How IBM Security Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager works
Enables multi-master clustering for flexibility, ease of use
Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager supports multi-master clustering, which means that security keys may be synchronized and delivered in real time, allowing for greater flexibility and ease of use. More than 20 masters may be synchronized at a time, allowing for hyper-redundancy and localized availability, so that keys are ready and available when and where they are needed.
Provides more efficient and simplified key management
The solution allows you to manage the lifecycle of keys by automating the creation, import, distribution and back-up of keys. It enables key generation and distribution from a centralized location and groups devices into separate domains for simpler key management. It also supports role-based access control of administrative accounts.
Delivers secured key management
Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager provides cryptographically proven, end-to-end security for key serving. It offers automated replication for high-availability deployments, supports Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 Level 1 and offers users the option to use FIPS 140-2 Level 3 validated hardware to enhance key security.
Reduces costs and improves operational efficiency
With Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager, you can optimize your existing security, high availability, disaster recovery and server investments, and simplify complex key distribution. Consolidate management of keys across domains and support standards that extend management to IBM and non-IBM products, including data warehouses, cloud storage devices, network storage devices and smart meters. Gain improved availability and support for disaster recovery.
Meets technology requirements with flexibility in deployment
Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager offers options for deployment that meet your IT and business needs. It can be deployed on bare-metal, as a virtual machine or as a container (with Red Hat OCP or Kubernetes) for a variety of operating systems. It can be optionally integrated with an external HSM with PKCS#11 integration for stronger protection of the master encryption key.
Speeds implementation and enables interoperability
The solution reduces operating costs, speeds implementation and enables interoperability with wizard-based assistance. It allows administrators to quickly configure integration with KMIP, IPP or REST-compatible devices and provides an administration welcome page that delivers critical notices. The solution offers a web-based GUI that helps ease key configuration and management tasks, including automating key provisioning, rotating keys and destroying keys.
How customers use it
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Encryption keys are everywhere
Problem
Your security or IT teams need a way to centrally manage your encryption keys across your organization.
Solution
IBM Security Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager helps reduce risk and operational costs of encryption key management. It provides dedicated key storage, key serving and key lifecycle management for encryption solutions from multiple providers.
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Different types of encryption are used across the enterprise
Problem
Enterprises leverage different encryption technologies for various data sources and need centralized key management.
Solution
IBM Security Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager supports KMIP, IPP, and REST protocols, which allow for the central management and automation of key lifecycle processes for IBM and third-party self-encrypting solutions and key managers.
Technical details
Technical specifications