International Business Machines Corporation
Channel key loading in a computing environment

Abstract:

Aspects of the invention include channel key loading of a host bus adapter (HBA) based on a secure key exchange (SKE) authentication response by a responder node of a computing environment. A non-limiting example computer-implemented method includes receiving an authentication response message at an initiator channel on an initiator node from a responder channel on a responder node to establish a secure communication, the receiving at a local key manager (LKM) executing on the initiator node. A state check is performed based on a security association of the initiator node and the responder node. A validation of the authentication response message is performed. An identifier of a selected encryption algorithm is extracted from the authentication response message. The initiator channel requests to communicate with the responder channel based at least in part on a successful state check, a successful validation, and the selected encryption algorithm.