SECURE FEDERATION OF DATA COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques for secure federation of data communications networks are provided. The techniques employ an edge proxy server to route messages depending on a federation mode. In Direct federation mode, an edge proxy server of a network is configured to exchange messages with a specified set of entities, such as other networks, servers, other devices, or users. In Automatic federation mode, an edge proxy server may accept all incoming messages from entities that have a valid certificate. In Clearinghouse federation mode, the edge proxy server forwards all outgoing messages to a specified, trusted clearinghouse server.
35 Citations
60 Claims
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1-40. -40. (canceled)
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41. A method performed by an edge proxy server having a central processing unit for federating a network in a clearinghouse federation mode, comprising:
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receiving a list of trusted entities; receiving by the central processing unit a message from a sending computing device, the message indicating a recipient; upon receiving the message from the sending computing device, determining whether the recipient indicated by the message is associated with a trusted entity specified by the received list; if the recipient indicated by the message is associated with a trusted entity specified by the received list, identifying a computing device associated with the trusted entity as a next hop for the received message and forwarding the message to the identified computing device associated with the trusted entity; and if the recipient indicated by the message is not associated with a trusted entity specified by the received list, forwarding the received message to a clearinghouse server so that the clearinghouse server can identify a next hop for the message so that the message can be forwarded to the recipient specified in the message, the next hop identifying a computing device to which the message will be routed next, the clearinghouse server configured to enable federation of networks. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause an edge proxy server to perform method for federating a network in a clearinghouse federation mode, the method comprising:
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receiving a list of trusted entities; receiving a message from a sending computing device, the message indicating a recipient; determining whether the recipient indicated by the message is associated with a trusted entity specified by the received list; if the recipient indicated by the message is associated with a trusted entity specified by the received list, identifying a computing device associated with the trusted entity as a next hop for the received message and forwarding the message to the identified computing device associated with the trusted entity; and if the recipient indicated by the message is associated not with a trusted entity specified by the received list, identifying a clearinghouse server as a next hop for the received message and forwarding the message to the clearinghouse server so that the clearinghouse server can identify a next hop for the message so that the message can be forwarded to the recipient specified in the message, the next hop identifying a computing device to which the message will be routed next, the clearinghouse server configured to enable federation of networks. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. An edge proxy server having a central processing unit for federating a network in a clearinghouse federation mode, comprising:
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a processor and memory; a component that is configured to receive a message from a sending computing device, the message indicating a recipient; and a component that is configured to forward the received message to a clearinghouse server so that the clearinghouse server can identify a next hop for the message so that the message can be forwarded to the recipient specified in the message, the next hop identifying a computing device to which the message will be routed next, the clearinghouse server configured to enable federation of networks. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification