Abstract: Full volume encryption can be applied to volumes in a clustering environment. To simplify the maintenance of keys relevant to such encrypted volumes, a cluster key table construct can be utilized, where each entry of the cluster key table corresponds to an encrypted volume and comprises an identification of the encrypted volume and a key needed to access that volume. Keys can be protected by encrypting them with a key specific to each computing device storing the cluster key table. Updates can be propagated among the computing devices in the cluster by first decrypting the keys and then reencrypting them with a key specific to each computing device as they are stored on those computing devices. Access control requirements can also be added to the entries in the cluster key table. Alternative access control requirements can be accommodated by assigning multiple independent entries to a single encrypted volume.

Abstract: Full volume encryption can be applied to volumes in a clustering environment. To simplify the maintenance of keys relevant to such encrypted volumes, a cluster key table construct can be utilized, where each entry of the cluster key table corresponds to an encrypted volume and comprises an identification of the encrypted volume and a key needed to access that volume. Keys can be protected by encrypting them with a key specific to each computing device storing the cluster key table. Updates can be propagated among the computing devices in the cluster by first decrypting the keys and then reencrypting them with a key specific to each computing device as they are stored on those computing devices. Access control requirements can also be added to the entries in the cluster key table. Alternative access control requirements can be accommodated by assigning multiple independent entries to a single encrypted volume.