Which ONTAP feature provides hardware-based encryption at the disk level?

NetApp Storage Encryption (NSE) provides hardware-based, full-disk encryption for data at rest using self-encrypting drives (SEDs). Each NSE drive has a built-in cryptographic engine that automatically encrypts all data written to the drive and decrypts all data read from it, without any performance impact on the storage controller. This ensures data on a drive is secure even if it is physically removed from the storage system. NSE provides a foundational layer of security at the hardware level.

A. NVE (NetApp Volume Encryption) is a software-based encryption feature that operates at the volume level, not the hardware/disk level.

B. NAE (NetApp Aggregate Encryption) is a software-based encryption feature that operates at the aggregate level, encrypting all volumes within it.

D. SnapVault Encryption refers to the encryption of backup data during transit or at the destination, not hardware-based encryption on the primary system's disks.

1. NetApp ONTAP Documentation Center. (2023). Overview of NetApp Storage Encryption. In ONTAP 9 Security and data encryption. The document states, "NetApp Storage Encryption (NSE) is a solution that uses special self-encrypting drives to provide full disk, hardware-based encryption of data at rest."

2. NetApp. (2022). TR-4567: NetApp ONTAP Encryption Power Guide. Section 2.1, "NetApp Storage Encryption (NSE)," describes NSE as a hardware-based solution using self-encrypting drives (SEDs).