Secure network architecture

A central control arrangement for a star-connected network having a number of peripheral nodes;

• the central control arrangement comprising a processing system, including a computer processor, the processing system being configured to:
• establish an encrypted connection with each peripheral node;
• exchange control packets with two or more peripheral nodes using two or more respective encrypted connections in order to set up an authorized connection between two peripheral nodes;
• store in a database, security policy information specifying what connections between peripheral nodes are allowable;
• and
• authorize connections which are allowable according to the stored security policy information using the control packet exchange.

A method of operating a star-connected network having a number of peripheral nodes and a central control arrangement;

• the method comprising:
• restricting communications across the network to communications between the central control arrangement and a peripheral node using a respective encrypted connection unless the peripheral node has received explicit authorization to establish another connection from the central control arrangement;
• establishing an encrypted connection between two or more peripheral nodes and the central control arrangement;
• exchanging control packets with two or more peripheral nodes using two or more respective encrypted connections in order to set up an authorized connection between both or two of the peripheral nodes;
• storing security policy information specifying what connections between peripheral nodes are allowable;
• and
• authorizing connections which are allowable according to the stored security policy information and transmitting corresponding authorization messages from the central control arrangement to the respective peripheral nodes.