Technical Architecture & Certification Compliance

The ​​HCI-TPM-002C=​​ is a Trusted Platform Module 2.0 security chip designed for Cisco HyperFlex HX-Series nodes, providing cryptographic protection for hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) environments. Certified for ​​FIPS 140-2 Level 2​​ and ​​Common Criteria EAL4+​​, this hardware root-of-trust solution implements:

• ​​RSA 2048/ECC P-256 cryptography​​ with 32-bit secure microcontroller
• ​​Secure key storage​​ for up to 24 encrypted volumes in HyperFlex clusters
• ​​TCG-compliant attestation protocols​​ for Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) deployments
• ​​-40°C to 85°C operational range​​ with MIL-STD-810H vibration resistance

This module aligns with Cisco’s ​​HyperFlex 6.5 Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG)​​ and replaces legacy TPM 1.2 implementations in M6 nodes.

Integration with Cisco HCI Ecosystem

​​Supported Platforms​​

• ​​HyperFlex HX240c M7 Clusters​​: Requires BIOS 5.1(3d) and UCS Manager 5.3(2a)
• ​​UCS C4800 M7 Servers​​: Mandatory for FIPS 140-3 validated deployments

​​Security Workflows​​

• ​​Secure Boot Enforcement​​: Validates VMware ESXi/VSphere kernel integrity before hypervisor launch
• ​​vSAN Encryption​​: Manages AES-256-XTS keys for encrypted distributed storage
• ​​Intersight Compliance Auditing​​: Generates NIST SP 800-193 Platform Certificate updates every 72 hours

Performance Benchmarks

​​Case 1: Financial Services Compliance​​

A Tier-1 bank achieved ​​PCI-DSS 4.0 certification​​ using HCI-TPM-002C= modules to:

• Reduce TLS handshake latency by 18% through hardware-accelerated ECDSA
• Maintain <2ms cryptographic operation consistency during 50K IOPS workloads

​​Case 2: Defense Contractors​​

Classified data centers measured ​​99.999% attestation success rates​​ across 200-node clusters, with TPM-backed:

• ​​Secure Erase​​: 3.2TB NVMe drive crypto-wipe in 8.7 seconds
• ​​Chain-of-Custody Logs​​: Immutable SHA-384 hashing for forensic audits

Deployment Considerations

​​Cryptographic Agility​​

• Supports ​​NIST Post-Quantum Algorithm Suite​​ (CRYSTALS-Kyber/Dilithium) in test mode
• ​​Firmware Updates​​: Requires Cisco Trust Center approval for critical patches

​​Availability & Procurement​​

Currently available at itmall.sale with ​​3-day SLA​​ for emergency replacements. The $53.23 MSRP includes 5-year hardware integrity monitoring via Intersight.

Addressing Critical Security Concerns

​​Q: How does TPM 2.0 differ from software-based encryption in HCI?​​
A: Hardware-rooted key storage prevents cold boot attacks and hypervisor memory scraping – vulnerabilities exploited in 78% of 2024 cloud breaches.

​​Q: Can it replace HSM clusters for Kubernetes secret management?​​
A: Yes, when combined with Cisco’s ​​Container Trust Assurance Module​​, but limited to 1K transactions/second versus HSMs’ 15K+ capability.

​​Q: What’s the recovery process for lost TPM admin credentials?​​
A: Requires ​​quorum of 3 security officers​​ with physical presence to regenerate identity certificates through Cisco’s Zero Knowledge Proof protocol.

The HCI-TPM-002C= redefines hardware-enforced security in hyperconverged environments, particularly for organizations facing evolving quantum computing threats. Its ability to maintain <0.3μs ECDSA verification latency under 40GbE traffic makes it indispensable for real-time encryption workflows. However, the proprietary firmware signing process creates vendor lock-in risks – a necessary compromise for enterprises requiring military-grade supply chain integrity. For CISOs balancing compliance mandates with operational flexibility, this module delivers unmatched cryptographic assurance despite requiring specialized PKI infrastructure retrofitting.

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: Cisco HyperFlex Security Threat Report 2024
: NIST SP 800-193 Revision 3 Hardware Authenticity Guidelines
: PCI Security Standards Council HCI Implementation Framework
: Cisco UCS Manager 5.3 Cryptographic Module Validation