System and method for concurrent sessions in a peer-to-peer hybrid communications network

A method for applying a policy to a message in a hybrid peer-to-peer network comprising:

• receiving a message by a first endpoint, wherein the first endpoint is associated with unique user identification information required for authentication with the network;
• determining whether the message is received from a second endpoint that is authenticated with the network using the unique user identification information of the first endpoint or from a third endpoint that is authenticated with the network using unique user identification information different from the unique user identification information of the first endpoint;
• and
• applying a policy based on whether the message is from the second endpoint or the third endpoint.

A method for routing a message in a peer-to-peer hybrid network comprising:

• retrieving a profile and a routing table from an access server by a first endpoint during an authentication process, wherein the profile identifies a second endpoint as an endpoint with which the first endpoint has permission to communicate, and the routing table contains address information needed for the first endpoint to communicate directly with the second endpoint;
• receiving, by the second endpoint, a message sent directly from the first endpoint;
• identifying, by the second endpoint, information associated with the message to be used in routing the message, wherein the information does not identify a specific destination;
• and
• sending the message from the second endpoint directly to at least a third endpoint based on the application of a policy to the identified information.

A peer-to-peer hybrid system comprising:

• a master endpoint and a slave endpoint concurrently logged into a network using a first set of login information;
• an outside endpoint logged into the network using a second set of login information;
• a first profile associated with the master and slave endpoints, wherein the first profile designates the master endpoint as being able to communicate directly with other endpoints not part of the concurrent login using the first set of login information, and designates the slave endpoint as being able to communicate directly only with the master endpoint and other endpoints part of the concurrent login using the first set of login information;
• and
• a second profile associated with the outside endpoint, wherein the second profile designates the outside endpoint as being able to communicate directly only with the master endpoint and other endpoints not part of the concurrent login using the first set of login information, wherein the slave endpoint is not available for direct communication with the outside endpoint.