The best way to remove SSD harddrive at end of day to protect server data

dave_sky
dave_sky used Ask the Experts™
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I have a server that has that is using an SSD hard drive. I am looking for the most efficient way for the users to be able to remove the drive at the end of the day and restart in the morning to protect against theft.

Thanks in advance.
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JohnBusiness Consultant (Owner)
Most Valuable Expert 2012
Expert of the Year 2018
Commented:
If it is an Opal 2 drive, it is already encrypted so then would be useless to someone who stole it from its moorings.
Dr. KlahnPrincipal Software Engineer
Commented:
I think John is on the right track.  Rather than protect the drive, make it useless to anyone who steals it.  Encrypt the drive and put the decryption key on a USB pen drive.  At the end of the day, turn the machine off and remove the pen drive.  The decryption key no longer exists in the machine's memory, the pen drive is easy to take away, the connectors on the SSD are spared unnecessary wear and anyone stealing the SSD gets nothing but a drive full of gibberish.

If you're really concerned, put half the encryption key on one pen drive, half on another, and have two different employees hold half the key.
Retired
Most Valuable Expert 2013
Top Expert 2009
Commented:
Agree with using an encrypted hard drive -- HOWEVER ... one important caveat anytime you do that:  be CERTAIN that you have a secure BACKUP of the key.    I've seen a LOT of data lost over the years NOT because of theft; but because somebody forgot a password, or lost a key device (e.g. USB Flash drive, or in previous years this was typically a parallel port dongle).

But an encrypted drive is a FAR better idea than just removing the drive and taking it with you => it can be damaged; lost; stolen; etc. ... not to mention the wear & team on the connectors due to daily plugging/unplugging of the drive.
nobus
Top Expert 2013

Commented:
and of course - have a good backup of your Data
i would also recommend making regular images of the drive too
dave_sky

Author

Commented:
Thanks for your help. I am now trying to determine if I can encrypt a solid state drive while using windows xp pro OS.   See new post...

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