AS2 is attractive because it defines a strict state based transfer – certain things have to happen in a order, before an MDN acknowledgement is generated synchronously (right away) or asynchronously (not right away). As2 rides on top of http, or secure http, and the EDI MIME  file is PKI encrypted with certificates. All of this is standardized; what is not standardized are the sender and receiver port numbers to use (a glaring omission) and other conventions that should have been spelled out as best practices, which Todd has started delving into in his As2 Best Practices Articles (see link below).          

See Todd’s excellent post on AS2 for an explanation. We are catching a ton of AS2 keyword traffic, so check out http://www.ld.com/as2-part-1-what-is-it/    as it never hurts to review.

AS2 is so mature now, that Drummond Certification is probably not required anymore. I would say it is most certainly not. The industry might just see an AS3 renaissance – that is the SMTP form of secure email for EDI, and that would be a very good thing if the usual suspects bring the standard to fruition, and do not succumb to the desire to profiteer via certifications. I get it, when tools are new, it’s good to have a cook-off; when they are new.

AS2 is not new anymore, and most of the vendors know what they are doing. They have all, to the 99th decimal place, implemented the AS2 State Machine without error – it’s their GUI’s and other  supporting components that badly need a re-jiggering – all related to usability and interpretability with other networks. AS3, if it comes back for serious implementation and adoption, should avoid the certification nightmare and profiteering, as now we know how to conduct volunteer testing and cook-offs, and certification. An SMTP AS3 EDI standard would solve many of the things that are lacking in As2, and benefit from the robust routing and error handling of garden variety email. Stay tuned, oh, and I  almost forgot:

Loren Data ECGrid offers hosted As2 with optional message routing to any systems we interconnect with. ECGridOS offers API based As2 Communications as a hub or Spoke, also with optional message routing to the global mesh of VANs, Retailer Direct hubs, Federal and Military procurement, and many other service providers and X400 mail systems…over 100 supply chain systems are interconnected to ECGrid.

An increasing number of web developers that use text editors and non-IDE non Visual Studio coding environments are looking for advice on the best way to make Web Services function calls from popular web languages, such as Ruby, Python, PHP, Scala, Hasklell, I think you get the idea.

If you can contribute your favorite non Visual Studio method for importing and unwrapping the ECGridOS WSDL (.ASMX), could you please help a brother out and post your ideas on the ECGrid Developers Forum – Users of Eclipse, you could weigh in, too. There are many new languages that support REST (POST / GET) and ECGridOS for the moment allows this, albeit without the rich error handlers of SOAP.

There are instances when advanced language enthusiasts will find themselves in a position to use SOAP, import the WSDL for unwrapping, inspecting, etc. There are many ways to do this in non IDE setups, and some of the best text editors have web client add-ons , too.  So, if a new ECGridOS developer needs a Web client add-on for their language, editor, etc., maybe one of the gaggle can cut out some of the research loop.

I encourage all developers who get this mailing to join the ECGrid Developer Forum, even if you feel that you don’t need the help, or don’t want to expose a product road map, we are not looking for anything proprietary, just information on tools.

For those that have not joined….I am asking you to please go to  http://forums.ecgrid.com/index.php and suggest a decent web clients for use with PHP .  Note: The forum is much faster now, thanks to Todd.

Todd Gould, a master systems architect,  and a Fellow EnterpriseB2B / Enterprise Code Warrior , is aligned in common cause with the best of the experts (and the even inexperienced, yet sincere programmers), taking years to design and deliver a grand Web Servies architecture called ECGrid (the VAN) and ECGridOS (the programmable interface to ECGrid). No fooling.
As one of the first to catch inbound leads, and as the content curator for the sites we maintain, I have a front row seat to observe ECGridOS developers evolve,  and I learn from observing their ‘adoption lifecycle’.

ECGridOS is not a program or a package, almost everyone knows by now that ECGridOS is a live, evolving service platform; it’s growing catalog of  Web Services functions is a direct result of Todd’s inspiration as the sector’s leading EDI Platform architect, and the feedback we get from ECGridOS developers. Some of our partners have been working with ECGridOS since late 2009 -yikes!

