Geneva-based technology developer ID Quantique (IDQ) has announced the launch of a large-scale, high-speed encryptor aimed at encrypting data travelling between data centers.

The encryptor, named the CN8000, has been developed to protect traffic on large-scale multi-link data networks.

With performance capabilities of ten 10Gbps high-speed multi-link encryptors, the CN8000 will protect up to 100Gbps of multi-protocol network traffic.

A significant target market is large banks, such as Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Citi, which run multiple data centers in the US.

Dr Gregoire Ribordy, CEO of IDQ, said the company’s goal is to provide customers with “maximum trust” in encryption.

“This remarkable encryptor is a world first,” Dr Ribordy said.

“Now organizations seeking to minimize business risks and protect high volumes of data transmitted across multiple high speed network links will be able to more cost-effectively implement enterprise-wide network encryption.”

The IDQ system encrypts data passing from one location (such as a data center) to another.

“You would install this as the last piece of equipment on the way out of the data center, and then the traffic would be secure until it gets to the other data center where it's decrypted — ours would be the first equipment on the other side,” Dr Ribordy said.

Dr Ribordy added the CN8000’s 100Gbps total capacity enables a “simpler and far more cost-effective” solution, as the CN8000 is ultimately performing the workload of up to ten 10Gbps encryptors in one single rack-mountable unit. 

“Large organizations and technology service providers such as cloud computing and data center services are now able to more economically encrypt all their valuable data, without degrading network performance or having to juggle complex data classifications and regulations,” Dr Ribordy said.

“All stakeholders will have greater peace of mind knowing that their organizations can implement a cost-effective “encrypt all” data protection policy.”

While the NSA's ability to tap into the fiber optic networks run by telecom giants has made headlines, the banking industry has more to worry about in the categories of hackers and cyberthieves.

“A lot of these techniques are easy to use and could be used by criminals,” Dr Ribordy said.

IDQ recently announced Ohio-based R&D firm Battelle as its first US customer, which will use the technology to transmit data between its Ohio offices.