A geo cluster (also referred to as "Multisite System") is used for replicating configuration databases between geographically separated SEPPmail Secure E-Mail Gateways, for instance between the different operating sites of a company.

 

Example

 

A company is active worldwide and therefore operates several data centres on different continents. The company locations themselves are all connected by a VPN and have access to the Internet in every data centre. Within this internal company network, the company operates an email transport system, for example based on Microsoft Exchange or IBM Domino. The emails sent externally can be sent to the Internet at various internet access points, depending on the internal guidelines. For example, if one Internet access point fails at one location, an emails from this location can be sent via the Internet access of another location, provided that the VPN connection between the sites is not affected by this failure.

In such structure, the necessary cryptographic email processing must function in the same way at all Internet access points. To ensure this, the configuration databases as well as the key material on all cryptographic gateways – SEPPmail Secure E-Mail Gateway – must be kept identical.

 

This is realised via the geo cluster function of the SEPPmail Secure E-Mail Gateway which ensures that a consistent configuration of all systems is given at all times.

 

Figure 6 - Schematic representation of a geo cluster structure