Re: [ebxml-dev] ebXML CPA/CPP Estimate

[Mike Rawlins <mike@rawlinsecconsulting.com>]

Martin W Sachs wrote:


> Isn't part of the reason that the cost of configuring an EDI management
> system for a new trading partner is so low because the partners are
> probably communicating over the same VAN and the two partners just follow
> the VAN's prescription for configuring? ebXML is intended to work directly
> over the Internet without a VAN.
>

No.  For the most part, the end user doesn't worry about what VAN their trading partner
is on.  If they are on a different VAN, they tell their VANs and the VANs set up an
interconnect.  Most VANs support multiple ways of connecting and act as mailboxing
systems, so trading partners don't need to know others connect to their VANs.  All they
usually need to exchange for configuration purposes are:

   * The name of the VAN that they use (not loaded into the EDI management system)
   * Communications IDs (3 data elements - interchange, with qualifier, and group ID for
     X12)
   * Authorization and security information, if used (4 data elements)
   * Transaction set/Message IDs and versions (2 elements per message)

As I noted, that ebXML works over the Internet without a VAN (and like I have pointed
out, now where in the specs to we actually specify this!), yes, a lot more needs to be
configured to support it.
--
Michael C. Rawlins, Rawlins EC Consulting
www.rawlinsecconsulting.com