It's 10 p.m. Do You Know Where Your Laptop Is?

1 PUT ENCRYPTION IN CONTEXT

Full-disk encryption is a solid point solution, but it's still just that. The best full-disk encryption in the world will do nothing about viruses, spyware or rootkits. It's up to you to educate the client about how full-disk encryption fits into their broader security infrastructure and strategy. Even if the customer is interested only in full-disk encryption, you must make sure that they understand what they're being protected against and what they're not.

2 DON'T OVERPROMISE

Full-disk encryption vendors focus a lot of energy on highlighting their painless deployments, seamless management and overall ease of use. When full-disk encryption goes wrong, you get downtime and lost data. Make sure the client expects these, and they'll be that much more grateful when you deliver a flawless deployment.

3 PREPARE FOR THE WORST

Just as you should prepare your clients for deployment problems, so should you prepare yourself. Before you touch any machines, make sure the client has a functional backup solution and that any vital information has been backed up. Build response and recovery times into your schedule. When ready, deploy the full-disk encryption in stages.

4 DO YOUR HOMEWORK

Full-disk encryption software requires modifications to the boot process and a customized OS, so it can be sensitive to various hardware and software configurations. Take an inventory of and familiarize yourself with every machine in the deployment plan. The client's network environment, too, can have a significant impact on installation. Active Directory structure and configuration, in particular, can play a big role, so take the time to learn the lay of the land.