Patent Publication Number: US-6668288-B1

Title: Telecommunications data conferencing platform having secure firewall wherein access is restricted to messages originating from server but conference data pass freely

Description:
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a telecommunications data conferencing platform. 
     Telecommunications data conferencing platforms are already known. One example of a known data conferencing platform is the Databeam Net.120 System supplied by Databeam Corporation of Lexington, Ky., USA. A data conferencing platform typically comprises a reservation system and a data server. When an organiser wishes to establish a data conference, the organiser contacts the reservation system to reserve a time and date for the conference. The reservation system then confirms the details of the conference to the organiser. These details typically include an identifier for the conference and a password. The organiser then forwards these details to the participants to the conference. While the conference is in progress, the data conferencing platform transmits conference data, such as drawings and text, between terminals used by the participants. Thus, the participants share data during the conference. 
     Unfortunately, with the presently known data conferencing platforms, it is sometimes possible for an unauthorised third party to gain access to the reservation system and thus obtain details of a conference. Using these details, the unauthorised third party can sometimes gain access to data transmitted during the conference. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to this invention, there is provided a data conferencing platform for providing a data conference between participants, said data conferencing platform having first and second zones, said data conferencing platform comprising: 
     a reservation system located in the first zone; 
     a data server located in the second zone and arranged to be connected to a communications network; and 
     an interface between the first and second zones, the reservation system being connected through the interface to the data server; 
     the reservation system being arranged to make conference reservations; 
     the data server being arranged to receive details of a data conference from the reservation system and to pass conference data between communications terminals used by participants to a data conference; 
     the interface between the first and second zones being arranged to restrict the passage of messages from the second zone to the first zone to messages which originate directly in the second zone but allow the passage of conference data. 
     The expression “messages which originate directly in the second zone” is intended to cover messages which are created inside the second zone but to exclude messages which arise outside the second zone and pass through it to the interface. A first message might, for example, be created outside the second zone and be transmitted thereinto. The interface would not permit the passage of the first message from the second zone to the first zone. Were a server to take, for example, some or all of the information content of the first message however and create a second message, the interface would permit the passage of the second message from the second zone to the first zone. It will be appreciated that the messaging protocol associated with the first and second messages of this example may be different. 
     The messaging protocol associated with the first and second message might however be the same if mere authentication of the first message took place. The second message (an authenticated version of the first message) would originate directly in the second zone and could thus pass to the first zone. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     This invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to drawings in which: 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 together illustrate the construction of a telecommunications data conferencing platform embodying this invention and the connections between the platform and terminals used by conference participants; and 
     FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the operations which are performed in establishing a data conference using the platform shown in FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a telecommunications data conferencing platform which has a first secure zone  10 , a second partly secure zone  12  and an interface in the form of a secure firewall  14  between the first and second zones  10 ,  12 . 
     The first zone contains a master data server  16 , a billing system  18 , a reservation system  20  and an audio bridge  22 , which are connected by a communications link  24  to the secure firewall  14 . The reservation system  20  is responsible for making conference reservations and the master data server  16  holds conference data while a conference is in progress. The operation of the master data server  16  and the reservation system  20  will be described further below. The billing system  18  is responsible for generating the billing data for each conference. The audio bridge  22  is a bridge between the data conferencing platform and an audio conferencing platform and enables an audio conference to be set out in parallel with a data conference. The provision of an audio conference in parallel with a data conference does not form part of this invention as such and the audio bridge  22  will not be described in further detail. 
     Data conferencing platforms having a data server, a billing system and a reservation system are known. An example of such a system is the Databeam Net.120 System supplied by Databeam Corporation of Lexington, Ky., USA. The software which provides the functionality of the master data server  16 , the billing system  18  and the reservation system  20  generally takes the form used in a known data conferencing platform but modified to provide the functionality described below. 
