System and method for fault tolerant key management

• US 5,621,795 A
• Filed: 12/27/1994
• Issued: 04/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Li, Chunhua, Bator, Feliks, Baker, Walter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US08/364,323
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 380/2, 380/21, 380/48, 380/49
• US Class Current: 380/277
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/083 involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP]

Abstract

A system and method of fault tolerant key management of cryptographic keys includes a key distribution computer and primary and secondary key management computers coupled to the key distribution computer, Primary and secondary server computers are each coupled to the primary and secondary key management computers, One of the primary and secondary key management computers is operational at a time, The operational one of the primary and secondary key management computers writes key data received from the key distribution computer to an archive database in each of the primary and secondary server computers, The method includes the steps of requesting storage of key data by an operational one of the primary and secondary key management computers; monitoring the operational status of each of primary and secondary server computers; writing key data to an archive database in each of the primary and secondary servers that are operational; writing key data to a log file in an operational one of the primary and secondary servers when one of the primary and secondary servers is not operational; monitoring a return to operational status of the non operational one of the primary and secondary servers; and writing to the archive database of the non-operational one of the primary and secondary server computers the key data stored in the log file of the operational one of the primary and secondary server computers.

Claims

1. A key distribution system for generating and maintaining cryptographic keys comprising:

a key distribution computer;

a primary key management computer operatively coupled to said key distribution computer by a first interface;

a secondary key management computer Operatively coupled to said key distribution computer by a second interface, said second interface being parallel to said first interface;

a primary server computer operatively coupled to said primary and secondary key management computers; and

a secondary server computer operatively coupled to said primary and secondary key management computers;

wherein one of said primary and secondary key management computers is operating on-line at a time, said operating one of said primary and secondary key management computers including means for writing key data received from said key distribution computer to an archive database in each of said primary and secondary server computers.

2. The key management system of claim 1 wherein said operating one of said primary and secondary key management computers includes replication means that verify that said primary and secondary server computers are respectively operating before writing said key data to said archive database in each of said primary and secondary server computers.

3. The key management system of claim 2 wherein said operating one of said primary and secondary key management computers writes said key data to a secondary server computer log file when said primary server computer is not operating and said secondary server is operating, and writes said key data to a primary server computer log file when said secondary server computer is not operating and said primary server is operating.

4. The key management system of claim 3 wherein said operating one of said primary and secondary key management computers monitors operating status of said non-operating one of said primary and secondary server computers, and includes means for resynchronizing said archive database of said non-operating server computer when said non-operating server computer becomes operational whereby said archive database of each of said primary and secondary server computers are thereafter synchronized for having subsequent key data written thereto.

5. A method of fault tolerant key management of cryptographic keys, comprising the steps of:

providing primary and secondary key management computers operatively coupled to primary and secondary server computers,

requesting storage of key data by an operating one of said primary and secondary key management computers;

monitoring the operating status of each of said primary and secondary server computers;

writing key data to an archive database in each of said primary and secondary server computers that are operating;

writing key data to a log file in an operating one of said primary and secondary server computers when one of said primary and secondary server computers is not operating;

monitoring a return to operating status of said non-operating one of said primary and secondary server computers; and

writing to said archive database of said non-operating one of said primary and secondary server computers that has returned to operating status said key data stored in said log file of said operating one of said primary and secondary server computers.

6. A fault tolerant data management system for synchronizing the replication of data comprising:

a data distribution computer;

a primary data management computer operatively coupled to said data distribution computer by a first interface;

a secondary data management computer operatively coupled to said data distribution computer by a second interface, said second interface being parallel to said first interface;

a primary server computer operatively coupled to said primary and secondary data management computers; and

a secondary server computer operatively coupled to said primary and secondary data management computers;

wherein one of said primary and secondary data management computers is operating at a time, said operating one of said primary and secondary data management computers including means for writing data received from said data distribution computer to an archive database in each of said primary and secondary server computers.

7. The fault tolerant data management system of claim 6 wherein said operating one of said primary and secondary data management computers includes replication means that verify that said primary and secondary server computers are respectively operating before writing said data to said archive database in each of said primary and secondary server computers.

8. The fault tolerant data management system of claim 7 wherein said operating one of said primary and secondary data management computers writes said data to a secondary server computer log file when said primary server computer is not operating an said secondary server is operating, and writes said data to primary server computer log file when said secondary server computer is not operating and said primary server is operating.

9. The fault tolerant data management system of claim 8 wherein said operating one of said primary and secondary data management computers monitors operating status of said non-operating one of said primary and secondary server computers, and includes means for resynchronizing said archive database of said non-operating server computer when said non-operating server computer becomes operating whereby said archive database of each of said primary and secondary server computers are thereafter synchronized for having subsequent data written thereto.