Patent ID: 8289842

Claim:
A bridging infrastructure for bridging message flows between two messaging systems, comprising: a current appliance, comprising: a first primary gateway configured for communicating a first message flow; and a first standby gateway configured for communicating a second message flow, wherein the first standby gateway is implemented in a standby mode during normal operations; a complimentary appliance, comprising: a second primary gateway configured for communicating the second message flow; and a second standby gateway configured for communicating the first message flow, wherein the second standby gateway is implemented in a standby mode during normal operations; wherein both the current appliance and the complimentary appliance include a controller service that monitors the operation of each other; and wherein upon a detected failure of the complimentary appliance by the current appliance, the controller service on the current appliance causes the second message flow on the primary gateway of the complimentary appliance to be redirected through the standby gateway of the current appliance.