Patent ID: 7284278
Filing Date: 2007-10-16
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for supporting secure input/output (I/O) communications between a plurality of I/O devices and a plurality of data processing systems via a keyboard, video, and mouse (KVM) switch, the method comprising: the KVM switch providing, for each of the data processing systems, a plurality of emulated virtual secured I/O devices such that to the data processing system, the emulated virtual secured I/O devices are indistinguishable from physical I/O devices; the KVM switch providing, for each of the I/O devices, an emulated virtual secured data processing system such that to the I/O device, the emulated virtual secured data processing system is indistinguishable from a physical data processing system; establishing a first secure communication channel between a first one of the I/O devices and the emulated virtual secured data processing system provided for the first I/O device, wherein the first I/O device is selected from a group consisting of a keyboard, a video device, and a computer mouse; establishing a second secure communication channel between a first one of the data processing systems and a particular one of the emulated virtual secured I/O devices provided for the first data processing system; wherein at least one of the first and second secure communication channels supports encrypted communications; transmitting I/O data between the KVM switch and the first I/O device via the first secure communication channel; and transmitting the I/O data between the KVM switch and the first data processing system via the second secure communication channel; wherein at least one of the transmissions of the I/O data comprises a transmission of encrypted I/O data via the first or second secure communication channel.