Add or modify a PeSIT application delivery

Add a PeSIT application delivery

Prerequisite

You must have a community. If you need to add a community, see Add a community.

Procedure

1. In the user interface, select Trading configuration > Manage trading configuration.
2. From the list of communities, click the name of a community to display the Summary page for that community.
3. Click Application delivery in the navigation graphic to open the Application delivery exchanges page.
4. Click Add an application delivery exchange to open the Exchange Wizard.
5. Choose the PeSIT transport protocol and click Next.
6. Complete fields of the Configure PeSIT client settings page.
7. • Hostname – The IP address or the network name of the back-end PeSIT server to connect to. This must be the fully qualified domain name or IP address of the PeSIT server your community connects to for sending messages.
   • Port – The port on which the back-end PeSIT server listens for connection requests.
   • Hold all outbound messages for pickup up by the remote client:
     • Not selected: The messages sent to this delivery are produced and sent to the server.
     • Selected: The messages sent to this delivery stop in HeldForPickup state, and are available for the remote client to fetch.
   • Server settings – In this section you set the back-end server’s protocol identity (PI4).
     • Use the final destination ID from the message – Select this option to have Activator read pesit.finalDestinationId.out (which corresponds to PI62), and use it as PI4.
     • Use this identifier, PeSIT Identifier (PI4) – If you select this option, you must then enter a specific identifier for PI4. This value must correspond to the value used by the application to identify the server.
     • Use password (This is the password expected from the server) – Select this option if you expect an authentication from the back-end server.
   • Clients must use SSL to connect to this server – If the back-end server is configured to transfer over SSL/TLS. You must import the root certificate of the remote server to the community trusted SSL root certificates.
     • Enable host name verification – If you select this option, Activator verifies that the name of the server is the same as the name in the server’s certificate. This requires that you import the server certificate chain in the partner’s personal certificates and then select the option Trust this for SSL server and/or client authentication. Activator automatically adds the root certificate to the linked communities' trusted SSL root certificates.
     • If you do not select this option, Activator only verifies that the server certificate is signed by a certificate that is among the community trusted SSL root certificates.
     • Enable CFT compatibility – When you select this option, aligns the PeSIT record size on TLS packets. This is the only method handled by Axway Transfer CFT before version 3.0, and is the default method for the Axway products Gateway and Interpel.
     • If you do not select this option, adds the record size as a header of the record, as for non-TLS communications. This is the default and the recommended handling (when the remote application supports it).
7. Enter a name for the exchange to identify it in the user interface.
8. Click Finish.

Modify a PeSIT application delivery

When you add an application delivery, the wizard prompts you to provide a basic set of parameters. After you create the delivery you can open the maintenance page to view and manage a comprehensive set of parameters. Some of these parameters were automatically set when you added the object, and can only be modified after you add the object.

Procedure

1. In the user interface, select Trading configuration > Manage trading configuration.
2. From the list of communities, click the name of a community to display the Summary page for that community.
3. Click Application delivery in the navigation graphic to open the Application delivery exchanges page.
4. From the list of available exchanges, click the name of an exchange to open the maintenance page for that exchange.
5. View and modify fields as required. The fields are described in the following section.

PeSIT application delivery maintenance fields

PeSIT settings tab

• Hostname – Enter the fully qualified domain name or IP address of the back-end PeSIT server your community connects to for sending files.
• Port – The port on which the back-end PeSIT server listens for connection requests.
• Hold all outbound messages for pickup by the remote client:
  • Not selected: The messages sent to this delivery are produced and sent to the server.
  • Selected: The messages sent to this delivery stop in HeldForPickup state, and are available for the remote client to fetch.
• Clients must use SSL to connect to this server – If the back-end server is configured to transfer over SSL/TLS. You must import the root certificate of the remote server to the community trusted SSL root certificates.
  • Enable host name verification – If you select this option, Activator verifies that the name of the server is the same as the name in the server’s certificate. This requires that you import the server certificate chain in the partner’s personal certificates and then select the option Trust this for SSL server and/or client authentication. The trading automatically adds the root certificate to the linked communities' trusted SSL root certificates.
  • If you don’t select this option, Activator only verifies that the server certificate is signed by a certificate that is among the community trusted SSL root certificates.
  • Enable CFT compatibility – When you select this option, aligns the PeSIT record size on TLS packets. This is the only method handled by Axway Transfer CFT before version 3.0, and is the default method for the Axway products Gateway and Interpel.
  • If you do not select this option, adds the record size as a header of the record, as for non TLS communications. This is the default and the recommended handling (when the remote application supports it).
• Community settings (caller) – This section controls the caller’s protocol identity (PI3).
  
  • Use the community routing ID from the message – Select this option to use the message’s ReceiverRoutingID as community (caller) identifier.
  • Use a specific community routing ID –Select this option and choose one of the available Community’s routing IDs to identify the community (caller) identifier to use.
  • Use Password (This is the password the server expects) – Select this option and choose one of the available Community routing IDs to specify the community (caller) identifier to use.
• Server settings – In this section you set the back-end server’s protocol identity (PI4).
  
