CCI Private Cloud - VM Encryption
This document details VM Encryption and vTPM for VMs hosted in the CCI Private Cloud Virtualization Environment.
Portal - Login Information
- Open the CCI Private Cloud Portal - https://cloud.cci.wisc.edu
- The CCI Private Cloud Portal can only be accessed from devices with a Well-known UW-Madison Campus IP address ranges and hosts, WiscVPN - Departmental VPN or WiscVPN (uwmadison.vpn.wisc.edu) - Getting Started must be used to access the CCI Private Cloud Portal from an off-campus connection.
- If prompted to Select your domain:, select ad.wisc.edu from the pull-down and click on Next.
- Log in using your netid as your username. If ad.wisc.edu is not listed as the domain beneath the password prompt, click on Sign in to a different domain and go back to step 2.
vSphere Virtual Machine Encryption is available on per VM basis and is enabled by manual process performed by the CCI team.
Things to consider
- Performance maybe affected; security is a tradeoff.
- VM needs to be off to add Encryption.
VM Encryption
- Encrypts the VM itself and all its settings.
- Encrypts the disks. Can be all or individually selected.
CCI uses vSphere Native Key Provider for VM Encryption
NKP Q&A - https://core.vmware.com/native-key-provider-questions-answers
Alternatives to vSphere Virtual Machine Encryption
Microsoft BitLocker
BitLocker support in a VM - https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2036142
- Windows Server 2008 and later
- Designed to protect data by providing encryption for entire volumes.
- Microsoft does not support the use of BitLocker on the bootable partition of a virtual hard disk.
- BitLocker is supported on non-bootable partitions of a virtual hard disk.
Incident Reporting & Technical Support
CCI Private Cloud Incident Reporting
- Customers should contact the DoIT Help Desk to report an incident or check the outages page for an CCI Private Cloud incident.
- Formal support is provided for CCI Private Cloud during business hours only. After-hours support is best effort.
CCI Private Cloud Technical Support
- Customers should contact the DoIT Help Desk or email cci-virtualization@wisc.edu with support requests.
- CCI Private Cloud technologists will respond to all support requests by the end of the following business day.