FTP files to/from our EDI VAN

[Stan]

Our EDI VAN will stop supporting our bisync connection at the end of
the year. We are thinking about using a secure FTP connection to
transmit the data. Where can I get some good information on FTPing a
multiple format file to and from our VAN.

[Jonathan Ball]

Post by Stan
Our EDI VAN will stop supporting our bisync connection at the end of
the year. We are thinking about using a secure FTP connection to
transmit the data. Where can I get some good information on FTPing a
multiple format file to and from our VAN.

I imagine the file preparation and FTP parts are easy. You'll have to
process the data to be sent into a single-format file (on your iSeries?
- you didn't specify), then start an FTP client session (probably in
batch) to connect to the VAN's FTP server and transmit the file.
Receiving files from the VAN will be the reverse: once the files are
received, they'll be passed to your EDI translation software and it
will do its thing.

As far as the secure connection issues, why not ask the comms people at
your VAN? I'm sure they can tell you a lot of what the issues are and
what you need to know.

I can't be too much more help than that, because although I'm involved
in some EDI transmissions for one of my clients, the transmissions are
to an FTP server that is behind the firewall, and then their customers
somehow (FM) come through the firewall to the FTP server and pick up
their files. I can check to see if the network admins can provide any
further info about it.

[mg]

What software package are you using for EDI?

We use Premenos/Harbinger/Trusted Link and have an interface that
exports the untranslated EDI data to a physical file and then FTP that
physical file to the FTP site.

The are some fairly inexpensive software packages available the will
allow you to do AS2 and secure FTP connections.

Post by Jonathan Ball

Post by Stan
Our EDI VAN will stop supporting our bisync connection at the end of
the year. We are thinking about using a secure FTP connection to
transmit the data. Where can I get some good information on FTPing a
multiple format file to and from our VAN.

I imagine the file preparation and FTP parts are easy. You'll have to
process the data to be sent into a single-format file (on your

iSeries?

Post by Jonathan Ball
- you didn't specify), then start an FTP client session (probably in
batch) to connect to the VAN's FTP server and transmit the file.
Receiving files from the VAN will be the reverse: once the files are
received, they'll be passed to your EDI translation software and it
will do its thing.
As far as the secure connection issues, why not ask the comms people at
your VAN? I'm sure they can tell you a lot of what the issues are and
what you need to know.
I can't be too much more help than that, because although I'm

involved

Post by Jonathan Ball
in some EDI transmissions for one of my clients, the transmissions are
to an FTP server that is behind the firewall, and then their

customers

Post by Jonathan Ball
somehow (FM) come through the firewall to the FTP server and pick up
their files. I can check to see if the network admins can provide any
further info about it.

[Bob Bergstrom]

What EDI Translator are you using?

Post by Stan
Our EDI VAN will stop supporting our bisync connection at the end of
the year. We are thinking about using a secure FTP connection to
transmit the data. Where can I get some good information on FTPing a
multiple format file to and from our VAN.

[res0v5su]

We're using Premenos/Harbinger/Peregrine/TrustedLink/Inovis. Our VAN is IBM
Global.

Post by Bob Bergstrom
What EDI Translator are you using?

Post by Stan
Our EDI VAN will stop supporting our bisync connection at the end of
the year. We are thinking about using a secure FTP connection to
transmit the data. Where can I get some good information on FTPing a
multiple format file to and from our VAN.

[Chuck Ackerman]

Stan,

Now's your chance to take control of the situation. We chose not to expose
our AS/400 directly to the Internet so we have our translator, Inovis'
Trusted Link, place the files in a flat file format (still ANSI standard
EDI) directly onto OUR FTP server. We simply setup a Win 2003 server as an
FTP server. Using QNTC it's easy to put the files on there directly.

We then instructed our VANS (we have several VANS for differing specific
applications) to send and receive files to and from our FTP server.

We do a similar thing with many of our vendors. They drop things off and
pick things up from OUR server.

This process makes life MUCH simpler. You need to only learn one thing: how
to put things onto your FTP server. You don't need to learn how to do it a
different way for each trading partner or VAN. Plus you don't need to learn
the ins and outs of FTP, writing FTP scripts, worrying about error messages,
etc.

Some of our trading partners, one of them a big name VAN, took some arm
twisting. Others, big name VANs also, did it without blinking an eye. We
have dozens of different vendors, customers, etc that we trade with (plus
dozens more that go through our VANS) and not one has told us they won't do
it this way.

It's time for the tail to start wagging the dog. After all YOU are the
VAN's customer, and they should cater to YOU.

chuck
Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of my employer.

Post by Stan
Our EDI VAN will stop supporting our bisync connection at the end of
the year. We are thinking about using a secure FTP connection to
transmit the data. Where can I get some good information on FTPing a
multiple format file to and from our VAN.