ziti-doc
ziti-doc copied to clipboard
FAQ Fodder - Add a section/page about what it means to be "dark"
The term doesn't mean much on its own. Describe what it means to be dark and why it's a superpower
Dark Means Unassailable
The concept of a "dark server" is compared to dark matter and black holes, emphasizing its unreachability on a network. It operates differently from standard servers. You're probably wondering how an unreachable application server can also be useful.
Standard Server: Listens for connections openly and must accept anonymous clients before an opportunity to authenticate.
Dark Server: Requires authorization for connections. It doesn't directly listen for incoming connections but forms a reverse tunnel to a secure relay governed by an access policy.
How Ziti Works
Ziti Edge is an overlay network that acts like a virtual internet edge, bridging the gap between clients and servers while securing data in transit. It features:
- Access Control: Prevents connections from anonymous or unauthorized endpoints by controlling access to transport sockets on both ends.
- Ziti Routers and Circuit Formation: Utilizes mutual TLS for secure circuits between endpoints through Ziti Routers. These routers form a mesh network for reliable and secure data transmission.
- Endpoints: Ziti Edge SDKs (agentless) or Ziti Edge Tunnelers (agent is proxy and nameserver).
- Network Configuration: Requires that each endpoint can reach at least one router, and routers must be interconnected to create a mesh fabric. The routers are hardened, not "dark."
- Ziti Edge Controller: Defines trust and policies for the entities and services on the overlay.