Patent ID: 7225467

Claim:
A security device for installation at a node of a digital network, said security device comprising: a security engine for providing user transparent communications to another node of said digital network; at least two locking devices, wherein each locking device is coupled to the other locking devices and the security engine, and each locking device is configured to communicate with the other locking devices and with the security engine; and a programmed data processor including a memory to store data corresponding to said user communications and to store an embedded security policy manager and a manager object and at least one managed object, wherein the managed object is configured to detect communications at a first node having a characteristic which differs from a normal usage characteristic and to send an alarm through the manager object to said security engine for communication to a managed object of a second node, the managed object corresponding to said first node, as said user transparent communications and for responding to user transparent communications from said second node of said digital network and controlling of routing of communications in said digital network wherein said first node and said second node are hierarchically arranged locally in said digital network and arranged to provide redundant connections between nodes at different hierarchical levels.