Abstract: A cluster-based server system includes at least a first dispatcher, a second dispatcher, and one or more servers. The first dispatcher is configured for sending packets received by the first dispatcher to the second dispatcher, and the second dispatcher is configured for forwarding packets received from the first dispatcher to the one or more servers for processing. A computerized method for processing packets in a cluster-based server includes receiving a packet with a first stage dispatcher, sending the received packet from the first stage dispatcher to one of a plurality of second stage dispatchers, and forwarding the received packet from said one of the second stage dispatchers to one of a plurality of servers for processing.

Abstract: A computer device for interfacing a plurality of firewalls to a plurality of servers includes at least one input for receiving packets directly from the firewalls and at least one output for forwarding said packets to the servers. The computer device is configured for dispatching each packet received from one of said firewalls to one of said servers for processing. A computer-implemented method of interfacing a plurality of firewalls to a plurality of servers includes receiving packets directly from the plurality of firewalls, and dispatching each received packet to one of a plurality of servers for processing.

Abstract: A secure cluster-based server system includes a plurality of firewalls, a plurality of back-end servers, a logically external firewall dispatcher, a logically internal firewall dispatcher, and a plurality of second stage dispatchers. The external firewall dispatcher is configured for routing packets received from the external network through one or more of the firewalls to the internal firewall dispatcher, the internal firewall dispatcher is configured for dispatching packets received from the one or more firewalls to one or more of the second stage dispatchers, and the second stage dispatchers are configured for dispatching packets received from the internal firewall dispatcher to one or more of the back-end servers for processing.