Locking Down Your Data: Best practices for Encryption on IBM i

Encryption is your last line of defense against data breaches but implementing it effectively on IBM i requires the right knowledge and strategy. In this session, we’ll go beyond the “why” and dive into the “how.” We’ll cover what is sensitive data and what data you should be encrypting. We’ll cover the technical methods for encrypting sensitive data on IBM i, from disk level encryption to integrated encryption solutions. We’ll also explore key management, performance trade-offs, compliance considerations, and practical scenarios where one approach might be more effective than another. Attendees will walk away with actionable knowledge to evaluate encryption methods and sustainable encryption strategy for their IBM i environment.

Learning Objectives:

Understanding of the available encryption methods on IBM i How to evaluate your encryption requirements Actionable list of next steps to start your encryption implementation

Sandi Moore

Security Consultant, Fortra

Sandi has been working with Fortra customers for over 15 years supporting systems monitoring and security software. With experience on IBM i, AIX, and Linux, she has been involved in product demonstrations, implementation, support, training, research, and product testing.

In her time at Fortra, Sandi has helped customers understand how to effectively address the threats they face. Her goal is to help people achieve the best solution to their IT problems, no matter how many servers are in their environment or where in the world they’re located.

Organizations throughout the public and private sectors have relied on Sandi’s expertise, whether they’re seeking to proactively protect their systems or improve security controls after a malware attack. Sandi has shared her knowledge at multiple user group conferences, including COMMON.

Megan Olson

Software Developer and Product Manager

Fortra

Megan Olson is a Software Engineer and Product Manager at Fortra. Megan began her career at Fortra in 2021 as a Software Engineer Intern after earning her degree in Software Development in 2020. She has a strong technical focus on system security, product development, and driving innovation within the IBM i platform. She specializes in software development for security products where her areas of focus are Powertech Encryption, Powertech Authority Broker, Powertech Identity Manager, and Powertech Database Monitor. Previously recognized by TechChannel as a rising talent in the IBM i community, Megan is actively involved in the platform's future, most recently joining the boards of the QUSER and SEMIUG IBM i user groups, as well as the N2i Committee. Megan is deeply passionate about programming on IBM i, mentoring new developers, and contributing to the platform’s continued growth.