Patent ID: 8220038

Claim:
A method of routing data within a secure routing and communication architecture comprising a plurality of input/output modules and a communication manager data processing device, the method comprising: receiving a message in a first data transfer protocol; determining a security level of the message via a cryptographic key component of a source input/output module of the plurality of input/output modules: converting the message to an internet data transfer protocol if the first data transfer protocol is not an internet data transfer protocol via a conversion component of the source input/output module; determining a destination of the message, a security level of the message, and a second data transfer protocol required by the destination via a processor of the source input/output module that is configured by the communication manager data processing device; routing the message in the internet data transfer protocol on a local area network; preserving the security level of the message during routing on the local area network by separating classified data through a first channel of the source input/output module to the destination and unclassified data through a second channel of the source input/output module to the destination; converting the message from the internet data transfer protocol to a non-internet data transfer protocol via a conversion component of a destination input/output module of the plurality of input/output modules when the destination is configured to receive data in the non-internet data transfer protocol; and transmitting the message to the destination via the destination input/output module in the non-internet data transfer protocol.