encrypted usb

Hi Carl,

It is unlikely that these will be recognized by the desk if they require additional software to operate. Do you possibly have a link to a cutsheet for the USB sticks you are thinking about using?

I assume the concern is virus issues and USB drives ?.  And as curiosity, who is this "work" that is dictating to the theatrical production folks how to best operate their equipment.  I can understand the USB issue and the potential for viruses on networked PC's, but for drives operating on a closed network and/or on a console OS that is not generally not vulnerable to viruses and attacks, this seems like trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist.

I have had our IT department complain about the WiFi routers we use on our Ion (and DigiCo audio desk) and basically ignore them after having explained that they are closed networks.  They only "find" the routers when they walk around searching but don't see them on their network, which baffles the hell out of them.

And just for giggles, how are going to deal with the assorted USB drives that LD's use when they work off-line ?, and want to load/re-load a show file ?

I'd try to nip this in the bud at the source.

Put simply, unless the encrypt/decrypt is done automatically on the USB stick with no software whatsoever running on the console, they will not work.

While it may be possible to force them to work, your consoles may become unstable and we couldn't support them properly.

Did you ask them why they want this?

My guess is that it's because you're a Council-run venue and several Councils have been slapped a few times for Data Protection issues, and yours quite rightly doesn't want to be the next one leaving USB sticks full of at-risk childrens' names, addresses and case details etc, on the train.

Work with them to find a sensible system to ensure that you and your staff won't copy sensitive data onto your USB sticks.
- That should be quite easy, as I doubt you've actually got access to that kind of thing anyway. (Why would you?)

Logically they already need some kind of port filter to block 'unencrypted' sticks (brought from home) from their computers, so I would have thought that would be fine on its own.
- You'll need a non-Council link to the Internet to download console updates, but aside from that I don't see any particular issues.