costly,  and sometimes has little management features OR if you look at free solutions there is usually no management of keys which could be tricky when keys are lost or passwords are forgotten.

Protecting data through encryption is a great way to go, we all can agree there but as that data moves from servers to laptops and/ or to other mobile devices, it can become exposed. 

Is anyone encrypting their file servers? If so what are you using?

What about email? Not only on the servers but what about on the desktops?

Is anyone encrypting their laptops’ hard drives?

Firmin Charlot, MCSE, A+, Information Systems Manager

Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and Services

Educational and Support Services   162 Student Services Building   East Lansing, MI 48824
[log in to unmask] (517) 432-7541
Submit technical requests at http://help.ess.msu.edu/