Defining Keys in Parmlib › In-House Keys › Key Generation for Future Use › Deactivation of Active Keys

Deactivation of Active Keys

The Regenerate attribute determines when a currently active key is deactivated. When an active key is deactivated, it is replaced by the first key held in reserve. Subsequent keys are used in the order in which they were generated. The key is stored in the database and is referred to by a key name. This key name stays the same, but the actual key changes based on the schedule specified by the Regenerate attribute.

Example: Deactivation of Active Keys

If the NumberOfGenerations attribute specifies 6, there is one active key and six keys held in reserve. These reserve keys are the next six keys to use, in chronological order, over the next six regeneration periods for the specified key name. If a key is set to regenerate on a weekly basis, these keys represent the keys to use over the next six weeks. When the active key regenerates, it is deactivated, and the first of the pre-generated reserve keys is placed into active status. At this time, one new key is generated to maintain the number of future generations of the key at six. If the keys are regenerated weekly, this newly generated key will be used in six weeks.