Curtiss-Wright Unattended Rugged NAS With Type 1 Encryption

Curtiss-Wright Corporation‘s Defense Solutions division announced its Unattended Network Storage (UNS) system, a rugged NAS solution that provides ‘Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information’ (TS/SCI) encryption to protect critical data-at-rest (DAR) on unmanned deployed platforms.

As the number of sensors on unmanned intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms- such as UAV, UUV, USV, and UGVs – continues to proliferate, the challenge of protecting the critical data collected and stored on those platforms has grown in significance. The UNS prevents unauthorized access to classified information in the event that the unattended platform is lost or stolen. It uses a DAR Type-1 encryptor that is planned to be certified for unattended operations of classified data Top Secret and below. The UNS provides system integrators with a rugged off-the-shelf solution that lowers costs and program risk while speeding time to deployment.

“Our new Unattended Network Storage solution provides designers of unattended platforms with a network file server that protects critical data-at-rest to the highest levels,” said Lynn Bamford, SVP and GM, defense solutions division. “This open architecture COTS solution addresses the growing need for Type-1 encrypted storage on unattended platforms with a rugged, fully integrated solution that’s ready for deployment.“

Designed for fast storage, the UNS combines >2GB/s data transfers with 32TB of encrypted storage on a rugged Removable Storage Module (RSM). The RSMs ease the transport of data-at-rest between unmanned platforms and base stations for post-mission analysis. The encryptor uses Pre-Placed Keys (PPK) which are filled in Black Key format. The use of symmetric PPKs enables the same key to be loaded onto multiple encryptors so that data can be encrypted onto an RSM in one location for decrypting later at another location.

The UNS’s network interfaces include four 10GbE ports and eight 1GbE ports. It supports industry-standard network storage protocols (iSCSI, NFS, CIFS, HTTP, and FTP). It also supports remote client booting via Pre-boot Execution (PXE) and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) protocols.

In addition to enabling system designers to eliminate redundant storage devices, remote booting allows fast updates to a client’s OS and application software.