Patent ID: 6173399
Filing Date: 2001-01-09
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
An apparatus for providing secured data communications between members of a virtual private network group comprising:input/output (I/O) circuitry for receiving and transmitting data packets between the members of said virtual private network group;a system bus in communication with said I/O circuitry for conveying data between components of said system;a compression engine in communication with said system bus for compressing outbound data packets and decompressing inbound data packets;an encryption engine in communication with said system bus for encrypting outbound data packets and decrypting inbound data packets;a central processing unit (CPU) in communication with said system bus for controlling the processing of data packets by said system, said CPU for determining which data packets are being sent between members of said virtual private network and for determining the data flow for said data packets in accordance with predetermined parameters for said virtual private network, wherein when said data packets are determined to not being sent between members of said virtual private network, the data flow for said data packets will be treated as ordinary internet traffic, and will not be processed by said compression engine and said encryption engine; anda memory device in communication with said system bus for maintaining a list of members of said virtual private network and for storing said predetermined parameters.