On 25 February 2010, Credant Technologies, which focuses on endpoint data protection solutions, announced that it will provide high-visibility choices for encryption and data protection for Dell's commercial customers. Credant Mobile Guardian Dell Edition will be factory-installed on various notebook and desktop models. Credant also launched Credant FDE DriveManager, which supports full disk encryption (FDE) in software as well as on self-encrypting hard drives from Seagate shipped on Latitude models. In addition to supporting hardware encryption, Credant is including licensed software-based FDE from MobileArmor.

Among hardware vendors, Dell has been one of the most active in promoting and selling disk encryption software with its PCs, and features both education and integrated options for encrypted drives and encryption management software in its product configuration Web pages. Its competitors have also had OEM relationships for many years with endpoint encryption providers (for example, Lenovo and Sophos, and HP and McAfee).

Dell began offering Wave Systems with Seagate self-encrypting hard drives as part of its security program in November 2007, but the offering was ahead of demand for hardware-based encryption. Consequently, Gartner saw limited evidence of penetration among Dell customers. Credant has been providing encryption and data protection through Dell’s Software & Peripheral organization since 2006, and joined the Preferred Partner Program in 2009; however, the new offerings constitute a multiyear effort, with binding commitments on both sides.

The relationship between Dell and Wave will continue; however, the Credant/Dell partnership will broaden Dell's security offerings by combining file-based encryption, software-based FDE and hardware-based FDE in one offering optimized for Dell platforms and Dell sales. Gartner believes that this offering will be disruptive to sales of other mobile data protection vendors competing on Dell platforms and will raise Credant's visibility as a choice for non-Dell platforms. Encryption vendors working with other PC platforms must re-evaluate their product road maps for hardware encryption and revisit their partner selling plans.

• Dell customers not using Wave: Consider taking advantage of this "greenfield" opportunity for a comprehensive portfolio of encryption products. Evaluate the possibility of obtaining common management and support to cover any investments in non-Dell platforms.
• Dell customers using Wave: No action is necessary if you are satisfied with the Wave product. Monitor the Dell/Wave relationship to see if any future changes might impact your investment.
• Customers of other PC platforms: If you have included Credant on your shortlist, take this deal into account when assessing Credant's viability as a choice for other platforms.

• "Magic Quadrant for Mobile Data Protection"— Every company must include mobile data protection systems and procedures in its IT operations plan to ensure data privacy and to comply with audit requirements. By John Girard and Eric Ouellet
• "Trusted Computing Group Specifications Will Simplify Hard-Drive Encryption"— New open specifications for managing hard-disk-drive-based hardware encryption will increase the adoption of common standards for technology. By John Girard

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