WO2003061238A2

WO2003061238A2 - Multifunctional server, in particular a twin-firewall server

Info

Publication number: WO2003061238A2
Application number: PCT/EP2003/000416
Authority: WO
Inventors: Reinhold Unrecht; Manfred Hainzinger; Jörg Hubert; Frank Siefert
Original assignee: Amcornet Security Gmbh
Priority date: 2002-01-17
Filing date: 2003-01-16
Publication date: 2003-07-24
Also published as: WO2003061238A3; DE10201655C1; AU2003218637A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a multifunctional server, in particular a twin-firewall server, comprising at least two independent servers, each with an independent mainboard, at least one independent CPU, hard discs, memory components and/or network cards, said servers being arranged in a common, in particular, 19 -racking housing. Said novel multifunctional server is embodied as an intelligent net access security server, in particular a twin-firewall server. The firewalls run on both independent servers, either redundantly or in parallel. In normal operation the firewalls thus monitor each other, preferably by means of a heartbeat function and/or share the incoming data traffic and/or determine the necessary monitoring functions for each other. In case of a fault with a server and/or a firewall, the remaining server and/or the remaining firewall forms a completely independent functional unit for maintaining a minimum necessary protection.

Description

description

Multi-function server, in particular twin firewall server

The present invention relates to a multifunction server, in particular a twin server, with at least two independent servers, according to the preamble of claim 1.

A so-called dual or twin server from iTox is known in practice, which experts also call "Double Dragon". This dual server was initially developed for Microsoft as an all-in-one solution for mirror server systems is sold by iTox as a 19 "rack installation unit. The "Double Dragon" was designed as a compact mirror server for mirror server farms and in particular for the Microsoft Network (MSN) primarily for mapping radius functions in websites with a network card.

It is also known from practice to establish the connection to the external Internet (WAΝ) from an internal network (LAN) via a classic router. Appropriate firewall systems that run on specially configured machines offer protection against unwanted intruders from outside. Simple firewalls only offer port filtering. More powerful firewalls open up adjacent to the junction of the internal network (LAN) to the external Internet (WAN), a turn-off ^{• ■} a so-called demilitarized zone (DMZ) in the usually z. B. a web server is on a corresponding separate machine. Furthermore, extremely powerful and 'correspondingly expensive firewalls are able to filter up to application layer 7 (OSI layer 7). In the recent past, concepts have been proposed in which a second or even a third firewall has been installed on each additional machine and integrated into the path between the WAN and LAN to optimize security against unwanted external access, or redundant systems , ie to enable improved reliability. However, these concepts are extremely cost-intensive due to the large number of separate servers or machines. In addition, this involves a high level of administration and monitoring. Last but not least, the accumulation of a large number of servers increases the space required for this.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to offer an inexpensive and space-saving all-in-one solution for fail-safe and / or highly secure access from the LAN to the WAN and vice versa.

This object is achieved by the features of claim 1.

For this purpose, a multifunction server, in particular a twin server, with at least two independent servers is proposed for the first time, each of which has its own mainboard, at least its own CPU, hard disks, memory modules and / or network card, the servers in a common, in particular 19 ' ^c -rackable, housings are arranged. The multifunction server according to the invention is distinguished by the fact that it is designed as an "intelligent net access security server" (short: INAS server), in particular as a twin firewall server. The intelligent net access security servers contained in this server Independent servers are physically separated from each other, which offers the high security known so far only from separate individual systems operated simultaneously side by side, since in the unlikely event of a successful hacker attack on the first machine or on the first server in the Intelligent Net Access security server a hack or direct access to the subsequent machine whether physical separation is actually impossible. In addition, the independent servers each have at least one firewall. This has the advantage that, for example, the first firewall can offer certain security rules or mechanisms for rough or primary protective measures and the subsequent firewalls can offer corresponding rules or mechanisms for refined or higher security or secondary protection with correspondingly high-performance data throughput. This also has the advantage that the first firewall can be actively in operation and the second firewall or subsequent firewalls could be in a standby mode and, in the event of the first firewall failing, would become active immediately in order to have a highly available system via this redundancy to realize. This redundant and parallel operation of the firewalls on the two servers also helps to cope with the constantly increasing data throughput with correspondingly high performance. The firewalls monitor each other in normal operation, preferably by means of a heartbeat function, and / or divide up the data traffic and / or coordinate the necessary monitoring measures or security rules with one another. This automatic or automatic comparison of the firewalls for mutual coordination and monitoring with each other offers maximum reliability and high availability in addition to optimum protection against unwanted external attacks. This ensures previously unknown high security against intruders. In the event of the failure of a server and / or a firewall, the remaining server and / or the remaining firewall form a completely independent, functional unit to maintain the minimum necessary protection. In this way, it is advantageously ensured that a user or operator of the intelligent net access security server according to the invention has the greatest possible probability of having permanently available access to the external Internet (WAN) with acceptable performance and sufficient basic security. The Multi-function or twin-firewall server according to the invention can be designed such that in the event of a component failure, be it a firewall or even a server, the remaining components will maintain the full functionality of the overall system for the period until the defective components are replaced can, so that a user or operator does not experience any significant loss of performance. In principle, total failures that hardly any company or even a medium-sized company can afford today are excluded.

