Net Solutions WEB-EDI

Net Solutions WEB-EDI Solution Documentation NET SOLUTIONS PAGE 1 OF 10

Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION 3 2 BUSINESS CONTEXT 4 2.1 GENERAL 4 2.2 EDI IMPLEMENTATION DIFFICULTIES 4 2.3 NET SOLUTIONS WEB-EDI 5 3 TECHNICAL ARCHITECTURE 6 3.1 EDI ENGINE 7 Data Parser 7 EDI Translator 7 Message Store 7 3.2 ADMINISTRATION ENGINE 7 Alarm Manager 7 Online Reporting Service 8 Status Feedback Monitor 8 3.3 EDI S 8 Mail Connector 8 VAN Connector 8 FTP Connector 8 HTTP Connector 9 Online Web Connector 9 AS2 Connector 9 MailMax 400 Connector 9 4 SECURITY 10 4.1 MAIL CONNECTION 10 4.2 VAN CONNECTION 10 4.3 FTP CONNECTION 10 4.4 HTTP CONNECTION 10 4.5 ONLINE ACCESS TO WEB-EDI 10 4.6 AS2 CONNECTION 10 NET SOLUTIONS PAGE 2 OF 10

1 Introduction This document describes the functional and technical specifications of the Net Solutions WEB-EDI application and offering. In chapter 2 the business context of EDI will briefly be drawn as well as the role both scope and limitations of the WEB-EDI application and offering towards an EDI project. The third chapter goes into the technical architecture of the solution. All components of the WEB-EDI application will be handled. This chapter will also handle the connection and communication details applicable to exchange EDI information between business partners. In the fourth chapter, the standards integrated in the WEB-EDI solution to ensure secure data-transfer will be explained. The Service Agreement describes how the WEB-EDI solution can be implemented and what services Net Solutions can provide in this context. Also the responsibilities of the business partners subscribed to Net Solutions WEB-EDI will be clarified. NET SOLUTIONS PAGE 3 OF 10

2 Business context 2.1 General Electronic Data Interchange or EDI is a mechanism to electronically exchange business information between business partners. By automating this data transfer and automating the integration with the information systems of the business partners, the following advantages can be reached : Quicker exchange of information Limited data entry No paper exchange of information No data-entry errors In order to structure the way different business partners exchange information, business standards for EDI have been developed and are applied by most business partners. Some standards are industry-dependent (e.g. EDIFACT), other standards are industry specific (e.g. ODETTE for the automotive industry). EDI information is exchanged in the form of messages. A message is business information logically belonging together. Examples are forecasts (DELFOR), sales orders (ORDERS), deliveries (DESADV), or invoices (INVOIC). 2.2 EDI implementation difficulties Although standards are available, every business partner (read customer ) has implemented them in its own way leading to different dialects. In practice this means that a message once configured for the data exchange with a certain business partner, can t be easily taken over for the data exchange with another business partner. Another difficulty in the implementation of EDI is that not all standards are supported by the information system to or from which the information needs to be interfaced. Especially the traditional ERP systems have defined their own standards (e.g. IDOC for SAP) to exchange information with external systems. In order to make these messages EDIcompliant they need to be translated into EDI messages. This translation is message and partner (see former paragraph) dependent and requires understanding and experience in the applied EDI standards. Another typical bottleneck is the communication of the information between business partners. In order to avoid point-to-point communication between business partners, EDI information must be written and read from so called Value Added Networks or VANs.. Each of these VANs developed its own communication and security protocol and requires specific communication forms to be compliant. The usage of the VAN depends on the choice your business partner (read customer ) already made. NET SOLUTIONS PAGE 4 OF 10

