Method and apparatus for clustered SSL accelerator

A system for clustered Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) acceleration comprising:

• a first node;
• at least two SSL relays connected in a cluster, the cluster operatively connected to the first node;
• and
• a second node operatively connected to the at least two clustered SSL relays, one at least two clustered SSL relays transferring information between the first node and the second node,
• wherein the state information of an SSL connection between the first node and the one at least two SSL relays is shared across each of the at least two SSL relays, such that any of the at least two SSL relays is capable of taking over all connections of another of the at least two SSL relays therefore providing no interruption in the transfer of information should any of the at least two SSL relays fail.

An apparatus comprising a storage medium containing instructions stored therein, the instructions when executed causing a computing device to perform:

• connecting the computing device with at least one other computing device in a cluster;
• transferring information between a first node and the computing device, the transferred information related to communication between the first node and a second node;
• and
• clustering the state information of a connection between the first node and the computing device, the clustering comprising sharing the state information with each of the at least one other computing device, wherein any of the computing devices can take over all connections of another computing device, therefore providing no interruption in the communication should any of the computing devices fail

An SSL relay, the SSL relay connected in a cluster of SSL relays, comprising:

• a first interface for transferring information between a first node and the SSL relay;
• a second interface for transferring information between a second node and the SSL relay;
• a third interface for transferring information between SSL relays in the cluster;
• and
• a storage device, wherein the state information of an SSL connection between the first node and the SSL relay is shared across each SSL relay in the cluster, any of the SSL relays in the cluster capable of taking over all connections of another SSL relay in the cluster, therefore providing no interruption in the transfer of information should any of the SSL relays in the cluster fail.