A further advantage of the multifunction server according to the invention is its compact design, for example in a 19 "rackable form with preferably one height, a maximum of two heights, which is an extremely space-saving solution compared to the current state of the art. In addition, the multifunction server according to the invention is one Cost-effective solution compared to the extremely expensive concepts of the prior art, in which one or more firewalls have to be configured, administered, monitored and operated on corresponding separate individual machines, with a plurality of further individual servers for the operation of a mail server, web - Servers, FTP servers or the like are added, plus routers, gateways and the like, which can drive up costs extremely, such conventional systems are simply no longer acceptable for economically calculating companies and are not particularly difficult for medium-sized companies Here, the multifunction server according to the invention advantageously provides an inexpensive and at the same time powerful remedy.

Advantageous developments of the invention result from the features of the subclaims. In a preferred embodiment of the multifunction server according to the invention, at least one of the server applications, such as a router, an FTP server, a web server, a proxy server, a mail server and a Citrix Nfuse functionality, runs on it DNS server, a VPN functionality or a virus scanner, but preferably all of these server applications. Thus, all server applications currently known from the prior art and previously only running on different, distributed separate machines are advantageously combined on one machine, specifically on the multifunction server according to the invention. This in turn helps to significantly save costs and makes the administration of these applications easier by centralizing them.

In a further preferred embodiment of the multifunction server, the security applications have at least one, but preferably all, of the security features, such as, for example, a) dynamic packet filter (b) camouflage (masquerading), c) content filtering, d) translation of network addresses (network address translation), e) virus detection (virus scan), f) virtual private network (ip addresses secure) (VPN (ip-secure)), g) translation of portal addresses (port address translation), h) Filtering the Internet addresses (URL filtering) or i) Detecting attacks with the intention of sabotaging the computer or the LAN or putting services or the entire computer or the LAN out of operation (fill detection (DDoS / DoS / Intrusion) ) on. By combining all currently available security features on the server system according to the invention, so that their configuration, administration and maintenance can be carried out centrally on this multifunction server, the costs in the IT area of the company in question are in turn reduced and there can be synergy effects between these security Applications are used, which was previously not possible with operation distributed over separate machines. In a further preferred embodiment, the multifunction server has a common interface which is provided for the administration of the applications running on it. This provides a central interface for configuration, installation and maintenance. This helps to save time for administrators, and the time-consuming and nerve-racking work from machine to machine and checking which machine is causing problems can also be eliminated.

According to a further preferred embodiment, there is a central one

Administration of security and internet applications is provided via the common interface, in particular via a web browser. This simplifies the operation of the security and Internet applications in a particularly advantageous manner, so that maintenance and administration is possible from anywhere, so that an administrator no longer has to go to the multifunction server according to the invention, but from every seat can do from any work.

In a further preferred embodiment, a multifunction server is designed such that it is connected between an internal network (LAN) and an external network (WAN) and forms a demilitarized zone (DMZ). This offers the advantage of a cost-effective integration of the DMZ, with the server applications depicted therein, a firewall included, a gateway, a GUI (graphical user interface) centrally on this multifunction server according to the invention, so that both acquisition costs and operation are reduced can be designed inexpensively. Surprisingly, there are also increases in performance. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the _. The multifunction server on the first stand-alone server is the gateway, the first firewall and the graphical Mapped user interface (GUI) and on the second independent server, the second firewall and the DMZ with, for example, at least mail, proxy, web server, and possibly the Citrix Nfuse functionality. This offers optimal operation of all the desired functionalities on the multifunction server while making good use of the available performance with optimal security, performance and availability.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the first independent server carries redundant images or copies of the second firewall and the DMZ with the server applications running there, e.g. Mail, proxy, web server and possibly a Citrix Nfuse functionality, the second independent server carrying redundant images of the gateway of the first firewall and the graphical user interface (GUI). This redundant configuration of the multifunction server, which is based on a mirror server data system, offers absolute reliability, since every component is available in mirror-image redundancy as well as every application is mirror-image redundant and, in the event of a defect or failure of the corresponding first component or application, can immediately take over its willingness to perform or services. The heartbeat functionality provided for this guarantees an abrupt transfer of the running applications and services. This ensures the best possible protection against system failure in the sense of a maximum high availability that is otherwise only known from extremely expensive mirror systems, combined with optimal high security.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the independent servers are physically separate from one another and also each have separate power supply units for the voltage supply. This extensive physical separation even offers security against failure of one downstream system in the event of failure of a main system, be it due to a short circuit or other events, since this physical separation, as far as possible, prevents physical events occurring on one machine from spreading from one machine to another.

