Patent ID: 7886349
Filing Date: 2011-02-08
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A system for handover of a security state of a communication session among a plurality of in-line security devices using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) methods, the system comprising: the plurality of in-line security devices configured to manage communication between a first network and a second network by storing the security state of the communication session; a SIP state server connected to the plurality of in-line security devices, the SIP state server being configured to maintain the communication session in an event of unavailability of at least one of the plurality of in-line security devices by handing off the security state of the communication session between two or more of the in-line security devices by way of receiving state information about the state of the connections established by a first in-line security device and communicating the state information to at least a second in-line security device, the SIP state server further configured to authenticate at least one of the plurality of in-line security devices; and a secondary SIP state server configured to maintain the communication session in an event of unavailability of the SIP state server by: (a) authenticating the SIP state server, (b) receiving the state information from the SIP state server, and (c) providing the state information to at least one of the plurality of in-line security devices.