AS3 (Applicability Statement 3) extends the procedures and payload packaging options of AS1 (Applicability Statement 1) and needs to be read in conjuction with AS1 and the referenced RFCs (Request for Comments) defining the MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) and cryptographic packaging that are used to obtain secure, authenticated, and acknowledged transport.  The "draft" AS1 (Applicability Statement 1) document describes how to exchange structured business data securely using SMTP (Simple Mail Transport Protocol) transport for EDI (Electronic Data Interchange).  AS3 extends the procedures and payload packaging options of AS1 in the following ways:

• SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) may now be used to obtain data
• privacy reply procedures (both synchronous and asynchronous) are described in which
• multipart / form-data packaging may be used
• a generalized multipart / report format is added to the MDN (Message Digest Notification) format of AS1
• replies may include a multipart / mixed payload that contains both
• the acknowledgement and
• an additional EDI payload

Basically, the following dozen permutations are possible in any given trading relationship:

1. Sender sends un-encrypted data, does NOT request a receipt
2. Sender sends un-encrypted data, requests an unsigned receipt.
   The receiver sends back the unsigned receipt
3. Sender sends un-encrypted data, requests a signed receipt.
   The receiver sends back the signed receipt
4. Sender sends encrypted data, does NOT request a receipt
5. Sender sends encrypted data, requests an unsigned receipt.
   The receiver sends back the unsigned receipt
6. Sender sends encrypted data, requests a signed receipt.
   The receiver sends back the signed receipt
7. Sender sends signed data, does NOT request a signed or unsigned receipt
8. Sender sends signed data, requests an unsigned receipt.
   Receiver sends back the unsigned receipt
9. Sender sends signed data, requests a signed receipt.
   Receiver sends back the signed receipt
10. Sender sends encrypted and signed data, does NOT request a signed or unsigned receipt
11. Sender sends encrypted and signed data, requests an unsigned receipt.
    Receiver sends back the unsigned receipt
12. Sender sends encrypted and signed data, requests a signed receipt.
    Receiver sends back the signed receipt

While you can choose any of the one-dozen possibilities, only the bolded example above offers the whole suite of security features for a "secure transmission loop".

Let the EDIGuys experience with AS3 EDI transmissions ease your security concerns!

We'll get you up and running with secure AS3 EDI transmissions!

Click here to return to top

Or here to return to "Services"