Database Encryption

The Set/Unset Database Encryption feature allows you to encrypt or decrypt a selection of databases.

This tool sets the flag on the databases. To apply the changes, you have to save them and initiate a load compact.

This feature refers to the Encryption Settings in the Database Properties of the IBM Notes client.

The Encryption Settings in IBM Notes client.

Displaying Encryption Status

The databases' encryption status is displayed with 3 columns: Database is Locally Encrypted, Encryption Status and Encryption Strength.

To add them to the Grouping Grid, go to Grid Data Composition > Tab 2 - Info.

To retrieve the information, go to Edit > Load Complete Database information (Ctrl + L)

Then you will see those columns.

Encryption Status Set means that the database is encrypted, and Encryption Strength displays the current encryption level. So Database is Locally Encrypted is checked.

Encryption Status To be Set means that an unencrypted database is marked with an encryption flag. The Encryption Strength is None but it will change to Strong once a compact of this database is initiated.

Encryption Status Unset and Encryption Strength None means that no encryption is applied to the database. As a matter of fact, you can see that Database is Locally Encrypted is unchecked.

Encryption Status To be Unset means that an encrypted database is marked with a decryption flag. The Encryption Strength will change to None once a compact of this database is initiated.

How to change encryption

You can select a database or a bunch of databases with the same status and select Tools > Set/Unset Database Encryption > Set Selected Databases to be Encrypted (upon next Compact) or Set Selected Databases to be Decrypted (upon next compact)

The following message will appear:

It's important to note that by default in the Domino Database Replication Options, the Send changes in local security property to other replicas is unchecked to prevent changes to the database encryption settings.
However when you initiate an Encryption/ Decryption, this option will be checked once you apply your change.

All the Encryption/ Decryption processes are logged in the Output Panel.

Clicking Continue (see screenshot above) results in the Encryption Status column changing its value accordingly to either To be set or To be unset.

Select Server > Apply Changes or click Ctrl + S

A compact of the database is needed to change the encryption status. Therefore, when using databaseEZ locally, you can use Compact Selected Databases (local only).

This will initiate a load compact on your selected databases. However, when working on a server, you will have to launch the compact directly on the server.

TIP	If you need to launch compact commands on Servers, please use the Console Commands tools in databaseEZ or consoleEZ. In such a case the encryption will use the server.id.

By default, if you use it to encrypt, a Strong encryption will be applied. The encryption will use the current User ID logged with databaseEZ.