Step by step AS4 (Applicability Statement 4) setup
AS4 (Applicability Statement 4) is a standard for securely transmitting EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) documents over the internet using web services. It builds on the AS2 and AS3 standards but leverages web service protocols (SOAP) for transmission. Here’s a step-by-step guide to setting up AS4:
Prerequisites
- AS4-compatible software installed on both the sender and receiver sides.
- Public and private key pairs for both parties.
- Web service endpoint (URL) configured and accessible by both parties.
Step-by-Step AS4 Setup
Generate and Exchange Certificates
1. Generate Certificates:
- Generate a public and private key pair for both the sender and receiver.
- Use a tool like OpenSSL or the certificate generation feature in your AS4 software.
2. Exchange Certificates:
- Exchange the public keys (certificates) between the sender and receiver.
- Import the receiver’s public key into the sender’s AS4 software and vice versa.
2. Configure AS4 Software
Sender Configuration
1. Create a New AS4 Partner:
- Open your AS4 software and navigate to the section where you can manage trading partners.
- Create a new partner profile for the receiving partner.
2. Configure Partner Details:
- Enter the receiver’s web service endpoint (URL).
- Attach the receiver’s public key to encrypt the outgoing messages.
3. Set Up Signing:
- Attach your own private key to sign the messages.
- Specify the signing algorithm (e.g., SHA-256).
4. Define Web Service Settings:
- Enter details such as connection timeout, retry attempts, and any additional settings required by your AS4 software.
Receiver Configuration
1. Create a New AS4 Partner:
- Open your AS4 software and navigate to the section where you can manage trading partners.
- Create a new partner profile for the sending partner.
2. Configure Partner Details:
- Enter the sender’s web service endpoint (URL).
- Attach the sender’s public key to verify incoming signed messages.
3. Set Up Decryption:
- Attach your own private key to decrypt incoming messages.
- Specify the decryption algorithm.
4. Define Web Service Settings:
- Enter details such as connection timeout, retry attempts, and any additional settings required by your AS4 software.
Test the Configuration
1. Send a Test Message:
- Create a test EDI message and send it from the sender to the receiver using the AS4 software.
- Check the sender’s logs for any errors during the sending process.
2. Receive and Process the Message:
- On the receiver’s side, check the web service endpoint to ensure the message was received.
- Verify that the AS4 software has successfully decrypted and processed the message.
- Check the receiver’s logs for any errors during the receiving process.
3. Generate and Send Receipt:
- The receiver’s AS4 software should automatically generate a receipt (similar to MDN in AS2).
- Verify that the receipt is sent back to the sender via the web service.
- On the sender’s side, confirm receipt of the receipt and ensure it indicates successful processing.
Monitor and Maintain
1. Regular Monitoring:
- Regularly monitor the AS4 software logs for any errors or issues.
- Ensure that the web service endpoint is consistently accessible and functioning without interruption.
2. Certificate Management:
- Keep track of certificate expiration dates.
- Renew and exchange certificates before they expire to avoid disruptions.
3. Security Updates:
- Keep the AS4 software up to date with the latest security patches and updates.
Detailed AS4 Message Exchange Process
1. Document Preparation
1. EDI Document Creation:
- The sender's system generates an EDI document that needs to be transmitted to the receiver.
2. Document Encryption and Signing
1. Digital Signature:
- The sender’s AS4 software digitally signs the EDI document using the sender’s private key. This ensures the authenticity and integrity of the document.
2. Encryption:
- The signed document is then encrypted using the receiver’s public key. This ensures that only the intended receiver can decrypt and read the document.
3. Message Packaging
1. SOAP Packaging:
- The encrypted and signed EDI document is packaged into a SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) message format. This is similar to how data is structured in web services.
2. AS4 Headers:
- The AS4 software adds necessary AS4 headers to the SOAP message to facilitate AS4 processing. These headers include information about the sender, receiver, and the security algorithms used.
4. Message Transmission
1. HTTP Connection:
- The sender’s AS4 software establishes an HTTP or HTTPS connection to the receiver’s web service endpoint.
2. Send Message:
- The SOAP message is transmitted to the receiver’s web service endpoint.
5. Message Reception
1. Receive Message:
- The receiver’s AS4 software receives the SOAP message via the web service endpoint.