2.3 Net Solutions WEB-EDI The Net Solutions WEB-EDI concept consists of an application and a number of services offered to business partners in an EDI exchange chain. The main objective is to take the complexity and worries of the setup and operational support of an EDI system out of the hands of the business partner. By having EDI outsourced using the WEB-EDI concept, the EDI chain is guaranteed from the information system of the business partner until the publication of the EDI message on the relevant VAN in the correct standard. The WEB-EDI application takes care of : Secure communication of the information system of the business partner to the Net Solutions WEB-EDI platform Translation of the received information in the correct business partner specific EDI standard Secure communication of the EDI message to the VAN Update of the status of the communication back to the source system The following services are offered by Net Solutions during the EDI implementation project : Setting up secure information transfer and assisting the business partner in applying these standards Setting up translation rules between customer standard and EDI standard based on the mapping specifications made by the customer Analysis and configuration of the SAP R/3 system to send and receive IDOC documents including the implementation of user-exits for customer enhancements (incoming and outgoing) to meet the EDI standards of the business partner Assistance in the setup of EDI with non-sap systems Configuring and connecting to the VAN based on the VAN account of the customer Testing the complete scenario from business partner to business partner for both incoming and outgoing EDI messages The following run-time services are offered : Helpdesk support Maintenance and interventions Configurable messaging (SMS and E-mail) in case of problems Online tracing and follow-up Automatic status feedback (in case of R/3 : status IDOCs) More details can be found on the last chapter and in the service level agreement. NET SOLUTIONS PAGE 5 OF 10

3 Technical Architecture CORUS NET SOLUTIONS WEB-EDI BUSINESS PARTNER HTTP HTTP BUSINESS SYSTEM E-MAIL FTP DATA PARSER EDI TRANSLATOR DATA PARSER E-MAIL FTP BUSINESS SYSTEM STATUS FEEDBACK MONITOR ONLINE WEB EDI ADMINISTRATOR ONLINE REPORTING SERVICE MESSAGE STORE VAN MAILBOX ALARM MANAGER VAN NET SOLUTIONS PAGE 6 OF 10

3.1 EDI Engine Data Parser The Data Parser is a tool that can interprete incoming messages. Basically every format can be interpreted. IDOCs, XML and EDI formats are standard available. EDI Translator The EDI Translator is an engine responsible for translating a message from one format into another format. Basically every format can be translated to any format, but IDOCs, XML and EDI formats (EDIFACT, ANSI, ODETTE, ) are the standard ones supported. The EDI Translator works based on message and partner dependent translation rules to identify : In what format data needs to be translated to Where (segment, field location) the data needs to be translated to By which conversion routine the data needs to be translated (e.g. conversion tables, ISO codes, ) Message Store The Message Store is the relational database in which all information is stored and that stores all operations made by the EDI engine and is used as basis for the reporting service and alarm manager. Incoming messages (IDOCs, XML, EDI, ) Outgoing messages (IDOCs, XML, EDI, ) Translation rules (formats, locations, conversion routines, ) Status information Connection and communication information Master data 3.2 Administration Engine Alarm Manager The Alarm Manager takes care of the generation of alarms if certain problems occur. The type of errors for which alarms need to be triggered can be customized as well as the messages and/or partners for which alarms are required. The Alarm Manager supports two alarm communication methods : SMS E-mail The complete configuration of the Alarm Manager can be online performed and modified by the Client using a web interface. NET SOLUTIONS PAGE 7 OF 10

