Method and apparatus for data encryption using a standardized data storage and retrieval protocol

Abstract

A system, method and apparatus for encrypting data. A host processor and host memory are coupled to a block I/O device. The host processor issues encryption and decryption commands to the block I/O device in accordance with a high-speed data storage and retrieval protocol. The block I/O device performs encryption on data specified in the encryption command, thus relieving the host processor of performing the encryption and freeing the host processor for other tasks.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A block I/O device, comprising:
 a host interface for transporting data and commands to and from a host coupled to the host interface via a high-speed data bus in accordance with a high-speed data storage and retrieval protocol;   a memory for storing processor-executable instructions, an encryption index key table, and a first encryption algorithm; and   a controller coupled to the host interface and the memory, for executing the processor-executable instructions that causes the block I/O device to:
 receive, by the controller via the host interface, an encryption command comprising a modified version of a standard command defined by the high-speed data storage and retrieval protocol; 
 retrieve, by the controller, an encryption key index value from a first field of the encryption command, the first field used in other commands from the host for functions other than encryption; 
 retrieve, by the controller via the host interface, unencrypted data in a memory location identified by the encryption command; 
 retrieve, by the controller, a first encryption key of two or more encryption keys stored in the encryption index key table based on the encryption key index value; 
 encrypt, by the controller, the unencrypted data in accordance with the first encryption key and the first encryption algorithm, to produce encrypted data. 
   
     
     
         2 . The block I/O device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor-executable instructions further causes the block I/O device to:
 provide, by the controller via the host interface, a notification to the host that the encryption command has been completed.   
     
     
         3 . The block I/O device of  claim 2 , wherein the high-speed data storage and retrieval protocol comprises an NVMe data storage and retrieval protocol and the notification comprises an entry into a completion queue in accordance with the NVMe data storage and retrieval protocol. 
     
     
         4 . The block I/O device of  claim 1 , wherein the high-speed data storage and retrieval protocol comprises an NVMe protocol, and the first field of the encryption command comprises a Namespace ID field of a Vendor Specific Command. 
     
     
         5 . The block I/O device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 programmable circuitry coupled to the controller to perform the encryption instead of the controller;   wherein the processor-executable instructions further causes the block I/O device to:
 receive, by the controller via the host interface, an administrative command from the host to download a second encryption algorithm from the host; 
 download, by the controller via the host interface, the second encryption algorithm; 
 store, by the controller, the second encryption algorithm in the memory; and 
 use, by the controller, the second encryption algorithm to encrypt further unencrypted data in a subsequent encryption command. 
   
     
     
         6 . The block I/O device of  claim 5 , wherein the programmable circuitry comprises an embedded FPGA. 
     
     
         7 . The block I/O device of  claim 1 , wherein the block I/O device comprises a solid state drive, further comprising:
 a mass storage device coupled to the controller for storing the encrypted data.   
     
     
         8 . A computer system, comprising:
 a host computer, comprising:
 a host processor for generating an encryption command, the encryption command comprising an encryption key index value placed into a first field of the encryption command, the first field used in other commands for functions other than encryption; 
 a host memory for storing first processor-executable instructions and unencrypted data; and 
 a data bus coupled to the processor and the memory for providing the unencrypted data to one or more block I/O devices coupled to the data bus; 
   
       and
 a first block I/O device coupled to the host computer via the data bus, the first block I/O device comprising:
 a host interface for sending and receiving data and commands from the host processor in accordance with a high-speed data storage and retrieval protocol; 
 a memory for storing second processor-executable instructions, an encryption index key table, and a first encryption algorithm; and 
 a controller coupled to the host interface and the memory, for executing the second processor-executable instructions that causes the block I/O device to:
 receive, by the controller via the host interface, the encryption command in accordance with the high-speed data storage and retrieval protocol; 
 retrieve, by the controller, the encryption key index value from the first field of the encryption command; 
 retrieve, by the controller via the host interface, the unencrypted data from the host memory; 
 retrieve, by the controller, a first encryption key of two or more encryption keys stored in the encryption index key table based on the encryption key index value; 
 encrypt, by the controller, the unencrypted data in accordance with the first encryption key and the first encryption algorithm to produce encrypted data. 
 
 
 
     
     
         9 . The computer system of  claim 8 , wherein the second processor-executable instructions further causes the computer system to:
 provide, by the controller via the host interface, a notification to the host processor that the encryption command has been completed.   
     
     
         10 . The computer system of  claim 9 , wherein the high-speed data storage and retrieval protocol comprises an NVMe data storage and retrieval protocol and the notification comprises an entry into a completion queue of the host memory in accordance with the NVMe data storage and retrieval protocol. 
     
     
         11 . The computer system of  claim 8 , wherein the high-speed data storage and retrieval protocol comprises an NVMe protocol, and the first field of the encryption command comprises a Namespace ID field of a Vendor Specific Command. 
     
     
         12 . The computer system of  claim 9 , wherein the block I/O device further comprises:
 programmable circuitry coupled to the controller to perform the encryption instead of the controller;   wherein the second processor-executable instructions further causes the block I/O device to:
 receive, by the controller via the host interface, an administrative command from the host processor to download a second encryption algorithm from the host processor; 
 download, by the controller via the host interface, the second encryption algorithm; 
 store, by the controller, the second encryption algorithm in the memory; and 
 use, by the controller, the second encryption algorithm to encrypt further unencrypted data in a subsequent encryption command. 
   
     
     
         13 . The computer system of  claim 12 , wherein the programmable circuitry comprises an embedded FPGA. 
     
     
         14 . The computer system of  claim 9 , wherein the block I/O device comprises a solid state drive, further comprising:
 a mass storage device coupled to the controller for storing the encrypted data.   
     
     
         15 . A method, performed by a block I/O device coupled to a host, comprising:
 receiving, by a controller via a host interface in the block I/O device, an encryption command, the encryption command comprising an encryption key index value stored in a first field of the command;   retrieving, by the controller, the encryption key index value from the first field of the encryption command;   receiving, by the controller via the host interface, unencrypted data from the host;   retrieving, by the controller, a first encryption key of two or more encryption keys stored in the encryption index key table based on the encryption key index value;   encrypting, by the controller, the unencrypted data in accordance with the first encryption key and a first encryption algorithm stored in a memory coupled to the controller, to produce encrypted data.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 providing, by the controller via the host interface, a notification to the host that the encryption command has been completed.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first field of the encryption command comprises a Namespace ID field of a Vendor Specific Command as defined by an NVMe protocol. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the controller via the host interface, an administrative command from the host to download a second encryption algorithm from the host;   downloading, by the controller via the host interface, the second encryption algorithm;   storing, by the controller, the second encryption algorithm in the memory; and   using, by the controller, the second encryption algorithm to encrypt further unencrypted data in a subsequent encryption command.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the block I/O device comprises a solid state drive coupled to the controller, the method further comprising:
 storing, by the controller, the encrypted data in the mass storage device.