BitLocker Drive Encryption Step-by-Step Guide for Windows Server 2008

[F2 Staff]

This step-by-step guide provides the instructions that you need to set up Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption in a test lab environment. We recommend that you do not use this guide in a production environment. Step-by-step guides are not necessarily meant to be used to deploy Windows Server 2008 operating system features without additional documentation (as listed in the Additional Resources section) and should be used with discretion as a stand-alone document.

 

What is BitLocker Drive Encryption?

 

BitLocker is a data protection feature available in the Windows Vista Enterprise and Windows Vista Ultimate operating systems for client computers and in the Windows Server 2008 operating system. BitLocker provides enhanced protection against data theft or exposure on computers that are lost or stolen, and more secure data deletion when BitLocker-protected computers are decommissioned.

 

Data on a lost or stolen computer is vulnerable to unauthorized access, either by running a software attack tool against it or by transferring the computers hard disk to a different computer. BitLocker helps mitigate unauthorized data access on lost or stolen computers by combining two major data-protection procedures:

• Encrypting the entire Windows operating system volume and data volumes on the hard disk. BitLocker encrypts all user files and system files in the operating system volume, including the swap and hibernation files, and can also encrypt data volumes.
  
• Checking the integrity of early boot components and boot configuration data. On computers that have a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 1.2, BitLocker leverages the enhanced security capabilities of the TPM to help ensure that your data is accessible only if the computers boot components appear unaltered and the encrypted disk is located in the original computer.

BitLocker is tightly integrated into Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 and provides enterprises with enhanced data protection that is easy to manage and configure. For example, BitLocker can use an existing Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) infrastructure to remotely store BitLocker recovery keys. BitLocker also provides a recovery console that enables data retrieval for non-domain-joined computers or computers that are unable to connect to the domain (for example, computers in the field).

 

Who should use BitLocker Drive Encryption?

 

This guide is intended for the following audiences:

• IT planners and analysts who are evaluating the product
  
• Security architects

Read BitLocker Drive Encryption Step-by-Step Guide for Windows Server 2008