Patent ID: 7992199

Claim:
A method for enabling a first communications system and a second communications system, said method comprising: the said first and second communications systems respectively located behind a first firewall and a second firewall, to directly communicate with each other, wherein said first firewall prevents communication initiated from an external data network from reaching said first communications system and said second firewall prevents communication initiated from said external data network from reaching said second communication system; establishing a first secure connection via said external data network between said first communications system and a central communications station through said first firewall, wherein said first secure connection is initiated by said first communications system thereby being allowed to pass through said first firewall; establishing a second secure connection via said external data network between said second communications system and said central communications station through said second firewall, wherein said second secure connection is initiated by said second communications system thereby being allowed to pass through said second firewall; forwarding connection information for said second communications system to said first communications system via said first secure connection using said central communications station; and transmitting data directly from said first communications system to said second communications system, wherein said data uses said connection information for said second communications system as destination information and uses connection information for said central communications station as source information, said data originating from said first communications system appearing to originate from said central communications station, wherein said connection information for said second communications system includes an Internet protocol address and port of said second communications system and wherein said connection information for said central communications station includes an Internet protocol address and port of said central communications station.