Methods and structure of enabling secure communications between a customer
computer system and a vendor support representative computer system
despite firewall security on either or both systems. One embodiment
provides for a collaboration center with a rendezvous service and an
interaction service responsive to communications from the support
representative or the customer. The rendezvous service initiates the
communications between the customer and an appropriate support
representative selected according to rendezvous rules provided by the
vendor. Once selected, the support representative and customer systems
interact by exchanging requests and responses through the interaction
service using standard HTTP and Web protocols and interfaces. The
communications utilize standard Web browser client programs on the
respective computers and standard Web HTTP protocols that pass through
typical firewall protection.