Patent ID: 8301875

Claim:
A network comprising: IPsec processing apparatuses, which use an IPsec (Internet Protocol security protocol) for encrypting and authenticating communications via the Internet between two different centers; and an IPsec setting apparatus, which manages IPsec settings of the IPsec processing apparatuses, wherein in response to receiving a request from a first IPsec processing apparatus to communicate with a second IPsec processing apparatus, the IPsec setting apparatus transmits a request to the second IPsec processing apparatus and upon receiving a reply to the request from the second IPsec processing apparatus the IPsec setting apparatus transmits a common encryption key to the first and second IPsec process apparatuses to be used to encrypt and authenticate IPsec communications between the first and second process apparatuses; wherein said IPsec setting apparatus generates SA (Security Association) parameters, to be used in the IPsec communication between the first and the second IPsec processing apparatuses, based on the contents of the request message and contents of IPsec policies stored by the IPsec setting apparatus; wherein said IPsec setting apparatus sends a distribution message including the policies of said IPsec and the SA parameters in response to the request message; and wherein the IPsec processing apparatus retransmits the request for communication to the IPsec setting apparatus and receives new setting information before a term of validity for the SA expires, wherein said IPsec setting apparatus generates the common encryption key to be used in encryption and authentication of the IPsec communications between the first IPsec processing apparatus and the second IPsec processing apparatus and transmits the generated common encryption key to the IPsec processing apparatus.