The live codebase that Loren Data Corp (i.e., Todd) is evolving and maintaining is a great asset to our company, and to the developers that have sweated bullets to learn it, integrate it, and depend on it. We take the responsibility of being a first class, interconnected member within the global community of VAN-peers very seriously. The amount of hours and capital are enormous for a small company running a robust infrastructure, dual colos, support, and inbound sales, etc. considering the human capital expended…..yes indeed.

The owner, the team, and the contractors expect nothing less; it is an honor to be so burdened, or shall I say, resourced. In some ways, even our most vexing challenges are taken in stride and gathered to be considered as opportunities to test the metal here – it’s part of the job.  Most gratifying are new products and services that are ready, well,…to see the light of day:

ECGridOS v. 3.0, a major release, with 50+new functions, not the least of which includes extensible As2 via Web Services Functions – an industry first.

And there is so much more. All of these new platform features are not isolated utilities or stove-piped services;  ECGridOS API functions grow incrementally and organically into remote callable procedures. only after serving as internal ECGrid components.  Candidate API functions are then made available via the beta WSDL endpoint and tested, documented, and then released to production when Todd says, “Go”..

So ECGridOS 3.0 – deserving of major kudos,  as we shall see in the coming months. Unified As2 is in there, with network routing, directory services, and the full functionality of ECGrid. Think of an As2 re-thought with the goal of solving hub / client interactions. Think of using all of the potential programmed logic of a “rules engine” applied to all phases of partner enrollment and the operating lifecycle of building a supply chain trading community.

As always, we are here to respond as near to real-time as possible, to questions from all, clients and prospects, analysts and journalists, and colleagues all. My direct line is available on the contact page, and my skype ID is known far and wide. (awilensky)

Please note that within Todd’s blog post, is a link to the Petition for Rehearing.  Read the post and click through to the petition –  be connected to the truth and the facts.

Thin Provisioning mens deploying services that consume minimum resources, with zero impact on performance and reliability .  Outperforming over-provisioned fat services is the ultimate goal, while agile flexibility is the means. Extreme Rapid Deployment, even for complex projects or integrations, is a nontrivial side benefit.

Is Thin Provisioning more Cloud Gobbledegook? Most emphatically not. Each major IT sector has several leading examples of Thin Provisioning; these services are the best of breed, secret weapons of the leading IT consultants, lone wolf and savvy giants use these sharp swords.

You have landed at the Ground Zero of EDI platform communications and partner management Thin Provisioning - Loren Data Corp’s Technology Portfolio (ECGrid Advanced VAN, ECGridOS API, and Unified AS2), have been  continually refined to result in a suite of architectural services that consume minimum resources, yet deliver the maximum results, fast – i.e.,  EDI Communications Network Thin Provisioning.  Creating such magic reliable, while growing the functional scope of the platform is not a job for novices, and Loren Data Corp, now at 27 years in the market, seems to have a hindle on it.

The ethos of agility and maximum leverage is  brilliant strategy for adding EDI services (and more) to B2B Clouds or classic enterprise software.  For those routinely servicing large clients, and who must deliver 100% reliably on a tight schedule,  Thin Provisioning is a must.

And, as you guessed, ECGridOS is the pure embodiment of Thin Provisioning. With an IDE at your right hand, and some modest talent at your left, take control of your VAN, or your clients can be their own VAN, or even better, you may confer VAN-like authority on SAAS tenants, or build the power into any application.

No other EDI network offers developers and architects control of a network.

Todd Gould, President of Loren Data Corp, is the leading  EDI Communications industry architect; Todd created ECGrid, ECGridOS, and Unified As2.

The company has delivered on its core mission: ”Offer the full power of ECGrid to all developers and B2B Architects”, I knew eventually, that success would follow this unconventional path of offering services that grant network authority and autonomy to the professional developers and IT consultants. It’s a counterintuitive way to bring services – as opposed to offering strictly limited messaging and external controls. Take a look at the ECGridOS docs and see what I mean. It’s very self explanatory how different and how truly efficient the model is. Only from the mind of a great thinker having the power to implement a grand architecture.

Continuing now….

Anyone can over-provision, any competitor can sell fat. ECGridOS empowers developers (some well-known consulting firms) embracing Thin Provisioning – because ECGridOS, ECGrid, and Unified AS2,  deliver such power. The power of ECGridOS empowers a smart group of developers to outflank competitors.

ECGridOS gives something precious – a repeatable, powerful platform of 150 Functions.

