| 摘要 |
Apparatus for connecting two or more computer networks having two or more network interface machines 201, 202, 203 each arranged to be connected to a respective computer network with a bidirectional communications link 105, 106, 107 enabling the network interface machine to receive data from and transmit data to the respective computer network. The network interface machines are connected together with at least one content checker 210, 211 to enable data to be transmitted from one network interface machine to another, and arranged such that data transmitted from one network interface machine to another network interface machine must pass via a content checker. Each network interface machine is arranged to transmit flow control data to another network interface machine to regulate transmission of data between the two network interface machines. The network interface machines may be connected to the content checkers only by unidirectional communications links 219, 220. In further embodiments content checkers of differing characteristics may be used in series (Figure 3) or may be used in a ring-like formation (Figure 5). The content checking may be checking for confidential/sensitive information such as being passed between differing security level networks or checking for damaging/malicious content. The interface machines act as a proxy for their respective networks. The flow control information may include ACK/NACK type signalling, ready to receive indications or requests for further data transmission. |
