Abstract:
A method for certifying data storage disk drive erasure including a server with a software program for erasing the disks, a step of inserting the disk drive to be erased, erasing it, and creating a printable file usable for certifying the erasure.

Description:
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document may contain command formats and other computer language listings, all of which are subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally data protection for users of computers, and more specifically to methods, systems, apparatus, and an architecture for such data protection. 
     RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/639,933 entitled “Appliance for Erasure of One or More Data Storage Disk Drives” by Cowman, et al., filed on even date, Dec. 15, 2006, and is assigned to EMC Corporation, the same assignee as this invention. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Disk drives are a key way that data is stored for most companies. Drives are much more accessible, reliable, and dense than just about any magnetic or electronic alternative. Moreover, data can be stored on them over and over again. As data is erased, new date can be added. However, despite their robust reliability, many disk drives do eventually fail, and then need replacing. 
     When a service company, such as the disk drive supplier, is called in to replace a failing disk drive, it has two competing interests. It has its own concern, of possibly being able to return the failed disk drive to the disk drive manufacturer under a warranty or other contractual agreement. On the other hand, the company whose data is stored on the disk drive has an important concern to not allow sensitive data to fall into 3 rd  party hands. Its own business information may be stored on the disk drive, or data of customers or partners, or it may be under obligation because it has sensitive government information stored thereon. Moreover, if that is the case there are several government directives, including those from the Dept. of Defense or other classified source of information that have explicit requirements and specifications requiring destruction of data before a disk drive may be removed. What is needed is a way to balance these needs, and provide advantages of a low-cost, but orderly, and certifiable proof of such data destruction. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To overcome the problems of the prior art mentioned above and to provide advantages also described above, this invention embodiments include a method for certifying erasure of data from a data storage disk drive. The method includes the steps of providing a server with a software program capable of erasing a data storage disk drive unit, inserting a data storage disk drive unit to be erased into the server, erasing the inserted data storage disk drive unit. A printable file is created indicating that the data storage disk drive unit has been erased, and wherein the printable file is usable to show that the data storage disk drive unit has been erased. 
     In another embodiment, a method includes the steps of providing a server in communication with a first unit for receiving a data storage disk drive to be erased and including a software program on the server that is capable of erasing the data storage disk drive to be erased after it is received into the first unit. Other steps include inserting a data storage disk drive to be erased into the first unit, erasing the inserted data storage disk drive in the first unit, and creating a printable file indicating that the data storage disk drive has been erased, wherein the printable file may be printed, stored, or displayed to certify that data storage disk drive unit has been erased. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and further advantages of the present invention may be better under stood by referring to the following description taken into conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an embodiment of a non-portable disk erasure appliance including a server with disk erasure software and an external disk array enclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is another embodiment of a non-portable disk erasure appliance including an internal enclosure for receiving a disk for erasure and an optional external disk array enclosure; 
         FIG. 3  shows the disk array enclosure useful to be included with the disk erasure appliance of  FIG. 1  or  2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of the disk array enclosure of  FIG. 3  without its bezel in place; 
         FIG. 5  is an embodiment of a portable disk erasure appliance including a portable disk unit (PDU) including a disk enclosure for accepting a disk for erasure and an optional disk array enclosure; 
         FIG. 6  is a rack-mounted embodiment of a disk array enclosure; 
         FIG. 7  is a rack-mounted bezel with lock for the rack-mounted disk erasure enclosure of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a view showing that the bezel of  FIG. 7  may be removed to expose the rack-mountable disk array enclosure of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic including a functional block diagram of a rack mounted keyboard, video screen, and mouse (KVM) module combined with a server that may be used to run disk erasure software for erasing one or more disks of the rack-mountable disk array enclosure of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a view of the server of  FIG. 9  with an attachable front bezel and a port for receiving disk erasure software; 
         FIG. 11  is a front view of the server of  FIGS. 9 and 10  and including the port for receiving disk erasure software; 
         FIG. 12  is a rear view of the server of  FIGS. 9 and 10  and connectors and communication ports for the KVM module; 
         FIG. 13  is a rear view of the KVM module, server, and disk array enclosures (DAE) rack-mounted; and 
         FIG. 14  is a an overview of a method embodiment of certifying disk erasure useful with the appliance depicted in the embodiments of  FIGS. 1-3 ,  5 , and  9 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The inventors have critically recognized the need for erasing disks in a rapid, economical, orderly, and certifiable manner. Accordingly, the broadest overview of the invention includes an appliance for erasing disks and a method for certifying disks erased by such an appliance. 
       FIG. 1  is an embodiment of a non-portable disk erasure appliance  2  including a server  10  with disk erasure software or Program  17  loadable and executable in random access memory (RAM)  15  by CPU  13 . The Program, though not shown, in all Figures, should be understood to be present throughout all the Appliance embodiments discussed herein with reference to the subsequently numbered Figures following  FIG. 1 . Regarding terminology, disk is often used herein as a short-hand terminology for disk drive, as it is well understood in the art to use disk for disk drive once it is understood that disk drives are actually being referred to and that is the practice used herein. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , Disks  4  in an external disk array enclosure  14 ,  16 , and  18  are erasable by the program when executed and communicated with by Host Bus Adapter  12 . A plurality of Disks  4  are shown ( 15  in the example for each DAE), but the number of disks is not a limitation of the invention, as one skilled in the art will recognize that one to several disks may be erased by the program  17 . The DAE&#39;s may be in communication across paths  3 , for example, which may be in a daisy-chain configuration. Regarding the disk erasure software, there are known embodiments of such software. An example of such is available from Blancco Ltd. of Joensuu, Finland. In order to certify that erasure has taken place, the Program can create a Printable File  19  that can be printed on Printer  21 , or simply saved or emailed for printing later or otherwise serving as evidence of the erasure. 
