Patent ID: 7299495

Claim:
A modular computer system comprising: a carrier; a plurality of information processing modules removably received in the carrier, each information processing module having a communications port connecting to a communications network internal to the carrier; a switch connecting to the internal communications network to distribute information messages between the information processing modules and an external communications network; a traffic inspection module removably received in the carrier and connecting to the internal communications network to receive an information message, wherein the traffic inspection module is configured to perform processing on the message to determine a safety status, and to forward the message toward a final destination via the internal communications network dependent upon the determined safety status; and a management entity coupled to the plurality of information processing modules and the traffic inspection module, wherein the management entity is configured to detect a failure of the traffic inspection module, wherein, in response to detecting a failure of the traffic inspection module, the management entity is configured to inform the plurality of information processing modules of the failure.