Patent ID: 8281360
Filing Date: 2012-10-02
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. In a computing system environment having a content flow director and multiple layers of computing devices behind the content flow director, wherein the computing devices in an outermost layer of the multiple layers communicate directly with the content flow director by way of attendant communications ports and the content flow director regularly assesses whether the ports are enabled or disabled, a method of controlling the communication ports of the computing devices established in the multiple layers, comprising: establishing a policy behind the content flow director; determining whether the policy is met or exceeded by interrogating at least one of the computing devices established in multiple layers behind the content flow director, wherein the determining includes interrogating another of the computing devices in a layer further away from the content flow director than the one of the computing devices in the outermost layer directly communicating with the content flow director; and enabling, based on whether the policy is met or exceeded, a port of one of the computing devices in the outermost layer, the content flow director detecting the enabling and allowing future communications between the content flow director and the one of the computing devices by way of the enabled port.