Selecting Master Key Security Levels

There are three master key security levels: Basic, Standard, and Advanced. Standard and Advanced security levels require smart cards. Table 1-6 describes the master key security levels.

Caution You cannot modify the cluster security level after a cluster is created. Before confirming the cluster creation, you are prompted to review the cluster details. At that time, you can return to modify the security level.

Note For information on cluster security, see the “SME Security Overview”

Table 1-10 Master Key Security Levels

Security Level | Definition
Basic | The master key is stored in a file and encrypted with a password. To retrieve the master key, you need access to the file and the password.
Standard | Standard security requires one smart card. When you create a cluster and the master key is generated, you are prompted to insert the smart card into the smart card reader. The master key is then written to the smart card. To retrieve the master key, you need the smart card and the smart card pin.
Advanced | Advanced security requires five smart cards. When you create a cluster and select Advanced security mode, you designate the number of smart cards (two, three or five smart cards or two of three smart cards) that are required to recover the master key when data needs to be retrieved. For example, if you specify two of five smart cards, then you will need two of the five smart cards to recover the master key. Each smart card is owned by a SME Recovery Officer. Note The greater the number of required smart cards to recover the master key, the greater the security. However, if smart cards are lost or if they are damaged, this reduces the number of available smart cards that could be used to recover the master key.

In the Master Key Security screen, select the cluster security type that you want to use. You can choose any of the following security levels:

• Selecting Basic Security

• Selecting Standard Security

• Selecting Advanced Security

Selecting Basic Security

To select basic security, in the Master Key Security screen, select Basic. Click Next.

For the Basic security level, after the cluster is created, the switch generates the master key file and you are prompted for a password to protect the file.

Note You must download the Master Key file to activate the cluster. If you close the window before downloading the file, navigate to the cluster details page to download the Master Key file and finish the cluster setup.

Selecting Standard Security

To select standard security, in the Master Key Security screen, select Standard. Click Next.

Note For Standard security, one SME Recovery Officer must be present to log in and enter the smart card PIN.

Selecting Advanced Security

When Advanced security is selected, you need to designate the number of cards that are required to recover the master key. This can be two, three, or five smart cards or two of three smart cards. You need to configure all five smart cards during the cluster creations process; however, you only need the quorum number (that you designated in this step) to recover the master key.

To select Advanced Security, in the Master Key Security screen, select Advanced. Enter the number of required smart cards for the quorum (two of three or two of five or three of five). Click Next.

• For Advanced security, five SME Recovery Officers must be present to log in and enter the smart card PIN for each of the 5 smart cards.

• Be sure that the smart card reader is connected using the USB port (see “Installing Smart Card Drivers” section on page 2-24).

• When you insert a smart card into the reader, the card is verified. You are prompted to initialize the card if the card has not been previously initialized.

Note For Basic and Standard security modes, one user should hold the SME Administrator and the SME Recovery Officer roles.