In a further preferred embodiment, the multifunction server is designed with at least six network cards, preferably three network cards per independent server. With a twin firewall server, there is an optimal number of network interfaces available for communication. In a preferred embodiment, communication of the firewalls via such network interfaces is provided. Correspondingly, the communication of the servers also takes place via such network interfaces. The communication of the independent servers with the firewalls is also realized via network interfaces, be it from a server to a firewall and / or vice versa. This network interface-shaped communication offers optimal transparency and monitoring options for data traffic with consistently high quality and optimal or fast data throughput.

According to a further embodiment, the multifunction server according to the invention is freely scalable. The multifunction server according to the invention can thus grow with the requirements and expectations of the user or operator from an inexpensive entry-level solution to a variant that meets the requirements of average users and a high-end intelligent net access security server.

The invention is explained below with reference to the single Fig. 1 of the drawing. It shows: Fig. 1 in a schematically highly simplified diagram, the arrangement of the multifunction server according to the invention between the LAN and the WAN.

The multifunction server 1 according to the invention is symbolized in FIG. 1 by the slightly elliptical circle. In the variant of a twin firewall server shown here, a first firewall is symbolized on the two independent servers as a so-called firewall bridge 2 as an external interface to the external Internet (WAN). Behind the firewall bridge 2 is a second firewall 4, which preferably runs on the second independent server and in which the router functionality and / or a gateway is symbolized with the machine symbol 6. Behind it is in one direction the internal network (LAN), which is schematized by the plurality of workstations 8. In the other direction is the demilitarized zone (DMZ) shown on the second server, in which the functionalities of a web server 10, a mail server 12 and an FTP server 14 are implemented in this variant.

The Intelligent Net Access Security Server (INAS server for short) can take over all functions for LAN and WAN. For example, the firewall bridge can be designed as a SonicWall firewall bridge and both the above-mentioned variant of its arrangement as a branch office to the Internet and as the last bastion in front of the internal network can be implemented. Router 4 can also be configured as a D-Link router. However, it is also possible to integrate router or firewall concepts or products from other manufacturers.

The above-discussed invention of a multifunction server, which is designed as an intelligent Net Access Security server (INAS server), offers one Maximum functionality with a minimum of components and hardware used, whereby scaling from an inexpensive INAS server light variant to a standard to classic variant to a premium variant is possible.

The present invention offers an all-in-one solution without compromising on security. The INAS server combines firewall, server services and a real DMZ in one device. Optimal security can be guaranteed by the physical separation of the systems, whereby no compromises regarding security and functionality have to be accepted. The hardware and software is scalable according to customer requirements. From the basic system to high-performance, everything is based on a uniform, modular hardware and software solution. A central administration of security and internet presence is given.

The firewall and all other functions on both machines can be administered via a common interface. The firewall used offers all equipment and security features of all security products available on the market. These are, for example: Dynamic Packet Filter, Network Address Translation, Port Address Translation, Masquerading, Virus Scan, URL Filtering, Content Filtering, VPN (ip-secure) and / or Fill Detection (DoS / mtrusion). The following components are fully integrated into the system and thus offer intelligent access: Apache web server, mail server, FTP server, Cytrix application server and / or proxy server.

The modular structure of the concept according to the invention and the open architecture of the firewall make the system extremely flexible and very versatile. It can be manufactured or set up as a pure firewall system for any company. It is also conceivable to have a firewall and mail server map on the INAS server. It is also possible to offer a firewall and a DMZ solution, whereby a virus scan, a web, mail and / or FTP server can run on the INAS server with firewall and real DMZ. The user or operator of an INAS server according to the invention can be assured of trouble-free support as well as upgrades without hardware replacement or new installation.

The INAS server according to the invention offers this functionality and security in a system of this scope for the first time. The physically separate structure ensures the highest possible security. Functionalities such as web, mail, FTP application servers are available on one device. The complete administration takes place via a common user interface on any PC in the network. This means that all services and products, such as WWW servers, proxy servers, Nfuse servers, virus scanners, FTP servers, DHCP / DNS servers, mail servers and / or firewalls, are available in a correspondingly advantageously designed variant. In this way, the INAS server according to the invention sets new standards for complete solutions with the highest possible security.