2. Message Storage:
- The received message is stored in a predefined location on the receiver’s system.
6. Message Decryption and Verification
1. Decryption:
- The receiver’s AS4 software decrypts the received message using the receiver’s private key. This process extracts the signed EDI document.
2. Signature Verification:
- The AS4 software verifies the digital signature using the sender’s public key. This ensures that the document was indeed sent by the sender and has not been tampered with.
7. EDI Document Processing
1. Extract EDI Document:
- The verified and decrypted EDI document is extracted from the SOAP message.
2. EDI Processing:
- The receiver’s system processes the EDI document as per the business requirements.
8. Generate and Send Receipt
1. Generate Receipt:
- After processing the EDI document, the receiver’s AS4 software generates a receipt. The receipt includes the status of the received message (success or failure).
2. Sign and Encrypt Receipt:
- The receipt is digitally signed by the receiver using the receiver’s private key and encrypted using the sender’s public key.
3. Send Receipt:
- The signed and encrypted receipt is transmitted back to the sender via the web service endpoint.
9. Receipt Reception and Verification
1. Receive Receipt:
- The sender’s AS4 software receives the receipt via the web service endpoint.
2. Decrypt Receipt:
- The sender’s AS4 software decrypts the receipt using the sender’s private key.
3. Verify Receipt:
- The digital signature on the receipt is verified using the receiver’s public key. This confirms the authenticity of the receipt.
Summary
The AS4 process involves multiple steps to ensure secure and reliable transmission of EDI documents over the internet using web services. It includes signing, encrypting, packaging, sending, receiving, decrypting, verifying, and acknowledging the EDI documents, ensuring the integrity and authenticity of the data exchanged between trading partners.
Setting up AS4 (Applicability Statement 4) involves configuring both the sending and receiving partners to exchange EDI documents securely over the internet using web services and AS4 protocols. Here’s a step-by-step guide to setting up AS4:
Prerequisites
- AS4-compliant software installed on both the sender and receiver sides.
- Public and private key pairs for both parties.
- Internet connectivity and web service endpoints configured and accessible by both parties.
Step-by-Step AS4 Setup
1. Configure Web Service Endpoints
Both the sender and receiver must have web service endpoints accessible over the internet.
1. Web Service Endpoint Setup:
- Ensure the web service endpoints are properly configured with the correct settings (URL, port, security protocols).
- Test the endpoints outside of the AS4 environment to confirm that they are functioning correctly.
2. Generate and Exchange Certificates
1. Generate Certificates:
- Generate a public and private key pair for both the sender and receiver.
- Use a tool like OpenSSL or the certificate generation feature in your AS4 software.
2. Exchange Certificates:
- Exchange the public keys (certificates) between the sender and receiver.
- Import the receiver’s public key into the sender’s AS4 software and vice versa.
3. Configure AS4 Software
Sender Configuration
1. Create a New AS4 Partner:
- Open your AS4 software and navigate to the section where you can manage trading partners.
- Create a new partner profile for the receiving partner.
2. Configure Partner Details:
- Enter the receiver’s web service endpoint details (URL, security protocol, username, password).
- Attach the receiver’s public key to encrypt the outgoing messages.
3. Set Up Signing:
- Attach your own private key to sign the messages.
- Specify the signing algorithm (e.g., SHA-256).
4. Define Message Settings:
- Enter details such as payload compression, non-repudiation settings, and any additional parameters required by your AS4 software.
Receiver Configuration
1. Create a New AS4 Partner:
- Open your AS4 software and navigate to the section where you can manage trading partners.
- Create a new partner profile for the sending partner.
2. Configure Partner Details:
- Enter the sender’s web service endpoint details (URL, security protocol, username, password).
- Attach the sender’s public key to verify incoming signed messages.
3. Set Up Decryption:
- Attach your own private key to decrypt incoming messages.
- Specify the decryption algorithm.
4. Define Message Settings:
- Enter details such as payload compression, non-repudiation settings, and any additional parameters required by your AS4 software.
4. Test the Configuration
1. Send a Test Message:
- Create a test EDI message and send it from the sender to the receiver using the AS4 software.
- Check the sender’s logs for any errors during the sending process.
2. Receive and Process the Message:
- On the receiver’s side, check the web service logs to ensure the message was received.
