What Communication Ports does SecureDoc Clients and SES Server use to communicate with each other?
Though the actual port numbers are configurable, and assuming no reconfiguration has been done by the SES Administrator during setup of the SES environment, then communications will take place on the default port number as follows:
PORT 7300 - Communication from the Client (endpoint computer) to the SES Server (communications being handled by SDConnex)
Communication on this port uses TCP/IP protocol - resulting in a "stateful" connection between the endpoint and the SDConnex server. Stateful, in that if the communication should fail, then it will be retried, each end will know whether or not the communication is successful because confirmation packets will be sent in each direction. If the transaction should fail, then it will be retried when next possible.
Port 3700 - Communication from the SES Console to the Client computers.
Communication on this port uses UDP protocol (a form of Broadcast protocol). This results in a non-stateful connection, and the server does not know at the point of initiating the communication whether or not the client device has received the communication. The purpose of this type of communication is typically quite simpe: to alert the endpoint device that the SES Server has something the client device needs to know about. Once received by the client, the client will act on this alert, and initiate its own stateful communication with the SES Server, using Port 7300 and TCP/IP as outlined above.
Real-World Analogy:
In a real-world scenario, the stateful communication on Port 7300 would be equivalent to a conversation, in which each end confirms that he/she has understood and acted upon the transaction.
e.g.
"Supper is at 6:00 PM. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I will be here at 6:00"
"Good... See you at 6:00 for supper"
"OK"
The communication on Port 3700 is more like a parent calling out the window to his/her children to come in for supper.
If the children are not within earshot and are unable to respond, the communication is still considered complete.
About the Communication Behavior
All communication that will involve a data payload is initiated by the client device to the server. Because TCP protocol has built-in datagram protection/retry functionality, this communication place via TCP protocol using the port number defined for such communication (default port is 7300).
That being said, there can be scenarios in which the server needs to reach out to the client; These are payload-less contacts, using UDP protocol over port 3700, that perform a simple function: “Wake up and call me back”. Upon receiving this “wake up”, the client will initiate a stateful request to the server to find out what the server needs to “say” to the client.
Protecting the SecureDoc Data being transmitted/received
Data packets are first highly compressed with a proprietary algorithm, then encrypted using RSA 2048-bit encryption that is protected by a shared certificate held by each end of the communication.
For all communications on the port(s) mentioned above, any connectivity that does not present the necessary certificate will be ignored/rebuffed by the receiving endpoint (being the SDConnex server, or the client endpoint device, as appropriate).