Internet VAN Services (cont.)
Flexible Communications
EasyLink's IP EDI Service is a reliable, scalable, feature-rich, and flexible solution that allows companies to connect to any trading partner regardless of how they transmit and receive their EDI data. By setting up one account, businesses can leverage their existing IP infrastructure to connect to trading partners no matter which connectivity method they prefer, including, but not limited to:
- IP-based (FTP, SMTP, HTTP, etc.)
- Traditional asynchronous
- EDIINT (AS1 & AS2)
- Interconnects
EasyLink has established relationships with virtually every known traditional EDI VAN, further extending trading communities. No matter who handles your trading partners' EDI traffic, enterprises are able to securely exchange data across our interconnects. EasyLink will interconnect with all of the major VANs.
EasyLink EDIINT
Connecting business partners across the full value chain was recently cited by CMP Research as the number one concern for IT executives. The EasyLink EDIINT Gateway Service addresses this concern with new levels of accessibility for companies seeking to expand the size of their trading communities by leveraging the favorable cost characteristics of the Internet. The EDIINT bridges the gap between the Internet-based and traditional EDI environments through its ability to enable commerce between large-scale, established EDI installations that do not typically use the Internet, and the growing Internet-enabled trading community. The service conforms to EDI over the Internet Applicability Statements 1 and 2 (EDIINT AS1, EDIINT AS2) Standards, providing the flexibility to communicate using SMTP and HTTPS.
EasyLink provides capabilities that leverage existing infrastructure and expand communities for maximum benefit to all participants in the value chain. Two common methods that many of our customers use to take advantage of EDIINT are as follows:
- EasyLink customers may connect to our network in their usual manner; the EasyLink IP EDI network will route messages through the EDIINT gateway and to their trading partners who require or prefer EDIINT communications.
- For EasyLink trading partners who prefer to use EDIINT exclusively, they will be able to access EasyLink's network using EDIINT, and have messages routed to trading partners who use other communication methods for their EDI traffic-- even if their trading partner is connected to another VAN. Because our solution is standards-based, companies have the flexibility of choosing any certified AS1 or AS2 compatible communications package.
Internet Security
A key capability that the EasyLink EDI INT Gateway Service brings to Internet commerce is the ability to make business transactions secure when sending EDI via the Internet using HTTPS and PKI protocols. These rigorous security features, coupled with EasyLink's robust Internet EDI feature set, open up new opportunities for companies to leverage the Internet to reduce the costs and complexity of doing business across an array of disparate networks, marketplaces, systems, technologies and locations, without compromising the security of their data.
Future-Proof Technology
EasyLink's platform is built using standards-based open architecture; upgrading to new technologies and standards is as easy as plugging them into our network. Not only do enterprises benefit with immediate savings over traditional EDI expenditures, but by making the switch to EasyLink's IP EDI solution they will leverage IP technology for future business growth and adapt to evolving Internet-based standards, such as XML. Our innovative Internet-based EDI solutions let businesses reach more of their EDI-enabled trading partners.
Hassle-Free Migration
EDI's integration and professional services teams easily manage the transition from a company's current EDI service and can have Internet EDI up and running in a minimal amount of time. EDI's specialists can assist companies and their trading partners, regardless of whether a company is the "hub", "spoke" or both, to seamlessly migrate their traffic to the Internet EDI network.
World-class Service and Support
The EasyLink global network is monitored twenty-four hours a day,
seven days a week by EasyLink's state-of-the-art Network Operations
Center (NOC). The EasyLink NOC constantly monitors the status of the
network to prevent or resolve problems immediately.
EasyLink also operates a dedicated EDI support team who is standing
by to assist via e-mail, fax, or toll-free telephone support.
