Hewlett Packard (HP) has unveiled new disk encryption features and improvements to key management for tape libraries, enhancing the security of business-critical data and simplifying the management of compliance-related operations for midsize to enterprise customers.

Introduced at Storage Networking World this week, the new hardware encryption features, added to the HP StorageWorks XP24000 and XP20000 Disk Arrays, aim to reduce the risk of security breaches by protecting the data stored on each disk drive in the array.

HP claims that this can be done without degrading the XP array’s high performance, a competitive advantage it has over competing solutions.

The encryption enhancement for disk arrays, combined with effective key management, strengthens the HP Secure Advantage portfolio of hardware, software and services designed to protect data and resources, from the desktop to the printer and the data center.

By encrypting data on both disk and tape, customers can be confident that “data at rest” – information not traversing the network – is secure and easily accessible. If disks are removed or stolen, the encrypted data is inaccessible and, therefore, protected. This encryption safeguards against loss of intellectual property and private information, and helps to protect corporate revenue and reputation.

The XP array’s redundant hardware platform with data replication capabilities ensures business continuity in case of disaster. The XP array also includes storage virtualization and thin provisioning capabilities that let customers improve the utilization of their storage capacity, the accessibility of their data, and the scalability of their storage environment.

According to HP, the emphasis on storage security is largely a response to increased demands for decades-long access to archives. Tightening regulations and the increased use of content-rich applications are causing the volume of stored data to grow at an exponential rate. This makes securing archived data much more challenging.

“As regulatory compliance and privacy requirements become more stringent, efficiently protecting stored data across an entire organization requires the combination of encryption and easy-to-use key management,” said Jon Oltsik, senior analyst, Enterprise Strategy Group.

“HP understands that security solutions need to evolve with growing business demands. The company’s easy-to-use encryption and central key management solutions safeguard data for extensive periods of time so security and compliance demands are always met.”

Encryption for the XP24000 or XP20000 will be available in December 2008 with the option to add the encryption feature to existing disk arrays. Prices start at USD 23,000 and will vary depending on models and configuration.