Endpoint Encryption

I'm pleased to announce our latest version of our encryption product: Symantec Endpoint Encryption version 11.0.0. This solution blends best-of-breed technologies from our PGP and GuardianEdge acquisitions into a single console that includes strong disk and removable media encryption along with out-of-the-box reporting and enterprise-scale management.

For more information: http://www.symantec.com/connect/endpoint-encryption-11

For information on the support pages (including documentation and KB articles on licensing migration): http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=productlanding&key=55414

If you have any questions, please contact your sales or support contacts, or please let us know here.

Thanks!
...sue
 

Do you think we will see OPAL (self encrypting harddrives) shortly with Symantec Endpoint Encryption v11.x?

How can we migrate the Encryption Management Server 3.2 MP2 and Drive Encryption client into Symantec Endpoint Encryption 11?

Or it need build a new Symantec Endpoint Encryption 11?

For this release, there is no migration path from Encryption Management Server to Endpoint Encryption. You would need to install a new Endpoint Encryption server and run them in parallel. From the KB article that describes license migration for Endpoint Management Server:

Existing Drive Encryption Customers

Existing Symantec Drive Encryption 10.3 (formerly PGP Whole Disk Encryption) customers cannot migrate directly to the new Symantec Endpoint Encryption 11.0 product. At this time, we recommend parallel deployment of Drive Encryption on existing implementations of Encryption Management Server along with a new installation of Endpoint Encryption 11 for new implementations through attrition as new systems are brought online.

(Reference: http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO101492)

Thanks!
...sue

We currently support OPAL drives:

• Endpoint Encryption with Drive Encryption fuctionality is compatible with software based encryption of Opal V1 and Opal V2 drives. Drive Encryption will handle these drives as regular non-Opal drives and will not take advantage of their hardware-based encryption capabilities.

I'm not sure what our current plans are for managing drives with hardware-based encryption but I'm checking on that. (I know that's not the answer you were looking for, exactly, but I didn't want to let this sit without a response.) I do know that this is one of our top requested items...

Thanks!

...sue

But can Symantec Encryption Desktop endpoints now be managed by SEE v11?  Also, is the software available?

No. You can configure the Symantec Encryption Management Server to send the WDRTs from that server to the *new* Symantec Endpoint Encryption Server, so that you can have one help desk solution. But you would still have to have both solutions installed and running at this point. You cannot have the new Endpoint Encryption Server managing the Encryption Management Server-managed clients (such as Symantec Drive Encryption clients or Encryption Desktop clients).

Symantec Endpoint Encryption is a Drive Encryption or Removable Media Encryption solution, by the way. (No email functionality, if you are looking for that with Encryption Desktop.)

As for "is the software available"? Do you mean is Symantec Endpoint Encryption v11.0.0 available? Yes, it was available on FileConnect before noon PDT yesterday. Definitely available by the time I posted the announcement here!

Hope that helps! Let me know if you still have questions.

...sue

How do you send the WDRT's to the SEE-RS server?

Hi Alex,

If you look at the landing pages that I posted upthread when I first announced, under the "How To" section, there is an article for sending the WDRTs. But the direct link to the KB article is http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO101720.

Basically you connect the Encryption Management Server to the Endpoint Management Server. And then use the Help Desk Recovery snap-in in the Endpoint Management Server to assist anyone who calls the help desk. Including someone who is calling for a WDRT!

...sue

Ok this is getting confusing. We are currently on Symantec Endpoint Encryption 8.2.1 MP10. Is this release an update to this product? Or is it an update to "Symantec Drive Encryption?" Which is it?

Hi Almost There. This is the newest version of Endpoint Encryption. If you are using Endpoint Encryption 8.2.1 MP10, this is an upgrade to that.

For people who are using Encryption Management Server, we are trying to make things easier for them, so that they can provide a single help desk point of contact. That's what Alex was asking about.

For anyone with a current license, these KBs might help:

• Symantec Endpoint Encryption License Migration -- http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO101492
• Symantec Encryption Bundle License Migration -- http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO101493
• Symantec Encryption Management Server License Migration -- http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO101494

Sorry for the confusion!

And there is NO SEE-RS server. The new product is now a server that manages Drive Encryption and Removable Media Encryption. (And yes, I agree, there is confusion with the word "Drive Encryption" because we already have a product named Symantec Drive Encryption that is managed by another server!)

The client for this new upgraded product? It's powered by PGP Technology. So it's new and improved. As is the removable media encryption technology. Check out the blogs for more "marketing" info that may help you understand the technology behind this new version.

• http://symc.ly/1mW2Jcd
• http://symc.ly/1tkYjIR

Does that clear anything up? I hope!

...sue

Ok, thanks for the info. I do have another question about the OPAL drives you touched on earlier. I didnt think this product was compatibale with OPAL drives, except for a few Hitachi ones. At least that is what you all recently told me. I thought all OPAL self encrypting drives were hardware based?

I checked and the OPAL drives *is* an enhancement request on our roadmap. I also found out that if you are a current customer with a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with Symantec, please check with your Symantec Account Manager to schedule an Encryption Roadmap Review meeting.

Hope this helps!
...sue

Hi Almost There! This new version of the product is compatible with OPAL drives, as I mentioned previouslyl. OPAL drives are generally hardware-based encryption. But you can disable the hardware encryption (using software that came with the drive, I believe) and allow those drives to be encrypted with software. That's where the Symantec product comes in... as long as they are configured for software-based encryption only, Endpoint Encryption software can encrypt OPAL 1 or OPAL 2 drives.

I hope that helps! Please remember that this client is a completely different client than the 8.2.1 version. While we are still not compatible with hardware-encryption, and this *is* an enhancement request, as long as the drive isn't encrypted, we are compatible.

Hope that clears things up a bit more?

...sue

Hi Sue,

Thanks for all the info. Does this release of Endpoint Encryption client v11 allow you to take an encrypted drive out of the current system and plug it into another system, or a USB enclosure?

Thanks!

Hi Sue,

Late to the party here, what is the current migration path for desktop appliances?

If we have PC's running Symantec Encryption Desktop (PGP Desktop) and want to migrate them onto the Symantec Endpoint Encryption platform, does this require a decrypt, uninstall, then reinstall and encrypt?

Thanks!

If you wanted to migrate to SEE from PGP, you would need to decrypt, uninstall, then install the SEE packages generated from the SEE Management Server.