File Transfer Monitor

The FTM is the communications and message switching component of ODEX (it can be viewed as the heart of ODEX). The XSP and FTM components run together as a started task which is constantly available to both make and accept X.25 calls, no matter what time of day. They would normally be started and monitored by the computer operations department. Control of the FTM is by simple operator commands entered at the console. However, the effective EDI control is performed by an EDI Administrator using TSO who may be outside the operations area.

The FTM is itself split functionally into two components. One is responsible for the EDI Message switch, and the other for support of the OFTP protocol.

OFTP Driver

The OFTP driver component handles the OFTP protocol and allocates one sub-task to each active session. As a consequence, a high degree of I/O overlap can be achieved by the EDI system and allow a large number of concurrent trading partners to access the system.

The OFTP driver is also responsible for call acceptance and routing. ODEX may be configured to check (for all or specified users) the caller’s X.25 NUA to ensure that the caller has called from his authorised computer site. As the caller’s NUA is assigned by the provider of the X.25 network, e.g. British Telecom, and because the network stamps the call request with the caller’s NUA it provides a highly secure environment.

Message Manager

The Message Manager is responsible for the maintenance of EDI message queues for both external trading partners and multiple internal users, such as different departments or trading entities of a large corporation that collectively share the same EDI facility.

The Message Manager, apart from providing queuing and routing mechanisms, also provides enhanced capabilities such as the Received EDI File Split. This function splits incoming multi-interchange files into single interchanges and queues or routes them according to their EDI headers.