Server-to-server integrity checking
View Patent ↗A method performed by a primary server includes receiving integrity criteria and sending a health check request to a secondary server based on the received integrity criteria. The method also includes receiving integrity information from the secondary server and checking the integrity information against the integrity criteria. The method further includes initiating a non-compliance action if the integrity information does not comply with the integrity criteria.
1. A method performed by a primary server within a private network, the method comprising:
receiving integrity criteria for the primary server to conduct a health check of a secondary server within the private network;
receiving, by the primary server and from a client device, a request for information, where the request for information requires the primary server to exchange private data, associated with the client device, with the secondary server;
sending, by the primary server, a health check request to the secondary server based on the request for information and the received integrity criteria;
receiving, by the primary server, integrity information from the secondary server that is responsive to the health check request;
checking, by the primary server, the received integrity information against the integrity criteria;
initiating, by the primary server, a non-compliance action if the received integrity information does not comply with the integrity criteria; and
sending, by the primary server and to the secondary server, integrity information for the primary server in response to another health check request, where the other health check request is received from the secondary server.
2. The method of claim 1 , where the integrity criteria is particular to the primary server.
3. The method of claim 1 , where the integrity criteria is selected for the secondary server.
4. The method of claim 1 , where the integrity criteria is selected for a group of servers in a private network including the primary server.
5. The method of claim 1 , where sending the health check request is triggered by a type of the private data to be exchanged between the primary server and the secondary server.
6. The method of claim 1 , where sending the health check request is triggered by a particular number of exchanges between the primary server and the secondary server.
7. The method of claim 1 , where sending the health check request is triggered by a change in system status of the primary server or the secondary server.
8. The method of claim 1 , where the non-compliance action includes switching to an alternative secondary server to accomplish the exchange of private data.
9. The method of claim 1 , where the non-compliance action includes:
generating a logging event,
sending a notification to the client device, and
aborting the exchange of private data with the secondary server.
10. The method of claim 1 , where the non-compliance action includes one or more of:
limiting a data transmission with the secondary server, or
initiating an automatic repair of the secondary server.
11. A system, comprising:
a health check verifier included in a primary device to:
obtain integrity criteria particularly selected for the primary device to verify a security of a secondary device before exchanging private data with the secondary device,
send a health check request to the secondary device based on the integrity criteria and a request for information, where the request for information is received from a client device and requires the health check verifier to verify security of the secondary device before exchanging private data with the secondary device;
receive integrity information from the secondary device in response to sending the health check request to the secondary device,
check the integrity information against the integrity criteria, and
initiate a non-compliance action if the integrity information does not comply with the integrity criteria; and
a health check agent included in the secondary device to send integrity information to the primary device in response to the health check request,
where the primary device is to:
receive a health check request from the secondary device, and
send, to the secondary device and in response to the received health check request, integrity information for the primary device.
12. The system of claim 11 , where the secondary device is a peripheral device or another server located in a same private network as the primary device.
13. The system of claim 11 , where the primary device and the secondary device are connected by a private network.
14. The system of claim 11 , where the primary device includes a web server.
15. The system of claim 14 , where the secondary device includes one of a file server, a database server, an e-mail server, or a voice-over-Internet-protocol (VoIP) server.
16. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a central management system within a private network to provide the integrity criteria to the primary device.
17. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
an alternative secondary device, where the non-compliance action includes the primary device substituting the alternative secondary device for the secondary device to accomplish a data transmission.
18. A computer-readable memory comprising computer-executable instructions, the computer-readable memory comprising:
one or more instructions to store integrity criteria to verify a security of a secondary device before exchanging private data between a primary device and the secondary device;
one or more instructions to receive, at the primary device and from a client device, a request for information, where the request for information requires the primary device to exchange private data with a secondary server;
one or more instructions to send a health check request to the secondary device based on the request for information and the integrity criteria;
one or more instructions to receive integrity information from the secondary device in response to the health check request;
one or more instructions to compare the integrity information from the secondary device with the integrity criteria;
one or more instructions to initiate a non-compliance action if the integrity information from the secondary device does not comply with the integrity criteria; and
one or more instructions to send different integrity information to the secondary device in response to a health check request from the secondary device.
19. The computer-readable memory of claim 18 , where the one or more instructions to send a health check request to the secondary device includes one or more instructions to send the health check request based on a type of information sought to be transmitted between the primary server and the secondary server.
20. A primary device, comprising:
a memory to store a plurality of instructions; and
a processor to execute the stored instructions to:
store integrity criteria for the primary device,
receive, from a client device, a request for information, where the request for information requires the primary device to verify a security of a secondary device before exchanging private data between the primary device and the secondary device,
send a health check request from the primary device to the secondary device based on the stored integrity criteria,
receive, in response to the health check request, integrity information from the secondary device,
compare the integrity information from the secondary device with the stored integrity criteria,
initiate a non-compliance action if the integrity information does not comply with the integrity criteria; and
send integrity information relating to the primary device to the secondary device in response to another health check request, where the other health check request is received from the secondary device.