Communications system providing shared client-server communications interface and related methods

Abstract

A communications system may include a plurality of communications devices connected together in a network and having a plurality of user accounts associated therewith. At least one of the communications devices may process requests using an HTTP client application associated therewith. The system may also include an application server for accessing the user accounts via the HTTP client application, and an HTTP server for interfacing the HTTP client application with the application server. The HTTP server and the HTTP client application may format requests to be communicated therebetween in an HTTP format, and each may provide additional state information with the HTTP formatted requests recognizable by the other for authentication purposes. Furthermore, the HTTP client application may request a first universal resource locator (URL) from the HTTP server for accepting work requests from the application server, and a second URL different from the first for responding to work requests.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
   
   
       17 . A communications system comprising:
 a protected computing environment network comprising a plurality of internal devices and a firewall protecting said internal devices; and   at least one external device outside of said protected computing environment network and configured to interface therewith using a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP);   at least one of said internal devices configured to
 request a first universal resource locator (URL) from said at least one external device for accepting work requests therefrom, and 
 request a second URL different from the first URL from said at least one external device for responding to the work requests. 
   
   
   
       18 . The communications system of  claim 17  wherein said at least one external device is configured to provide email delivery and aggregation services. 
   
   
       19 . The communications system of  claim 17  wherein said at least one external device comprises an application server and an HTTP server cooperating therewith. 
   
   
       20 . The communications system of  claim 17  wherein said at least one external device and at least one internal device are further configured to provide additional state information with HTTP formatted requests recognizable by the other for authentication. 
   
   
       21 . The communications system of  claim 20  wherein the additional state information comprises a globally unique identifier (GUID). 
   
   
       22 . The communications system of  claim 17  wherein said plurality of internal devices have respective user accounts associated therewith. 
   
   
       23 . The communications system of  claim 22  wherein the user accounts comprise email accounts. 
   
   
       24 . A communications system comprising:
 a protected computing environment network comprising a plurality of internal devices having user email accounts associated therewith and a firewall protecting said internal devices; and   at least one external device outside of said protected computing environment network and configured to provide email delivery and aggregation services therefor using a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP);   at least one of said internal devices configured to
 request a first universal resource locator (URL) from said at least one external device for accepting work requests therefrom, and 
 request a second URL different from the first URL from said at least one external device for responding to the work requests. 
   
   
   
       25 . The communications system of  claim 24  wherein said at least one external device comprises an application server and an HTTP server cooperating therewith. 
   
   
       26 . The communications system of  claim 24  wherein said at least one external device and at least one internal device are further configured to provide additional state information with HTTP formatted requests recognizable by the other for authentication. 
   
   
       27 . The communications system of  claim 26  wherein the additional state information comprises a globally unique identifier (GUID). 
   
   
       28 . A method of operating a communications system comprising a protected computing environment network a plurality of internal devices and a firewall protecting the internal devices, and at least one external device outside of the protected computing environment network and configured to interface therewith using a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), the method comprising:
 using at least one internal device to request a first universal resource locator (URL) from the at least one external device for accepting work requests therefrom; and   using the at least one internal device to request a second URL different from the first URL from the at least one external device for responding to the work requests.   
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the at least one external device is configured to provide email delivery and aggregation services. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the at least one external device comprises an application server and an HTTP server cooperating therewith. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the at least one external device and at least one internal device are further configured to provide additional state information with HTTP formatted requests recognizable by the other for authentication. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the additional state information comprises a globally unique identifier (GUID). 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the plurality of internal devices have respective user accounts associated therewith. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the user accounts comprise email accounts.