     The master data server  16  is connected through a bank of modems  26  to the public switched telecommunications network (PSTN)  28 . The modems  26  permit the master data server  16  to make outgoing calls through the PSTN  28  but prevent the master data server  16  from receiving in-coming calls. As is well known, the PSTN is a circuit switched network. 
     The second zone  12  contains slave data servers  30  and  32  and a World Wide Web (Web) server  34  which are connected together and also to the secure firewall  14  through a communications link  36 . The slave data server  32  and the Web server  34  are connected to a public firewall  38  by a communications link  40 . The public firewall  38  is connected by a communications link  42  to the public Internet  44 . A terminal in the form of a computer  46  is shown connected by a communications link  48  to the public Internet  44 . 
     As will be described below, the users of computers which can be connected to the public Internet  44  can be participants in a data conference established by the data conferencing platform shown in FIG.  1 . Thus, the user of computer  46  could be such a participant. 
     The slave data server  30  is connected through a bank of modems  50  to the PSTN  28 . The modems  50  permit the slave data server  30  to receive incoming calls from the PSTN  28 . Hence, the user of a computer connected to the PSTN  28 , for example computer  60 , can be a participant in a data conference established by the data conferencing platform shown in FIG.  1 . 
     The users of terminals in the form of computers connected to a private intranet can be participants in a data conference established by the data conferencing platform shown in FIG.  1 . FIG. 2 shows the connections and equipment which are used to connect such computers to the data conferencing platform of FIG.  1 . For convenience, FIG. 2 also shows PSTN  28 , modems  26  and the master data server  16 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a private intranet  62  and a computer  64  connected to it. The intranet  62  is connected through a private firewall  66  to a slave data server  68 . The slave data server  68  is connected through a modem  70  to the PSTN  28 . The modem  70  permits the slave data server  68  to receive incoming calls from the PSTN  28  but only for the purpose of connecting it to the master data server  16 . Thus, the user of computer  64 , or the user of any other computer connected to the private intranet  62 , could be a participant in a data conference established by the data conferencing platform shown in FIG.  1 . The users of computers connected to other private intranets can be participants in a data conference in a similar manner. 
     The data conferencing platform shown in FIG. 1 uses the T.120 data conferencing protocol established by the International Telecommunications Union. 
     The secure firewall  14  is arranged to restrict the passage of messages from the partly secure zone  12  to the secure zone  10  to messages which directly originate in the partly secure zone  12 . Thus, the secure firewall  12  will permit the passage of a message created on the slave data server  30  or  32  or on the Web server  34 . However, it will block a message which originates outside the partly secure zone  12  and which passes through the partly secure zone  12  simply by a routing function. The firewall  14  permits the passage of conference data which conforms to the T.120 data conferencing protocol (from the partly secure zone  14  to the secure zone  10 ). 
     The public firewall  38  is arranged to block the passage of messages which fall into one or more categories established by the owner of the data conferencing platform. The private firewall  66  is arranged to block all messages except for those which relate to a data conference. 
     The master data server  16 , the billing system  18 , the reservation system  20 , the secure firewall  14 , the slave data server  30 , the slave data server  32 , the Web server  34 , the public firewall  42 , the slave data server  68  and the private firewall  66  each take the form of an individual computer having software to provide the required functionality. However, by way of modification, in either the secure zone  10  or the partly secure zone  12 , two or more of the components may share a common computer. For example, the billing system  18  and the reservation system  20  could be provided on a single computer. 
     In the present example, traffic on the communications links  24 ,  36 ,  42  and  48  is transmitted using the TCP/IP protocols. These protocols are also used for traffic between the slave data server  68  and the private intranet  62  as well as traffic between the private intranet  62  and computers connected to it. 
     As is well known, in addition to using the TCP/IP protocols, information transfer between clients and servers which use these protocols can also use higher level protocols. In the World Wide Web (or simply Web) service, information is stored as HyperText Markup Language (HTML) pages and information is transferred using the HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP). An Internet server which can supply information using the Web service is known as a Web server and the server  34  shown in FIG. 1 is an example of such a server. As will be explained below, a user having a computer which is capable of using the Web service can transmit a request for a data conference to the Web server  34 . The Web server  34  then inserts the request into a message established in a format used by the reservation system  20  and forwards the message to the reservation system  20 . 