       FIG. 2  is another embodiment of a non-portable disk erasure appliance including an internal enclosure  24  for receiving a disk  22  inserted into the PC server with enclosure for erasure. The PC server can communicate with the internal enclosure  24  through HBA  12 , along path  29  and through communication card  20  or can communicate with an optional external disk array enclosure  14  through HBA  12  and along path  30 . The communication card allows communication with Fibre Channel protocol disks. Such cards also known as T-cards, is preferably available from Sierra Technologies LLC, an example of which is the FCA-2200K 2 GB card. 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  showing the DAE  14  are discussed now.  FIG. 3  shows DAE  14  including 15 drives (numbered 0-14), which may be protected by a lockable front bezel  17  including a lock  21  and key  19 .  FIG. 4  is a front view of the disk array enclosure of  FIG. 3  without its bezel in place. Light Emitting Diodes (LED&#39;s) on each disk indicate its status, and are given, only as an example: Fault in general for the DAE may be indicated by amber color, and Power may be indicated by green or blue color, all generally accepted in the art. Disk activity may be indicated also by green, and fault at the disk level may be indicated by amber color LED. 
       FIG. 5  is an embodiment of a portable disk erasure appliance including a portable disk unit (PDU)  50  including a disk enclosure for accepting a disk  43  for erasure and an optional DAE  14 . The DAE communicates through path  33  with the base unit  49  of the PDU that includes a well-known PCI bus and HBA card  12 . A power supply  52  powers the PDU and fan  36  cools it. Connection  31  allows the HBA card to communicate with the on-board T card  20  as described with reference to  FIG. 2 . A well-known PCMCIA card  38  inserted into slot  42  of Laptop PC  40  allows the PC to communicate with the PDU and Program  17  (not shown) operating on the PC erases disk  43  in disk enclosure  48 . The disks on DAE  14  can also be erased by the Program for erasure loaded on PC  40 . 
       FIGS. 6-8  are now discussed.  FIG. 6  is a rack-mounted embodiment of DAE  14  on rails  72  attached to rack  102  (shown in partial view, for the sake of simplicity.  FIG. 7  is a rack-mounted bezel with lock for the rack-mounted disk erasure enclosure of  FIG. 6 . The optional front bezel  60  with lock  63  is lockable or un-lockable by key  61 .  FIG. 8  is a view showing that the bezel of  FIG. 7  may be removed to expose the rack-mountable disk array enclosure of  FIG. 6 . The bezel may be removed in direction  62  by application of pressure at points  64 . 
       FIG. 9  is a schematic including a functional block diagram of a rack mounted keyboard (K)  108 , video screen (V)  106 , and mouse (M)  110  comprising Keyboard-Video-Mouse of KVM module  105 . The KVM module  105  is operationally combined with a Server  109  that may be used to run Program  17  that includes disk erasure software for erasing one or more disks of the rack-mountable disk array enclosure of  FIG. 6 . The KVM is mounted in Housing  100  that includes a handle  104  that is lockable with lock  106  (key not shown for simplicity) and which Housing is mounted on rack  102 . Preferably, KVM  105  and Server  109  are not combined, but one skilled in the art will recognize that one may configure them separately or combined in view of the teachings herein. 
       FIGS. 10-12  are now discussed.  FIG. 10  is a view of the server of  FIG. 9  with an attachable front bezel  121  and a port  120  (e.g. a CD-ROM drive) for receiving disk erasure software, such as Program  17  on a CD-ROM. The bezel  121  is mounted on rack  102  in direction  123  for attaching to Server  109  that includes HBA  12 . The Server is preferably of 1 U height.  FIG. 11  is a front view of the server of  FIGS. 9 and 10  and including the port  120  for receiving disk erasure software, and front electronics connections/communications area  127 .  FIG. 12  is a rear view of the server of  FIGS. 9 and 10  and connectors and communication ports for the KVM module. The mouse connection  130  receives a mouse connector to the KVM module. Likewise, and connection  137  receives a keyboard connector to the KVM module. Similarly, a KVM video port  139  receives a video input from the screen on the KVM module. HBA card  12  communicates as described with the other embodiments described above. 
       FIG. 13  is a rear view of the rack  102  housing the KVM module  105 , server  109 , and disk array enclosures (DAE) rack-mounted with AC-power outlets  170 . For simplicity not all power connections are shown, nor are all communications path shown, but communication paths between the Server and KVM have been described with reference to  FIGS. 11 and 12 , and path  143  is shown to represent that generally the Server and KVM communicate. Communication Path  140  connects the Server to DAE  14 , which is daisy-chained along Path  141  to DAE  16 . Server  109  is also connected to KVM  105  along path  143 . 
       FIG. 14  is an overview of a method embodiment of certifying disk erasure useful with the Appliance depicted in the embodiments of  FIGS. 1-3 ,  5 , and  9 . In step  210 , a user inserts disk unit  210  into the Appliance. The Appliance is optionally locked in step  210 . The Program erases the inserted disk in step  214 . A certification certificated is printed (preferably to a file, e.g. a well-known PDF format file) in step  216 . The Drive is removed from Appliance in step  218 . One skilled in the art will recognize that the steps are useful for the DAE configuration as well, wherein the drives are inserted into the DAE, instead of or in addition to a Drive inserted into an enclosure in the Server on a PDU, each discussed above. 
     Having described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it may occur to skilled artisans to incorporate these concepts into other embodiments. Nevertheless, this invention should not be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but rather only by the spirit and scope of the following claims and their equivalents.