Online Reporting Service The Online Reporting Service consists of a secured website on which the Client can monitor all the EDI operations in an online manner : Status of incoming message Status of parsing and translation Status of outgoing message Status of status feedback Status of VAN communication The Reporting Service is mainly a GUI based on the Message Store. Status Feedback Monitor The Status Feedback Monitor can send back status information to the client s application that can update the status of the outgoing message. For SAP R/3 the standard Audit/Status confirmation IDOCs are used. Other status feedback message formats can be supported. This allows the client to view the status up and to the publishing of the EDI message of the VAN from within its own system. 3.3 EDI Connectors Mail Connector The Mail connector is able to send and receive EDI, IDOC, XML and other messages using E-mail. A dedicated customer e-mail box will be used to send messages from the client s application to the Net Solution WEB-EDI application. The messages will be sent/received via the internet. For point-to-point EDI communication (not via the VAN, but direct communication between business partners), the Mail connector can also send the message via this connector to a fixed mail address at the business partner side. VAN Connector The VAN connector is able to send and receive EDI message to and from the VAN. Since most VAN s require secure dial-in communication, most VAN connections will be made using the dial-in protocol prescribed by the VAN hosting service. The VAN connection schedule (inbound and outbound) can be online customized by the client using a web interface. This customization is partner dependent and message independent. FTP Connector The FTP connector is able to send and receive EDI, IDOC, XML and other messages. The FTP connector can be used to receive messages from the Client and could be used in a point-to-point communication with other business partners to send and/or receive messages. The FTP connector can also be used in certain communication with the VAN if the FTP protocol is supported. This depends on the agreement/subscription of the Client with the VAN. NET SOLUTIONS PAGE 8 OF 10

HTTP Connector The HTTP connector can be used to send and receive EDI, IDOC, XML and other messages. In this scenario the client s system is initiating the connection at regular intervals (pull mechanism) both for sending and receiving messages. HTTP is used as a transfer protocol between SAP systems and Net Solutions WEB-EDI using the standard SAP tool SAPHTTP. Online Web Connector Via the Online Web Connector it is possible to create new messages via the internet. This allows client s who cannot generate EDI messages in an automatic way, to type in their EDI messages making use of a web interface. This connector is especially useful for smaller companies. AS2 Connector AS2 works by providing an envelope for the data, allowing it to be sent over the Internet (or another TCP/IP-based network) using the HTTP protocol, which powers the World Wide Web. The receiving organization s server then listens out for messages addressed to it. Like a call to a phone with no answering machine, the message will be missed if your server is not available to take the call; so, many organizations decide to use a service provider such as GXS to provide AS2 connectivity. AS2 can handle any kind of document but is ideally suited to the kind of transactions that have traditionally made up the bulk of EDI exchanges. Just as with EDI, you can extract data from internal systems and use a translator to transform it into the appropriate standard before dispatching it. You can then process the data you send and receive in the same way. MailMax 400 Connector With MailmaX.400, you connect to any private or public X.400 service provider to exchange email with X.400, Internet or fax recipients. With its friendly user interface, MailmaX.400 is the easiest way to cooperate rapidly and securely with your EDI and Electronic commerce partners. MailmaX.400 supports all network access facilities provided by its sister product, UA-FI. This means that with MailmaX.400, you can connect to your mailbox through TCP/IP over a LAN, with a PPP/SLIP connection over PSTN or ISDN, as well as with a dial-up or X25 network. NET SOLUTIONS PAGE 9 OF 10

4 Security In this chapter, the security issues will be handled for the different services and connectors offered by Net Solutions WEB-EDI. 4.1 Mail Connection Standard mail security. 4.2 VAN Connection Connecting to the VAN using dial-in is per definition a secure way of communication since a dedicated connection is used to transfer data between Net Solutions WEB-EDI and the VAN. 4.3 FTP Connection Standard FTP security. 4.4 HTTP Connection The HTTP Connection is secured as follows : No external access is allowed. All calls are triggered from the client s side (Pull/Push mechanism) All communications are encrypted using SSL (HTTPS!) Client certificates are possible if increased authentication is required Access to WEB-EDI server only from fixed IP address 4.5 Online access to WEB-EDI All online connections to WEB-EDI (reporting, online web connector, configuration, ) are password enabled. In this way client authentication on the WEB-EDI platform is ensured for both browser and server access. 4.6 AS2 connection The AS2 connection uses certificates of authentication and encryption algorithms and signatures. It is also possible to go through a firewall or a DMZ (De-Militarized Zone) NET SOLUTIONS PAGE 10 OF 10