Ralph and all,

To reiterate the position of IBM Tape related to 06-369r5: Security Association Model for SPC-4, we see the need for the items in this proposal but we object to the proposals acceptance until there is a "Security protocol that creates SAs".  The proposal as it stands today, has a table for these Security protocols that create an SA, but there is only a TBD.  We fear that passing this proposal without a Security protocol defined that creates an SA, will open the door for items that rely on SAs to be added to the standard prior to any method to create an SA.  We believe that this would work against the attempts to standardize methods of creating an SA, because vendors will begin creating SAs with vendor-specific methods in order to get the items that rely on an SA.

Thanks,

Kevin D. Butt
SCSI & Fibre Channel Architect, Tape Firmware
MS 6TYA, 9000 S. Rita Rd., Tucson, AZ 85744
Tel: 520-799-2869 / 520-799-5280
Fax: 520-799-2723 (T/L:321)
Email address: kdbutt@us.ibm.com
http://www-03.ibm.com/servers/storage/