In a particularly space-saving variant, the INAS server according to the invention consists, for example, of two server systems integrated in a 19 "housing that only requires one height. If space is available in the rack, variants with two heights can also be provided. This This in turn has advantages when it comes to air conditioning or when optimizing the cooling. An Intel motherboard can provide a conceivable configuration for each of the two independent servers. 900 Mhz Intel Celeron server processors are installed on it. The INAS server has a total of six, ie three per independent server W

12

Network cards, which can be, for example, 100 Mbit NIC cards. For example, 30 GB UDMA 100 HDD disks are proposed as hard disks. The INAS server is not only available in a rack, but also as a stand-alone variant in its own tower as a desktop PC. 5

In the INAS Server classic version, the firewall, the GUI and the login are provided on the first independent server system. The second machine carries the firewall, the DHCP, proxy, VPN, mail, web, and / or Nfuse server as well as mobile PPTP functionality and NW tools. In the INAS

10 Server professional variant, the second PC system can be supplemented with a virus scan functionality and an FTP server. With a further scaling upwards, a cluster capability can be provided with an INAS server premium type and load balancing and monitoring via heartbeat and the like can be scheduled. The INAS server according to the invention

15 can, for example, be designed for up to 250 users.

The INAS server according to the invention offers further advantages. These are, for example, the central administration of security and server functions. Network monitoring, login and analysis on one machine. A high

20 Cost savings in the server area both in terms of acquisition, maintenance and operation. It is precisely with the all-in-one solution that you do not have to compromise on network security. Due to the modular structure, the customer only pays for what he uses. Multilingualism offers communication in all directions. High availability, which can also be increased through clustering and load balancing, offers maximum performance for the capital to be spent.

Thus, the present invention proposes for the first time a multifunction server, in particular a twin server, with at least two independent ones Servers, each of which has its own mainboard, at least one of its own CPU, hard disk, memory modules and / or network card, the servers being arranged in a common, in particular 19 "rackable, housing. The new multifunction server is intelligent Net access security server (INAS for short), in particular designed as a twin firewall server. The firewalls run redundantly or in parallel on the two independent servers. The firewalls monitor each other in normal operation, preferably using a heartbeat function, and / or share the data traffic and / or coordinate the necessary monitoring measures in the event of a failure of a server and / or a firewall, the remaining server and / or the remaining firewall form a fully independent functional unit to maintain the minimum necessary protection.

Claims

Expectations

Multifunctional server, in particular twin server, with at least two independent servers, each of which has its own mainboard, at least one own CPU, hard drives, memory modules and/or network card, the servers being arranged in a common, in particular 19" rack-compatible housing are,

characterized in that

the multifunctional server is designed as an Intelligent Net Access Security server (1), in particular as a twin firewall server, whereby

the independent servers each have at least one firewall (2, 4), whereby

the firewalls (2, 4) run redundantly, serially or in parallel on the two servers, whereby

the firewalls (2, 4) monitor each other during normal operation, preferably by means of a heartbeat function, and/or share the resulting data traffic and/or coordinate the necessary monitoring measures with one another, and where

In the event of the failure of a server and/or a firewall (2, 4), the remaining server and/or the remaining firewall (2, 4) form a completely independently functioning unit to maintain the minimum necessary protection.

Multifunctional server (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that thereon at least one of the server types such as a router, an FTP server (14), a web server (10), a proxy server, a mail server ( 12), a Citrix Nfuse functionality, a DNS server, a VPN functionality or a virus scanner, but preferably all of these server applications run on it.

Multifunctional server (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the security applications have at least one, but preferably all, of the security features a) dynamic packet filter, b) masquerading, c)

Content Filtering, d) Network Address Translation, e) Virus Scan, f) VPN (ip-secure), g) Port Address Translation, h) URL Filtering or i) Fill Detection (DOS Intrusion).

Multifunctional server (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the servers have a common interface for administering the applications running on them.

Multifunctional server (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that a central administration of security applications and

Internet applications are provided via the common interface.

Multifunctional server (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it is connected between an internal network (LAN) and an external network (WAN) and forms a demilitarized zone (DMZ) within it.

Multifunctional server (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that on the first independent server the gateway (6), the first firewall (2) and the graphical user interface (GUI) are shown, and that on the second independent server the second firewall (4) and the DMZ with at least the mail

(12), proxy, web server (10) and the Citrix Nfuse functionality are shown.

Multifunctional server (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the first independent server carries redundant images of the second firewall and the DMZ with at least the mail, proxy, web server and the Citrix Nfuse functionality, and that the second independent Server redundant images of the gateway, the first firewall and the graphical user

Interface (GUI).

Multifunctional server (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the independent servers are physically separated from one another and each have separate power supplies for power supply.

Multifunctional server (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it has at least six network cards, preferably three network cards per independent server.

Multifunctional server (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the firewalls (2, 4) communicate with one another via network interfaces.

Multifunctional server (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the independent servers communicate with one another via network interfaces.

13. Multifunctional server (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the independent servers communicate with the firewalls (2, 4) via network interfaces, and / or vice versa.

14. Multifunctional server (1) according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that it is freely scalable.