Patent ID: 9641325
Date: 2017-05-02
CPC Classifications: G06F,H04L

Claim:
1. A server system for operation as one of multiple such server systems connectable via a network to implement a distributed cryptographic protocol, the server system comprising: a machine management server, configured to provide a plurality of virtual machines, including a current virtual machine which is adapted to implement said protocol using a set of communication keys, for communications with other said server systems via the network, and state information for the protocol; a memory, operatively associated with the machine management server, for storing said state information; and a refresh server configured for secure communications with the machine management server; wherein the server system is configured, for each of successive new time periods in operation of the protocol, to perform a refresh operation in which: the refresh server retrieves said state information from the memory, generates a new set of communication keys, and sends the state information and new set of keys to the machine management server; the machine management server configures a new virtual machine for implementing the protocol, whereby the new virtual machine receives the new set of keys and state information sent by the refresh server; and the new virtual machine assumes operation as said current virtual machine for the new time period and stores state information for that time period in the memory.