We are all together in this industry, making commerce work, and offering the broadest spectrum of  solutions to the large and small alike. I salute you all.

Canonical EDI: Standardizing the Standard for the 99%

With the amount of search traffic containing “AS2″ as a keyword, there is no doubt that AS2 is a topic of current interest. However, there is precious little information justifying AS2′s benefits compared to VAN based messaging solutions. Most IT and EDI professionals know that outsourcing B2B comms to a VAN has its benefits, all things being equal, the VAN deals with inter-system issues and message relaying, storage, archiving, and the special retransmission rules that only an EDI expert could appreciate.  Just imagine the uncontrolled re-sending of a purchase order! Ok, so we know the why’s and wherefore’s of the VAN world. Running an in-house AS2 system often seems sensible, until you pass the 43 and 5/8th trading partner, and the infrastructure that you had dialed in to perfection starts to fray….causing late night trips to the cage, or remote sessions that last till the wee hours.

Many managed AS2 systems offered by various and sundry “operators” seem to be plagued and limited by the same variables that you would  face with a licensed, self-hosted AS2 system. Not all of them, but many. And then there is the question of what to do about trading partners that are stuck on their VAN and just can’t make the leap to your fancy new AS2 hub? Might we suggest that there is a new way to look at hybridized AS2 plus VAN messaging.

It’s called ECGrid Unified AS2, and it encompasses all of the benefits of hosted AS2, run by the communications experts at Loren Data Corp ECGrid netops. Plus….with proper configuration, you can include connections via our VAN interface to include your    VAN-bound trading partners.  Let that sink in for a moment before I continue.

There.

VAN plus AS2 messaging into and out of the hub. AS2 for those who can and want to connect thus, and, VAN messaging to and from  any of the over 100 systems that we interconnect to in the global mesh of competitive ecommerce communications systems, not limited to VANs, but several dozen Service Providers, direct connections to retailers and manufacturers, and Federal and Military Purchasing departments.

All of these services can be invoked, customized, and branded as your own using the now famous ECGridOS API, or turned up without a single line of code, by using the services of our crack netops team. Add to this the benefits of working with an organization that you can relate to on a first name basis. And, as more than icing on the EDI cake, you will be working with a professional  communications speciality group – Our President, Founder, and CTO wrote the code that runs our ECGrid VAN, our ECGridOS API, and now, our Unified AS2 offering.

If you feel that your company is being treated with less dignity than it deserves, and you want to work with an EDI network that knows its business, that has a firm hand on its infrastructure, and who knows your name when you call, consider calling us, me, Alan W. , for more information.

Think of ECGridOS  as an O/S kernel,  exposing the scalable node architecture of ECGrid.  The synergy of an API extending a VANs’ environment with programmability places  you, the developer, back in the driver’s seat - which is refreshing.  Many of our developer partners came to accept the limitations and shortcomings of VAN mailboxes, and were subsequently pleased , even ecstatic, with the power and flexibility of ECGridOS.  Just take a look at the ECGridOS API docs , which describe the depth of command and control functions available to your applications.

ECGridOS is the ticket for those who must get a handle on EDI Network operations, simply to stay competitive:  you can take programmatic control over VAN messaging, of course, as well as AS2 Communications without the burden of software licenses and the associated hardware required to operate an As2 hub. ECGrid Unified As2 is fully inter-operable with ECGrid VAN services: routing, mailbox management, and the entire platform architecture. No other VAN offers such a holistic and comprehensive platform architecture.

The growing community of B2B integration “ninjas”, hired-guns, and EDI Cowboys and Cowgirls, now have a weapon that places them on par with the largest VANs – actually, ECGridOS grants more power to the developer than any VAN mailbox or AS2 software.

As to credibility and stability, Loren Data was founded in 1987, and ECGrid entered full commercial service in 2001, compiling less than eleven hours of scheduled and unscheduled downtime – so  the operational credentials of ECGrid are impeccable, and ECGridOS is being baked into the software of many innovative OEMs and integration specialty providers.

So. “who and what is Loren Data Corp?”; a question asked many times each week by new developers and other parties with an interest in the company’s ongoing antitrust case.   Here are some answers you might not find on the company’s “about page”:

1) Loren Data is the only EDI Communications platform operator evolving and delivering an API, a developer program, and unified AS2 services with optional message routing to the global system of VANs, service providers, and Federal Purchasing systems.

