Method and apparatus for clustered Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) acceleration
where two or more SSL relays are connected in a cluster. Information is
transferred between a first node (typically, the client) and one of the
SSL relays where the transferred information is related to communication
between the first node and a second node (typically, the server). The
state information of an SSL connection between the first node and the one
SSL relay is clustered. The clustering includes sharing the state
information between the one SSL relay and each of the one or more SSL
relays. Any of the SSL relays can take over all connections of another of
the clustered SSL relays therefore, providing no interruption in the
communication should any of the SSL relays fail.