  • Use the final destination ID from the message – Select this option to read pesit.finalDestinationId.out (which corresponds to PI62), and use it as PI4.
  • Use this identifier, PeSIT Identifier (PI4) – If you select this option, you must then enter a specific identifier for PI4. This value must correspond to the value used by the application to identify the server.
  • Use password (This is the password expected from the server) – Select this option if you expect an authentication from the server. This is the password you expect from the back-end server).

PeSIT parameters tab

This tab is identical for PeSIT application and trading delivery exchanges.

Use this tab to modify the basic default PeSIT parameters for this delivery exchange. These values are only used if no corresponding attribute is found in the message.

The initial settings that are displayed on this tab represent the default settings for the protocol. If you change any settings on this tab, you replace the protocol defaults.

If you use any of the supported PeSIT metadata elements in a message handler action or other process, those elements will override the settings on this tab. For example, if you use the pesit.filelabel metadata element in a message handler action, that setting overrides the setting on this tab for Filename (nfname). For a list of the PeSIT metadata elements, see Metadata definitions.

• File name (PI12) – Name of the file, forced to uppercase at runtime. Often, the real name of the file is shipped in File label.
• Maximum length = 76 characters. If the name is longer, it is truncated to 71 characters and prefixed with a unique 4 digit counter in the format xxxx_<71 first char of filename>.
• At runtime, the file name takes the first non-empty value from the following list:
  • pesit.filename.out
  • UI value
  • pesit.filename.in
  • pesit.filelabel.out
  • « NOT-SPECIFIED » – if nothing was set
• File type (PI11) – This is the file type, which is used by some monitors. The default value is 0.
• If pesit.filetype.out is set in the message, at runtime it overrides the value you set in this UI field.
• File label (PI37) – Logical name of the file.
• Maximum length = 80 characters. If the label is longer, it is truncated to 76 characters and prefixed with a unique 3 digit counter in the format xxx_<76 first char of filelabel>.
•  At runtime, the file label takes the first non-empty value from the following list:
  •  pesit.filelabel.out
  • UI value if Use original is not selected
  • Production file name
  • Consumption file name 
• Expect acknowledgments – Select this option if you expect the remote application or partner to send a receipt to acknowledge receiving each message sent. In this case, the message is marked "to be acknowledged", until the remote sends the expected acknowledgment.
• You can additionally select whether to Support negative acknowledgments.
• Free text (PI99) – Free text often used to transfer metadata.
• Maximum length = 4096 characters
• If pesit.serviceParam.out is set in the message, at runtime it overrides the value you set in this UI field.
• Data encoding (PI16) – Text for ASCII files, and Binary for all others (including EBCDIC).
• Protocol values: Text = 0, Binary = 2
• If pesit.fileEncoding.out is set in the message, at runtime it overrides the value you set in this UI field (the attribute uses the numeric value).
• Record format (PI31) – Select Fixed for fixed length records and Variable for variable length records
• Protocol values: Fixed = 0, Variable = 128
• If pesit.recordFormat.out is set in the message, at runtime it overrides the value you set in this UI field (the attribute uses the numeric value).
• If you set an On the Fly transformation, the transformation overrides pesit.recordFormat.out
• Record length (PI32) – Record length for fixed records, or maximum record length for variable records.
• If pesit.recordLength.out is set in the message, at runtime it overrides the value you set in this UI field.
• If you set an On the Fly transformation, the transformation overrides pesit.recordLength.out.
• Compression (PI21) – Controls the compression of the file during the transfer (compression on the fly). Select a compression method:
  • None (0) – (default) No compression.
  • Horizontal (1) – Compresses the consecutive identical characters in the records.
  • Vertical (2) – Records are compared to one another and the consecutive identical columns are compressed.
  • Both (3) – Combination of the above two compression methods.
• If pesit.compressionType.out is set in the message, at runtime it overrides the value you select in this UI field (the attribute uses the numeric value).
• Note: The compression is negotiated between the caller and the server. If the server can’t handle the compression setting, a lower type of compression or no compression is applied.
• Priority (PI17) – Select an option:
  • High (0) – Highest priority
  • Medium (1) – Default
  • Low (2) – Lowest priority
• If pesit.priority.out is set in the message, at runtime it overrides the value you set in this UI field (the attribute uses the numeric value).

Advanced tab

This tab is identical for PeSIT application delivery and for PeSIT trading delivery exchanges.

Note: This tab enables you to view and modify advanced parameters. In most cases the default values are the correct values. Do not modify values without first consulting with the administrator of the remote server.

