Patent ID: 7912223

Claim:
A computerized storage system comprising: a. A storage controller comprising a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory unit, wherein the storage controller is operable to: i. allocate a storage volume; ii. generate an encryption key for the allocated storage volume; iii. determine whether the encryption key is unique; iv. if the encryption key is not unique, generate a second encryption key for the allocated storage volume; v. store the generated encryption key or the second encryption key in the memory unit; and b. at least one storage device operatively coupled with the storage controller and operable to store data encrypted with the stored encryption key; wherein the memory unit is operable to store information relating to at least one old encryption key and the storage controller is operable to determine whether the generated encryption key is new using the stored information relating to at least one old encryption key, and, wherein the old encryption key is irrecoverable from the information relating to the old encryption key; wherein the information relating to the at the least one old encryption key comprises at least one clear text string encrypted using the at least one old encryption key and wherein the storage controller is operable to determine whether the generated encryption key is new by comparing the at least one clear text string encrypted using the at least one old encryption key with a clear text string encrypted using the generated key.