On Wednesday, 06/13/2007 at 08:56 EST, RPN01 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> I like the "clean system" idea... On the hardware encryption: This would
> assume that your disaster recovery facility had those same encrypting
tape
> drives in place, wouldn't it? It would limit your possible recovery
sites
> considerably. And even if your DR vendor installed the same drives on
one of
> their platforms, what if someone else declares before you, and is
already in
> the shell that has your needed tape drives?
I think any "limit" on DR will be short-lived. Remember the z/OS
Encryption Facility? The demand for encrypted tapes was so strong that we
chose to develop and release a software product as a stop-gap measure
until the encrypting 3592s (aka TS1120) were ready. Even at the WAVV
conference a few weeks ago, where z/OSers fear to go, there was lots of
buzz (not by IBM) about the need for the drives. An amazing number of
people stopped by the booth and said "We have ours on order."
Now is a good time to ask your DR provider about their plans for
encrypting tapes. Maybe that DR contract is up for review? It's time to
raise the bar and your expectations of what your DR provider has ("Of
course, we have encrypting 3592s! Who doesn't?") available in ALL of his
venues.
Alan Altmark
z/VM Development
IBM Endicott
