US20030191937A1 — Multipoint server for providing secure, scaleable…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 53 words

1 . A method for implementing secure communications between a plurality of devices, the method comprising: providing at least one common encryption parameter to each of the plurality of devices; identifying the plurality of devices to one another; and establishing a secure, point-to-point connection between at least two of the plurality of devices.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 53 words

1 . A method for implementing secure communications between a plurality of devices, the method comprising: providing at least one common encryption parameter to each of the plurality of devices; identifying the plurality of devices to one another; and establishing a secure, point-to-point connection between at least two of the plurality of devices.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 21 words

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising establishing secure, point-to-point connections between each of the plurality of devices.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 37 words

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said providing at least one common encryption parameter to each of the plurality of devices further comprises negotiating a security association with each of the plurality of devices.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 36 words

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein said identifying the plurality of devices to one another further comprises providing an IP address and authentication key of each device to each of the other devices.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 36 words

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein said establishing a secure, point-to-point connection between at least two of the plurality of devices further comprises establishing an IPsec session based on the common encryption parameter.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 45 words

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising: authenticating each device as a member of a pre-defined virtual private network during the negotiation of the security association, based on an authentication public key of the device and a pre-stored list of member devices.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 64 words

7 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising: obtaining certificate information from a certification authority relating to each of the plurality of devices and a pre-defined virtual private network made up of the plurality of devices; authenticating each device as a member of the virtual private network based on the certificate information; and conducting the IPsec session based on the certificate information.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 32 words

8 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising: restarting the IPsec session upon detection of a transmission error by one of the plurality of devices participating in the IPsec session.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 32 words

9 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising: providing a periodic update to the plurality of devices identifying a current status of the remaining devices as active, inactive, or connecting.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 53 words

10 . A server device for implementing a secure network connection between a plurality of devices, the server device comprising: means for securely distributing connection information to each of the plurality of devices; and means for enabling secure, point-to-point communication between any pair of the plurality of devices based on the connection information.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 53 words

10 . A server device for implementing a secure network connection between a plurality of devices, the server device comprising: means for securely distributing connection information to each of the plurality of devices; and means for enabling secure, point-to-point communication between any pair of the plurality of devices based on the connection information.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 30 words

11 . The server device of claim 10 , wherein the connection information comprises a secret encryption key utilized by each pair of the devices to conduct IPsec sessions therebetween.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 34 words

12 . The server device of claim 10 , wherein the connection information comprises a list identifying each of the plurality of devices and their current status as members of a virtual private network.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 44 words

13 . The server device of claim 10 , further comprising: means for updating status information of each of the plurality of devices as members of a virtual private network; and means for communicating the status information to each of the plurality of devices.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 40 words

14 . The server device of claim 10 , further comprising: means for restarting the secure, point-to-point communication between any pair of the plurality of devices upon detection of an error therein by any one of the plurality of devices.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 93 words

15 . An article of manufacture, which comprises a computer readable medium having stored therein a computer program carrying out a method for implementing a virtual private network, the computer program comprising: a first code segment for authenticating member devices of the virtual private network; a second code segment for providing a secret encryption parameter to each of the authenticated member devices seeking to conduct active communications within the virtual private network; and a third code segment for distributing a list of each of the authenticated member devices to the other member devices.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 93 words

15 . An article of manufacture, which comprises a computer readable medium having stored therein a computer program carrying out a method for implementing a virtual private network, the computer program comprising: a first code segment for authenticating member devices of the virtual private network; a second code segment for providing a secret encryption parameter to each of the authenticated member devices seeking to conduct active communications within the virtual private network; and a third code segment for distributing a list of each of the authenticated member devices to the other member devices.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 75 words

16 . The article of manufacture of claim 15 , further comprising: a fourth code segment for administering the virtual private network, wherein said fourth code segment is operable to re-connect a member device after detection of an error thereby, join a new member device during an active session of the virtual private network, and provide update messages to each of the member devices detailing a current status of each of the other member devices.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 32 words

17 . The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein the first code segment is operable to obtain certificate information from a certification authority in order to authenticate the member devices.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 38 words

18 . The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein the third code segment is operable to provide certificate information identifying said list as well as communication parameters enabling communication between any two of the member devices.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 101 words

19 . The article of manufacture of claim 15 , further comprising: a fourth code segment for storing a first table listing each of the member devices and a first set of associated parameters, the fourth code segment operable to act in conjunction with the first code segment in authenticating the member devices as members of the virtual private network; and a fifth code segment for storing a second table listing each of the member devices and a second set of associated parameters, the fifth code segment operable to act in conjunction with the third code segment in distributing said list.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 70 words

20 . A method of utilizing a virtual private network, comprising: contacting a server device administering the virtual private network; receiving information authenticating the server device and each of a plurality of members of the virtual private network; receiving an encryption parameter from the server device that is commonly obtainable by all members of the virtual private network; and receiving a list of all members of the virtual private network.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 70 words

20 . A method of utilizing a virtual private network, comprising: contacting a server device administering the virtual private network; receiving information authenticating the server device and each of a plurality of members of the virtual private network; receiving an encryption parameter from the server device that is commonly obtainable by all members of the virtual private network; and receiving a list of all members of the virtual private network.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 29 words

21 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising: establishing a point-to-point connection with at least one of the plurality of current members based on the encryption parameter.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 29 words

22 . The method of claim 20 , wherein said list and said authenticating information is received from the server device as part of a security association negotiated therewith.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 45 words

23 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising: detecting an error in a transmission that is part of the point-to-point connection; ending the point-to-point connection; contacting the server device; and restarting the point-to-point connection based on updated information received from the server device.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 26 words

24 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising: contacting a certification authority to obtain said list and said authenticating information, via a digital certificate.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 95 words

25 . A method of activating a first and second device within a virtual private network (VPN) managed by a server, comprising: negotiating a first security association between the server and the first device; determining an encryption secret key with the first device as part of the first security association; negotiating a second security association between the server and the second device; communicating the encryption secret key to the second device as part of the second security association; and establishing an IPsec session between the first and second devices based on the encryption secret key.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 95 words

25 . A method of activating a first and second device within a virtual private network (VPN) managed by a server, comprising: negotiating a first security association between the server and the first device; determining an encryption secret key with the first device as part of the first security association; negotiating a second security association between the server and the second device; communicating the encryption secret key to the second device as part of the second security association; and establishing an IPsec session between the first and second devices based on the encryption secret key.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 32 words

26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein said communicating the encryption secret key further comprises: identifying the first device to the second device as an active member of the VPN.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 62 words

27 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the VPN comprises a plurality of devices actively participating therein, further comprising: communicating a list of the plurality of devices to the first device while negotiating the first security association; and communicating a list comprising the plurality of devices and the first device to the second device while negotiating the second security association.

Multipoint server for providing secure, scaleable connections between a plurality of network devices

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