Patent ID: 7430755

Claim:
A method of maintaining a communication between a client device and a target on a network having a plurality of targets, the method comprising: (a) receiving, from the client device, a first message including a first client security certificate associated with the client device, wherein the first message comprises a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) handshake message; (b) determining the target for the client device from the plurality of targets; (c) receiving, from the client device, a second message including a second client security certificate associated with the client device, the second client security certificate being equivalent to the first client security certificate, wherein the second message comprises another SSL handshake message; (d) identifying the target for the client device based on the second client security certificate, wherein the second client security certificate includes a public key security certificate; (e) performing a first secure communication protocol handshake with the client device the first secure communication protocol handshake comprising the first message; and (f) performing a second secure communication protocol handshake with the client device, the second handshake comprising the second message wherein the first secure communication protocol handshake establishes a first secure communication session the second secure communication protocol handshake establishes a second communication session and wherein the second message is received within the first secure communication session.