Enterprise laptop backup and retrieval specialist Druva, one of the more creative company names to come to the fore lately, has released an upgraded version of its product.
Druva SafePoint, data loss-prevention software for Windows-running laptop computers and other mobile devices, has added file-level encryption, NSA (National Security Agency)-class remote data wipe-out, and improved device tracing.
The Mountain View, Calif.-based company, one of the first to specialize in retrieving lost laptop data, enables administrators to deploy simple policies to encrypt files and folders on enterprise laptops that have been identified for backup. Encryption and decryption are automatic and require no additional steps or passwords — which will be music to the ears of users.
SafePoint uses Windows’ Encrypting File System, which implements a U.S. government-standard 256-bit AES algorithm for file encryption. It also features a centralized, Web-based management console to simplify administration for multiple laptops.
All Security Angles Covered
SafePoint has all the angles covered if a machine is lost or stolen. It enables an administrator to decommission any device by initiating a remote data wipe-out operation to shred critical data on the lost or stolen device when it comes online, Jaspreet Singh, founder and CEO of 4-year-old Druva, told eWEEK.
The data-delete operation, which fits into NSA security standards, protects lost or stolen devices from data breach. As an option, an administrator can set up a time-based auto-delete trigger on devices to self-destruct of the device data if the device does not connect with the inSync server for a specified number of days, an uncommon feature. Administrators can set up alerts on the server to be notified of impending deletes.
SafePoint also provides device tracing information that determines the location of devices with accuracies of between 10 and 20 meters for enabled endpoints, Singh said. To do this, SafePoint collects raw data from Wi-Fi access points, GPS satellites and cell towers, using advanced hybrid positioning algorithms.
“Our goal with SafePoint is to democratize data loss prevention,” Singh told eWEEK. “Organizations can’t afford to leave their vital intellectual property at risk. Nor can they justify the complexity and high operating costs of bloated enterprise software. With SafePoint, Druva has addressed both issues, and our early-adopter customers cite affordability and immediate deployability as their top gains.”
Druva SafePoint became available in late May 2011 and supports all Windows laptops. Full support for Mac clients as well as for mobile devices such as iPad, iPhone, iPod, Android-based devices, and Blackberry devices will be announced later this year. Pricing runs $12 to $15 per endpoint per year, Singh said.
Druva has more than 600 customers across 23 countries and maintains offices in the United States, India and Spain, Singh said.