What is a communications
protocol?

In a business-to-business communication system, standardised communication protocols are needed to establish the various links between partners so that files can be transmitted and received correctly.

There are various types of protocols, including the following:d
  • OFTP and OFTP2 Odette File Transfer Protocol
This protocol was developed for the European automotive industry by the Odette organisation to standardise communications. This point-to-point protocol is now used in many sectors, including aeronautics, banking and household appliances. In particular, it enables data to be compressed, signed or encoded and partners to be authenticated. Version 2 provides for the exchange of SSL certificates to improve transmission security. Another major difference between the two protocols is that OFTP2 can be used on the Internet, which has led to the emergence of VANs.
  • AS2 Applicability Statement 2

This is a secure and reliable method of transporting electronic data across the Internet, based on the HTTP/HTTPS protocol, it allows fast and direct transfer, without using a mailbox. AS2 is capable of transmitting all types of document and is suitable for everyday document transactions. The information to be sent is prepared by internal systems and then transferred via the AS2 communication software.

  • SFTP Secure Shell File Transfer Protocol and FTP File Transfer Protocol

This is a protocol for exchanging and manipulating files. It is based on a client-server architecture, with one of the computers, the ‘client’, sending orders while the other, the ‘server’, receives requests and carries out the requested actions.

SFTP provides enhanced security for data exchange.

Written by : The Numlog team
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