2) Loren data was founded in 1987 by Todd Gould, a Materials Scientist, while still in College. Todd wrote the operating software that is ECGrid, ECGridOS, and Unified As2. He also meticulously maintains the company’s computing and communications infrastructure, located in two datacenter collocation facilities, and the server and routing equipment  –  all told around 50U of racks and spares.

3) Todd financed the total growth of the business out of operating revenues, has zero debt, and never diluted a penny of equity….. Loren Data Corp is a bootstrapped company in the best tradition of American Entrepreneurship !  If the right equity partner came along, Todd might listen, (especially to an established technology leader. That’s my personal opinion! ).

4) The five employees of Loren Data Corp, most prominently the Netops department run by Crystal Kuczynski, is a tour de force in masterful operations.  ECGrid Netops routinely intercepts problems before the customers enter a problem ticket. Loren Data Corp Netops is renowned for its proactive responsiveness. And, they are migration experts, support all clients on a first name basis, and make things happen fast.

5) The company is the applied technology and architectural thought leader in EDI systems engineering and advanced communications services. Not one other network operator would dare open an API to developers. Conversely, Todd rejoices in making ECGrid ever more open to developers and OEMs –  programmers are ‘his people’.

6) The entire kerfuffle with GXS’ over routing policies is,  if nothing else (unfortunate, unnecessary, detrimental to the marketplace, etc.)  a crusade for fair interoperability and supplier independence. Todd’s decision to litigate was not simply a means of seeking redress for Loren Data Corp, (which he has every right to do),  the Sherman Antitrust Act case against GXS was undertaken to preserve and insure Routing Policy Sanity in the EDI market for all participants. We simply can’t have a PE fund roll up three large VANs and start telling the rest of the competitive networks where they can send a client’s messages over what  interconnect – we would NEVER stand for such behavior, even for a moment in a telecoms interstate switching dispute, nor would we tolerate this interconnect denial if your ISP was having its traffic blocked by Verizon or Comcast. But because this case is a B2B business sector dispute, and not a consumer market case – there has been precious little advocacy at any level.

7) Those that say this case is merely ‘a dispute between a large market leader (GXS) against a smaller competitor’…..do not comprehend the dynamics of interconnection on society, or they have chosen to ignore the fact that all of the communications markets underwent awful periods of antitrust disputes (AT&T / MCI), to become eventually regulated as common carrier markets, or were deregulated with the FCC watching the largest incumbents with a very jaundiced eye (IP backbone services) -

8) The VAN market is, in the final analysis, a B2B market,  not a service model know to most laymen. The roll-up of three large VANs into the synthetic entity of GXS (by a PE fund) has not outraged enough of the B2B community, and this  is demoralizing and astounding. The improper, discriminatory, and monopolistic practices of GXS denying exchange of reciprocal message traffic (improperly called an ‘interconnect’) to a selected competitor(s) is wrong on many levels – and is especially wrong in regards to bailment (taking custody of the messages of private parties) and rights of contractual parties to choose their messaging carrier.

9) That Todd and company have endured with very little industry advocacy or support, even the self interested, self-motivated support of others in the market, for keeping an open routing system is very sad.  This mystifies me as an analyst and amateur historian of the telecoms and Internet industries. (I interned briefly at several pioneering Internet companies in the Boston area, and was privileged to witness some of the ‘routing and peering debates’ of the time).

10) The company has done an amazing job of protecting its clients operations and has fostered impeccable messaging reliability in the midst of this legal battle.

11) The case may be costly, frustrating, and very inconvenient for Loren Data Corp’s owner and the ops staff, as well damaging to operating margins in the very long-term, but it speaks volumes as to the  character of Todd Gould, Crystal Kuczynski, Shelly Donkin, and Kristine Finlay – all who must meet the daily challenges, retain their clients, while still winning some accounts in the process of taking on GXS – and this is amazing. There are  few allies out there, many are shy – but they come forward periodically.

12) I have seen few finer companies and certainly not  a better EDI Comms operator than Loren Data, the VAN with a  most visionary and robust architecture  designed by its founder, and coded from the ground up.  I’ve never seen a more customer-centric and motivated staff than the ECGrid Netops staff. This is a company worth advocating for.

http://www.ld.com/update-on-antitrust-suit-against-gxs/