DataGuard Technology: Secure & Intelligent Industrial Data Protection

Introduction

 

In industrial environments, data integrity is mission-critical. From automation equipment to smart retail and transportation systems, even minor data errors can trigger catastrophic system failures. SP Industrial's DataGuard technology delivers comprehensive hardware-level data protection, enabling flexible control over data retention and secure erasure whether at power-up or during device operation, ensuring system reliability even under abnormal conditions.

 

What is DataGuard?

 

DataGuard is a comprehensive protection architecture designed for industrial-grade storage devices, addressing two critical needs:

• WriteProtect — Prevents unwanted data writes or modifications

•  QuickErase — Ensures complete and irreversible data sanitization

 

WriteProtect: Read-Only Data Protection

 

WriteProtect maintains the device in a read-only state, preventing data overwrite or deletion. It can be activated through:

• Hardware activation – GPIO jumper or physical switch

• Software activation – Vendor-specific commands from the host

Once active, the device acknowledges write commands using a dummy-write mechanism but commits no changes to NAND Flash, protecting original content under all operating conditions.

 

QuickErase: Secure Data Sanitization

 

QuickErase provides secure, irreversible SSD data sanitization. Standard file deletion often leaves hidden data due to the Flash Translation Layer (FTL) between logical addresses (LBA) and physical NAND Flash. DataGuard eliminates this vulnerability through multiple erasure mechanisms:

• Block Erase(Default)

• Overwrite

• Crypto Erase

These combined techniques ensure comprehensive data sanitization with no recoverable residue.

 

Three Key Advantages of DataGuard

 

Enhanced data assurance

 

WriteProtect keeps critical data in a read-only state, preventing accidental overwrite, deletion, or unauthorized modification. For example, CFast and CF cards include a hardware write-protect switch, enabling write protection immediately after power-up.

 

Complete sanitization capability

 

QuickErase supports multiple sanitization techniques tailored for SSD architecture, ensuring no meaningful data residue remains. This is ideal for system retirement, reuse, or device handover where data leakage risks must be eliminated.

 

OS-independent control with hardware-firmware integration

 

WriteProtect does not rely on the host OS or driver support and can be activated instantly via hardware jumper or vendor-specific command. This improves system reliability, simplifies operation, and is especially important for long-running embedded or industrial systems.

 

Where DataGuard Fits：Industrial-Grade Use Cases

 

DataGuard is designed for industrial SSDs where high security, data integrity, and fast sanitization are required:

• Industrial Automation — protect parameter data to prevent downtime and defective output

• Embedded Systems — long-term secure retention of control data

• Transportation — prevent data corruption for traffic signal systems and transportation control

• Smart Retail / Surveillance & NVR — protect transaction logs and recorded video

• Healthcare / Edge IoT — enforce privacy and allow rapid sanitization when required

• Gaming — preserve configuration and save data integrity

• Digital Signage — maintain stable playback content and scheduling data

 

DataGuard – Building Secure & Intelligent Industrial Storage

 

SP Industrial's DataGuard provides hardware-level control for secure data protection and complete data erasure. With flexible activation at system boot or runtime, DataGuard enhances data integrity, improves system stability, and reduces operational risk—delivering tailored solutions for industrial and smart-device applications that demand secure protection, rapid erasure, and long-term reliability.