Using OFTP

Odette FTP Partner Profile Database

The Odette FTP Partner Profile represents the data model describing the communication relationship between a local and remote OFTP partner (peer-to-peer) or one-to-many relationships between partners (VAN scenarios). There are OFTP Partner Profile elements on the physical and logical level. Partners and Physical Partner Contracts define the communication link parameters for TCP/IP or ISDN and Logical Partners and Logical Partner Contracts represent companies or organizations together, with their departments or sub-organizations, that can be used on OFTP File level (SFID) for routing purposes.

Configuring the Odette FTP Partner Profile should always be the first step of each OFTP implementation.

Odette FTP Message Queue

The Odette FTP Message Queue is the central repository in the database for inbound and outbound files and OFTP receipts EERP and NERP. Each entry in the Odette FTP Message Queue has a “Status” which indicates the processing step of the file or receipt, for example, “SCHEDULED” means that the file or receipt has to be sent to a remote partner.

Odette FTP Adapter

The Odette FTP Adapter is used to initiate OFTP sessions, for example, to send files to remote partners, accept inbound OFTP sessions, receive files from OFTP Partners, or to be polled for files. The Odette FTP Adapter implements the OFTP State Machines and Communication State Machines for CAPI/SDN and TCP/IP. Each instance of an Odette FTP Adapter handles either ISDN or TCP/IP communication. You can create and use multiple adapter instances for each communication type. If a Physical Partner Contract name is passed to the adapter then all files or receipts in the Odette FTP Message Queue for this Physical Partner Contract with status “SCHEDULED” are searched, an OFTP session is initiated and the related messages are sent to the remote partner. Alternatively, a set of documents can be passed directly to the adapter which allows synchronous queuing and sending. If the Odette FTP Adapter accepts an inbound call, then all received files or receipts are persisted in the Odette FTP Message Queue and (optionally) in a Partner Mailbox.

Odette FTP Queue Handler

The Odette FTP Queue Handler is used to create new entries in the OFTP Message Queue for queuing files, EERPs, or NERPs. A file can be queued by passing a Primary Document or a reference to a Mailbox Message together with additional parameters to the service. If a Primary Document is passed in Mailbox Mode (optional) then a Mailbox Message is also created. Optionally, in OFTP 2.0 a file can be compressed, encrypted, and signed in a CMS package before it is persisted into the Odette FTP Message Queue. Vice versa, when used in DECIPHER Mode, a CMS enveloped file in the Odette FTP Message Queue can be decrypted and written into the process data for further processing (same applies for compressed and/or signed files).

Sterling B2B Integrator Scheduler/Odette FTP Scheduler Service

The Sterling B2B Integrator Scheduler together with the Odette FTP Scheduler Adapter is used to invoke the Odette FTP Adapter for sending files or receipts previously queued in the Odette FTP Message Queue. The Sterling B2B Integrator Scheduler invokes the Odette FTP Scheduler Adapter in business process with a set of Physical Partner Contract names and/or Physical Partner Contract Group names. Then the Odette FTP Scheduler Adapter optionally checks whether there are messages to send for each of the Physical Partner Contracts. If “yes” then the “Initiator Business Process” configured in the Physical Partner Contract is started which invokes the Odette FTP Adapter for this Physical Partner Contract.