The Sterling Connect:Direct? Gatewayoffers both event-driven and request-driven file transfer methodsfor receiving files from Sterling B2B CollaborationNetwork.During setup you stipulate the file transfer method you want to use.This may depend on the configuration of your company's system.

With event-driven file transfers Sterling B2B CollaborationNetwork automaticallysends to your system the files that have been placed in your mailbox.With request-driven file transfers you send a delivery request to Sterling B2B CollaborationNetwork to pull orretrieve that files that have been placed in your mailbox. Your filesare then collected batched and sent to your company's system.

To send files to Sterling B2B CollaborationNetworkyou notify Sterling B2B CollaborationNetwork thatyou have files ready to be picked up. Sterling B2B CollaborationNetwork thencopies the files from your system. You cannot send or ?push? filesdirectly to Sterling B2B CollaborationNetwork.

The following tables describes the Sterling Connect:Direct filetransfer methods:

File Transfer Direction

Description

To Sterling Connect:Direct Gateway

• You signal Sterling B2B CollaborationNetwork that you have files ready to be picked up.
  All data must contain recordseparators.
• Sterling B2B CollaborationNetwork copiesthe data from your system.
• Sterling B2B CollaborationNetwork notifiesyou when files are copied successfully.

To Your Sterling Connect:Direct System

Event-Driven:

• Files are sent as soon as they are placed in your mailbox.
  Individualbatches in your mailbox are sent as individual files.
• Sterling B2B CollaborationNetwork deliversthe files to your default download directory or to a directory ofyour choosing.

  Request-Driven:

• Files are collected as they arrive then batched and sent to yourcompany's system when requested.
• A record of files sent remains in your mailbox for auditing andcustomer support purposes.

The Network Implementation team works with your technical staffto configure your Sterling Connect:Direct systemso it can exchange data with your mailbox on Sterling B2B CollaborationNetwork.The configuration process includes providing information about your Sterling Connect:Direct systemto IBM? and enteringinformation about IBM intoyour Sterling Connect:Direct system.

To prepare for configuration gather the following informationabout your Sterling Connect:Direct system:

• Node name
• IP address
• Port number
• Sterling Connect:Direct platformand version
• Sterling Connect:Direct userID for submitting processes to Sterling B2B CollaborationNetwork
• Digital certificate signer if you are using Sterling Connect:Direct Secure Plus option
• Test EDI ID
• Production EDI ID