Integrated multi-level or cross-domain network security management appliance, platform and system, and remote management method and system therefor

1. A cross-domain network traffic management appliance comprising:

an external hardware network domain port to interface with an external network corresponding with a first network security domain, and exchange domain-specific data therethrough;

a cross-domain hardware port to interface with a second network security domain and exchange cross-domain data therethrough;

one or more hardware-integrated processing engines; and

a hardware-integrated interconnection matrix configured to define, in hardware, designated data communication paths to interconnect said processing engines;

wherein said one or more hardware-integrated processing engines are operable to:

process and validate ingress first domain data received from said first network security domain via said external hardware network domain port for cross-domain egress via said cross-domain hardware port; and

process cross-domain ingress data received via said cross-domain hardware port for dispatch to said first network security domain via said external hardware network domain port;

wherein cross-domain egress and ingress data is internally encrypted and decrypted, respectively, in accordance with a designated destination-domain encryption process; and

wherein said hardware-integrated processing engines comprise a domain-specific protocol adapter operable to interface with said external hardware network domain port, a cross-domain data validation engine operable to validate said ingress domain-specific data once processed by said protocol adapter, and a cross-domain access portal operable to interface with said cross-domain hardware port.

2. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein said cross-domain egress and ingress data is respectively encrypted or decrypted by a hardware-integrated encryption engine.

3. The appliance of claim 2 , wherein said hardware-integrated encryption engine is operatively associated with a plurality of hardware security module (HSM) ports distinctly addressable via said respective data communication paths of said interconnection matrix to respectively encrypt said cross-domain egress data and decrypt said cross-domain ingress data.

4. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein said respective data communication paths of said interconnection matrix physically segregates ingress and egress cross-domain data paths.

5. The appliance of claim 1 , further comprises a distinctly addressable hardware-integrated administrative engine operable to securely manage operation of said two or more hardware-integrated processing engines.

6. The appliance of claim 1 , further comprising an external hardware security network port distinctly addressable by one of said hardware-integrated processing engines to invoke an external validation process to be applied to said ingress domain-specific data prior to encryption for cross-domain egress.

7. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein said interconnection matrix defines a one-way hardware data path between said protocol adapter and said cross-domain access portal via said cross-domain data validation engine to process said ingress domain-specific data, and a distinct hardware data path between said cross-domain access portal and said protocol adapter to process said cross-domain ingress data.

8. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein said cross-domain hardware port comprises an external cross-domain port to be operatively interfaced with a corresponding external cross-domain hardware port of a corresponding cross-domain network traffic management appliance operatively associated with said second network security domain.

9. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein said cross-domain hardware port comprises an internal cross-domain port operatively interfacing with a corresponding internal cross-domain hardware port operatively associated with said second network security domain.

10. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein said cross-domain hardware port is configured to operatively interface with a secure interconnection network operatively interconnecting respective cross-domain hardware ports associated with respective network security domains to securely transfer encrypted cross-domain data therebetween.

11. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein said cross-domain hardware port is operable to interface with multiple distinct second network security domains and exchange distinct destination domain-specific data therewith.

12. A cross-domain network traffic management system comprising:

a plurality of hardware data path layers, each one of which corresponding with a designated network security domain and comprising:

an external hardware network domain port to interface with an external network corresponding with a given network security domain, and exchange domain-specific data therethrough;

a cross-domain hardware port to interface with distinct hardware data path layers corresponding with distinct network security domains and exchange cross-domain data therethrough;

one or more hardware-integrated processing engines; and

a hardware-integrated interconnection matrix configured to define, in hardware, designated data communication paths to interconnect said processing engines;

wherein said hardware-integrated processing engines are operable to:

process and validate ingress given domain data received from said given network security domain via said external hardware network domain port for cross-domain egress via said cross-domain hardware port; and

process cross-domain ingress data received via said cross-domain hardware port for dispatch to said given network security domain via said external hardware network domain port;

wherein cross-domain egress and ingress data is internally encrypted and decrypted, respectively, in accordance with a respectively designated destination-domain encryption process; and

wherein said hardware-integrated processing engines comprise, for at least one of said hardware data path layers, a domain-specific protocol adapter operable to interface with said external hardware network domain port thereof, a cross-domain data validation engine operable to validate said ingress given domain data once processed by said protocol adapter, and a cross-domain access portal operable to interface with said cross-domain hardware port thereof.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein each said cross-domain hardware port operatively interfaces with a secure interconnection network to securely transfer encrypted cross-domain data thereon.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein said cross-domain egress and ingress data is respectively encrypted or decrypted by a hardware-integrated encryption engine.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein said hardware-integrated encryption engine is operatively associated with a plurality of hardware security module (HSM) ports distinctly addressable via said designated data communication paths of said interconnection matrix to respectively encrypt said cross-domain egress data and decrypt said cross-domain ingress data.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein said designated data communication paths of said interconnection matrix physically segregates ingress and egress cross-domain data paths.

17. The system of claim 12 , further comprising an external hardware security network port distinctly addressable by one of said hardware-integrated processing engines to invoke an external validation process to be applied to said ingress domain-specific data prior to encryption for cross-domain egress.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein said interconnection matrix defines a one-way hardware data path between said protocol adapter and said cross-domain access portal via said cross-domain data validation engine to process said ingress first domain data, and a distinct hardware data path between said cross-domain access portal and said protocol adapter to process said cross-domain ingress data.