     As evident from the description set out above, three types of participant can join a data conference established by the data conferencing platform of FIG.  1 . The first category comprises users of computers which can connect to the public Internet, such as computer  46 . The second category comprises users of computers, such as the user of computer  60 , which can be connected through the PSTN  28  and modem  50  to the slave data server  30 . In the third category there are users of computers connected to a private intranet which can be connected to the master data server  16  through a slave data server and modem provided for the private intranet. The user of computer  64  is an example of a participant in the third category. 
     There will now be described with reference to FIG. 3 the series of steps which are performed in establishing a data conference which has a participant from each category. In the example which will be described, the participants are the users of computers  46 ,  60  and  64 . 
     Initially in a step  100 , the organiser of the data conference sends a request to the reservation system  20  for a data conference. The request includes the date and time at which the conference is to begin and its duration. There are two possibilities for sending this request to the reservation system  20 . The organiser can make a phone call to the operator of the reservation system  20 , who then enters the details of the request into the reservation system  20 . Alternatively, if the user has a computer provided with a Web browser which is connected to the public Internet, the user can send the request to the reservation system  20  via the Web server  34 . In order to do this, the organiser&#39;s computer sends a request to the Web server  34  for a Web page containing a blank request form for a data conference. The Web server  34  then transmits the blank form to the organiser&#39;s computer. The organiser then enters the details of the request onto the Web page and the computer sends the Web page back to the Web server  34 . The Web server  34  inserts the details of the request into a message which is in a format used by the reservation system  20  and forwards the message to the reservation system  20 . Thus, the Web server  34  functions as a request handling server. 
     Next, in a step  102 , the reservation system  20  checks if it will be able to establish a conference in accordance with the request. If it is possible to establish the conference, the reservation system  20  creates an identifier and a password for the conference and enters the details of the conference on its booking list. 
     Then, in a step  104 , the reservation system  20  sends a confirmation message to the organiser. The confirmation message contains the identifier and the password for the conference. The reservation message can be sent to the organiser over the telephone by the operator of reservation system  20 . Alternatively, if the organiser has a computer connected to the public Internet, the reservation message can be sent as an e-mail to the organiser&#39;s computer via the secure firewall  14 , the server  34  and the public Internet  44 . 
     In a step  106 , the organiser forwards details of the conference to the three participants. Where a participant has a computer connected to the public Internet, the organiser can send the conference details to the participant simply by forwarding the e-mail received from the reservation system  20 . 
     There is then a pause until, in a step  108 , the reservation system  20  detects that it is time to start the conference. 
     When it is time to start the conference, in a step  110 , the reservation system  20  creates the conference on the master data server  16 . In order to do this, it transmits the details of the conference, including the password and the identifier for the conference, the start time and the duration, to the master data server  16 . 
     Next, in a step  112 , the master data server  16  invites the slave data servers  30 ,  32  and  68  to join the conference. In order to do this, it sends the details of the conference to each of these data servers. More specifically it sends the details of the conference to the slave data servers  30  and  32  via the communications link  24 , firewall  14  and the communications link  36 . In order to send the details of the conference to the slave data server  68 , the master data server makes an outgoing call using one of the modems  26  through the PSTN  28  and modem  70  to the slave data server  68 . 
     In this example, each of the slave data servers  30 ,  32  and  68  is invited to join the conference because each of these data servers will be used by one of the participants. More generally, the master data server invites each, but only each, slave data server which will be used by one or more participants to join the conference. Thus, if none of the users of the intranet  62  was a participant in the conference, the slave data server  68  would not be invited to join the conference. However, if the user of a computer connected to another private intranet was a participant in a conference, the slave data server associated with that private intranet would be invited to join the conference. 
