User's Manual

308625-14.00 Rev 00
4-1
Chapter 4
Connecting the Router to a Blacker Front End
This chapter describes the Blacker front end (BFE) and provides instructions for
configuring the BFE on a router.
Blacker Front End (BFE) Concepts and Terminology
The BFE is a classified encryption device used by hosts to communicate across
unsecured wide area networks (WANs). BFE devices are typically found in
government networks (for example, DSNET), which handle sensitive data
requiring a greater degree of security.
BFE support allows the router to connect to BFE devices. The BFE device, in turn,
provides the router with encryption services while acting as the data
communication equipment (DCE) end of the connection between the router and
the X.25 network.
Hosts using attached BFE devices can communicate with each other over an
unsecured packet-switched network using data paths secured by the encryption
services of the BFE devices.
BFE devices provide encryption services for connections over the unsecured
portions of packet-switched networks (Figure 4-1
). Hosts with BFEs are part of a
red virtual network. The packet-switched network that carries both the data
secured by BFE devices and any other unsecured data is known as the black
network.