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US 8,949,622 B2Granted
Secure removable drive system
AssigneeImation Corp.
InventorAlan Dowd
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A data storage system comprises a removable drive with memory for storing data, and an identifier for identifying the removable data cartridge. A host computer can be coupled in data communication with the removable data cartridge, with a driver for performing data operations thereon. The driver is configured to perform the data operations with encryption, in the presence of the identifier, and to perform the data operations without the encryption, in the absence of the identifier.
Claims20
A data storage system comprising:
- a secure removable data cartridge comprising memory for storing data and having a media identifier for identifying the secure removable data cartridge;
- a host computer in data communication with the secure removable data cartridge;
- and
- a driver provided within the host computer and configured to differentiate between the secure removable data cartridge and other non-secure removable data cartridges for performing data operations on the removable data cartridge, wherein:
- the driver is configured to perform the data operations with encryption on the secure removable data cartridge when the media identifier is present thereon;
- and
- the driver is configured to perform the data operations without the encryption on the other non-secure removable data cartridges when the identifier is absent therefrom, wherein the other non-secure removable data cartridges do not have the media identifier.
4 more elements
A data storage method comprising:
- coupling a removable data cartridge to a workstation, the removable data cartridge comprising non-volatile memory for storing data;
- reading a media identifier of the removable data cartridge by the workstation, wherein the media identifier identifies the memory as having an RDX format;
- differentiating between the removable data cartridge having the media identifier and a non-secure removable data cartridge that does not have the media identifier;
- and
- performing data operations based on the media identifier, wherein:
- data stored in the memory of the removable data cartridge having the media identifier are encrypted when the identifier is present thereon;
- and
- data stored in the memory of the non-secure removable data cartridge are not encrypted when the identifier is absent therefrom.
5 more elements
A secure removable drive system, comprising:
- a secure removable drive having memory and a media identifier thereon;
- a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program instructions thereon, which, when executed by a processor system in data communication with the secure removable drive, are configured for the processor system to:
- differentiate between the secure removable drive having the media identifier and other non-secure removable drives not having the media identifier;
- provide always-on encryption of the secure removable drive, wherein data stored in the memory of the secure removable drive are encrypted based on presence of the media identifier thereon;
- and
- provide seamless operation of the other non-secure removable drives, wherein data stored in memory of the other non-secure removable drives are not encrypted absent the media identifier therefrom.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.