Patent ID: 6823462
Filing Date: 2004-11-23
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method for allowing a server node in a virtual private network to have a single tunnel definition and a single security policy for a plurality of tunnels associated with a group name comprising the steps of:configuring a group database in said server node, wherein said group database in said server node comprises said group name and a list of members associated with said group name; configuring a rules database in said server node, wherein said rules database associates said group name with a particular security policy, wherein said server node has a single security policy for each of the plurality of tunnels associated with said group name; establishing a tunnel having a tunnel definition between a client node having a member name and said server node by negotiating a common security policy; and associating said tunnel with a group in said group database based on said member name such that only one copy of said tunnel definition and associated security policy is maintained on said server node regardless of the number of client nodes to server node tunnels associated with said group.