     In a step  114 , the participants join the conference. In order to do this, each participant sends a request message to join the conference to the appropriate slave data server. The request message includes the identifier and the password for the conference. More specifically, the user of computer  46  sends a request message to the slave data server  32  via the public Internet  44  and public firewall  38 . The user of computer  60  makes an outgoing call through the PSTN  28  to modem  50 , which then completes the connection to the slave data server  30 . It is to be noted that the request messages from computers  46  and  60  are prevented from reaching the secure zone  10  by the secure firewall  10 . The user of computer  64  sends a request through the private intranet  62  and private firewall  66  to the slave data server  68 . 
     During the conference, each participant is able to add data to the conference. The manner in which each user adds items of data to the conference and these items of data are forwarded to the other participants will now be described. 
     If the user of computer  46  wishes to add an item of data to the conference, the item of data is transmitted by the computer  46  through the public Internet  44  to the slave data server  32 . Slave data server  32  then forwards this item of information to any other computers connected to it and used by participants in the conference. In the present example, there are no such computers. The slave data server  32  also forwards the item of data (conforming to the T.120 data conferencing protocol) to the master data server  16 . As stated above, the secure firewall  14  permits passage of such conference data. The master data server  16  forwards the item of information to the slave data servers  30 ,  68 . The slave data server  68  forwards it to the computer  64  and the slave data server  60  forwards it to the computer  60 . More generally, in a data conference, a slave data server forwards an item of information to any computer connected to it and used by a participant in the conference. 
     If the user of computer  60  wishes to add an item of information to the conference, the computer  60  transmits the item of information through the PSTN  28  to the slave data server  30 . This item of information is then transmitted by salve data server  30  to any computer connected to it and used by a conference participant. In the present example, there are no such computers. The item of information is also forwarded by the slave data server  30  to the master data server  16 . The master data server  16  forwards the item of information to the slave data servers  32  and  68 . The slave data server  32  forwards it to the computer  46  and the slave data server  68  forwards it to the computer  64 . 
     If the user of computer  64  wishes to add an item of information to the conference, it transmits the item of information to the slave data server  68 . The slave data server  68  then forwards it to any other computer connected to the private intranet  62  and used by a participant to the conference. In this example, there are no such participants. The slave data server  68  also forwards the item of information to the master data server  16 . The master data server  16  forwards the item of information to the slave data servers  30  and  32 . Each of these slave data  30  and  32  also forwards the item of information to any computer connected to it and which is used by a participant to the conference. In the present example, the slave data servers  30  and  32  forward the item of information, respectively, to computers  60  and  46 . 
     Because the reservation system  20  is located inside the secure zone  10 , unauthorised persons cannot gain access to it, and so unauthorised persons are unable to obtain details of a conference established by the reservation system  20 . In similar fashion unauthorised persons are likewise unable to gain direct access to the master data server  16 . Thus, unauthorised persons are unable to obtain data used in a conference established by the data conferencing platform shown in FIG.  1 . Furthermore, it will be appreciated that denial of direct access to the reservation system  20  or master data server  16  also precludes the possibility of using such access to interact with either the audio bridge  22  or the billing system  18 . 
     There is a further level of security in data conferences which are established only by using connections through the PSTN  28 . In such a conference the data does not pass through the public Internet  44 . Consequently, an unauthorised third party is not able to access the conference data by using a technique for intercepting data passing through the public Internet. 
     As mentioned above, the data conferencing platform shown in FIG. 1 can be used to establish a data conference which uses all three categories of participants. However, if it is desired to provide a data conferencing platform for only one category of participants, then the design can be simplified. For example, if the data conferencing platform is required to provide data conferences only for participants who are connected to it through the public Internet, then the slave data server  30 , the bank of modems  50  and the bank of modems  26  may be omitted. Further simplification can be made by omitting the master data server  16 . With this further simplification, the reservation system  20  establishes the conference directly on the slave data server  32 .