- Verify that the AS4 software has successfully decrypted and processed the message.
- Check the receiver’s logs for any errors during the receiving process.
3. Generate and Send Receipt (Acknowledgment):
- The receiver’s AS4 software should automatically generate an acknowledgment.
- Verify that the acknowledgment is sent back to the sender via the web service.
- On the sender’s side, confirm receipt of the acknowledgment and ensure it indicates successful processing.
5. Monitor and Maintain
1. Regular Monitoring:
- Regularly monitor the AS4 software logs for any errors or issues.
- Ensure that the web service endpoints are consistently accessible and functioning without interruption.
2. Certificate Management:
- Keep track of certificate expiration dates.
- Renew and exchange certificates before they expire to avoid disruptions.
3. Security Updates:
- Keep the AS4 software and web service software up to date with the latest security patches and updates.
Summary
By following these steps, you can set up and configure AS4 for secure EDI document exchange over web services. The key components involve configuring the web service endpoints, generating and exchanging certificates, configuring the AS4 software for both sending and receiving partners, and thoroughly testing the setup to ensure reliable communication.
How AS4 works in EDI step by step
AS4 (Applicability Statement 4) is a protocol used for secure and reliable transmission of EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) documents over the internet using web services. AS4 is based on web services and the ebMS 3.0 standard. Here is a step-by-step overview of how AS4 works in EDI:
Step-by-Step AS4 Process
1. Document Preparation
1. EDI Document Creation:
- The sender's system generates an EDI document that needs to be transmitted to the receiver.
2. Document Packaging
1. MIME Packaging:
- The EDI document is packaged into a MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) format. This format can contain multiple payloads and attachments.
3. Document Encryption and Signing
1. Digital Signature:
- The sender’s AS4 software digitally signs the EDI document using the sender’s private key. This ensures the authenticity and integrity of the document.
2. Encryption:
- The signed document is then encrypted using the receiver’s public key. This ensures that only the intended receiver can decrypt and read the document.
4. Document Transmission
1. Send Document:
- The MIME-packaged, signed, and encrypted document is sent from the sender’s AS4 software to the receiver’s AS4 endpoint over HTTPS. AS4 uses SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) messages to transmit the document.
5. Document Reception
1. Receive Document:
- The receiver’s AS4 software receives the AS4 message containing the EDI document.
6. Document Decryption and Verification
1. Decryption:
- The receiver’s AS4 software decrypts the received message using the receiver’s private key. This process extracts the signed EDI document.
2. Signature Verification:
- The AS4 software verifies the digital signature using the sender’s public key. This ensures that the document was indeed sent by the sender and has not been tampered with.
7. EDI Document Processing
1. Extract EDI Document:
- The verified and decrypted EDI document is extracted from the MIME package.
2. EDI Processing:
- The receiver’s system processes the EDI document as per the business requirements.
8. Receipt Generation (Acknowledgment)
1. Generate Receipt (Acknowledgment):
- After processing the EDI document, the receiver’s AS4 software generates a receipt (also known as an acknowledgment). This receipt includes a Message Integrity Check (MIC) value, indicating the status of the received message (success or failure).
2. Sign and Encrypt Receipt:
- The receipt is digitally signed by the receiver using the receiver’s private key and encrypted using the sender’s public key.
3. Send Receipt:
- The signed and encrypted receipt is sent back to the sender’s AS4 endpoint over HTTPS.
9. Receipt Reception and Verification
1. Receive Receipt:
- The sender’s AS4 software receives the acknowledgment.
2. Decrypt Receipt:
- The sender’s AS4 software decrypts the receipt using the sender’s private key.
3. Verify Receipt:
- The digital signature on the receipt is verified using the receiver’s public key. This confirms the authenticity of the receipt.
4. Check MIC:
- The sender’s AS4 software compares the MIC value in the receipt with the original MIC value of the sent EDI document. If they match, it confirms that the document was received and processed successfully without alterations.
Summary
AS4 is a secure and reliable protocol for transmitting EDI documents over the internet using web services. It involves several steps, including creating the EDI document, signing and encrypting it, transmitting it over HTTPS, receiving and decrypting it, and generating and verifying acknowledgments. By following these steps, trading partners can ensure the secure and reliable exchange of EDI documents using the AS4 protocol.
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