ZNC's partyline
Link posted on March 16, 2010.
URL: http://en.znc.in/wiki/Partyline
I asked around looking around for what people used for an SSL-and-password-protected private IRC network. Idan very kindly mentioned that the IRC bouncer ZNC, which we were using anyway, supports a partyline. A partyline is a private room that's on the bouncer, independent of other networks. Since our ZNC is already behind SSL and password protected, the ability to do a private room on that bouncer fits our needs perfectly.