• Retries – The number of times Activator retries connecting to the back-end application if the initial attempt to connect and send the message fails.
• Retries occur according to an algorithm that starts at 5 minutes. The interval between retries increases with each subsequent retry in this pattern: 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 60 minutes. The interval plateaus at 60 minutes. This means if the retry value is greater than 5, the fifth and each subsequent retry occurs at 60 minute intervals.
• Destination file size delta for transformed files (+/- in %) – If you configure an “on the fly” transformation, you can use this setting to adjust the file size info sent with the PeSIT CREATE order. That is because the “on the fly” transformation changes the file size while sending. If no transformation is configured, this value is ignored.
• Considerations:
  • This value applies only for size units in Kb (PI41=0), and not in records (PI41=1)
  • This value is useful for receivers that run on a system that needs to pre-allocate the file on the disk (not Windows or UNIX). Because these systems allow a margin, the file size info can be approximate.
  • The sent file size is: local file size * (1 + percentage/100) (rounded to Kb and put in PI42).
  • If the transformed file is likely to be bigger than the original file, enter a positive percentage.
  • If the transformed file is likely to be smaller than the original file, enter a negative percentage.
  • In most situations, you can accept the default value 0.
• Max data unit size in bytes (PI25) – The largest of chunk of data, in bytes, to be transferred at one time. For high-speed networks, use the default 32700 bytes.
• This value is related to the client setting for record length on the PeSIT parameters tab.
• The value of this field must be the same or larger than the value of the record length field. Do not change this value unless advised by the administrator of the back-end PeSIT application you are trading with.
• Synchronization option (PI7) –
  • Intervals between sync points (Kbytes): – Each time an amount of data equal to this value has been sent, the client is expected to ask the server to confirm whether data totaling this value has been received. The server responds optionally with a confirmation. This represents a check point in the progress of a file transfer. If a connection is lost before a file transfer has been completed, the transfer resumes, upon restart of the transport, at the point of the last successful check point.
  • The default value is 1024 kilobytes (1 megabyte).
  • This setting corresponds to the pacing setting in Axway Transfer CFT.
  • Sync acknowledgement window – The number of check-point cycles that the client waits for the server to respond to a request to confirm file-transfer progress.
  • For example, if the value of Kb per sync point (pacing) is 1024 (1 megabyte) and the value of this field is 1, the client stops sending data after 1024 kilobytes unless the server responds, although the transfer remains active.
  • If this value is 2, the client keeps sending until 2 megabytes (1024 x 2) of data are sent, and so on.
  • If the client’s value for this field is 0 (zero), the client does not ask the server to confirm at intervals the amount of data received.
  • If the server’s value for this field is 0, the server does not send confirmations at intervals of data received.
  • The default value is 3. In most situation this is the correct value.
  • This setting corresponds to chkw setting in Axway Transfer CFT.
• Read timeout (seconds) – Time in seconds Activator waits to read data from the delivery exchange before terminating the connection.
• Connection timeout (seconds) – PeSIT Tc timeout. The time the caller waits for a connection acknowledgment from the server.
• Transfer timeout - caller mode (seconds) – PeSIT Td timeout. The time the caller keeps the connection open, waiting for another message to send.
• Network timeout (seconds) – PeSIT Tr timeout. The time the caller waits for an expected and effective network disconnection, before forcing it.
• Protocol timeout (seconds) – PeSIT Tp timeout. The time the caller waits for the response of the remote, in the middle of a protocol action (such as a transfer).
• Override SSL and TLS cipher suites – Select this option and then use the Add and Remove buttons to specify the cipher suites supported for the embedded server.
• If you do not select this option, all cipher suites are supported by default. Keeping the default cipher list is less secure than specifying a restricted set of cipher suites.
• The cipher suites that are displayed in the "Available" column depend on your runtime environment (JRE version, IACK or FIPS enablement, ....).
• The default order in the "Available" column is the preferred order of use. Once ciphers are moved to the Selected column, you can arrange the order. Activator uses the ciphers in the order listed.
• A cipher suite is a collection of security algorithms used in making connections via Secure Sockets Layer or Transport Layer Security. For example, an SSL or TLS protocol requires signing messages using a message digest algorithm. But the choice of algorithm is determined by the particular cipher suite being used for the connection. Typically, you can select an MD5 or SHA digest algorithm.
• Of the many algorithms for encrypting data and computing the message authentication code, there are varying levels of security. Some provide the highest levels of security, but require a large amount of computation for encryption and decryption. Others are less secure, but provide rapid encryption and decryption. The length of the key used for encryption affects the level of security. The longer the key, the more secure the data.
• The option for overriding cipher suites lets you select the level of security that suits your needs and enables communicating with others who might have different security requirements. For example, when an SSL connection is established, the client and server exchange information about the cipher suites they have in common. Then they communicate using the common cipher suite that offers the highest level of security. If they do not have a cipher suite in common, secure communication is not possible.
• In versions of Activator earlier than Activator 5.9, cipher suites configuration was handled by a file named sslciphersuites.xml. As data in that file is saved in the database, the custom cipher suites configuration is retained upon upgrading and is displayed in the Selected list under the option in the user interface. The sslciphersuites.xml file is no longer used.
• Back up the files that go through this transport – Indicates whether the system backs up copies of the messages it retrieves from integration or receives from partners. Backing up files. This is required for the system to perform fail-over operations such as attempting to send messages again (retries) in case of a transport connection failure. Without backups, a message in process cannot be recovered if the server stops or restarts. Backups are needed to resubmit messages to applications or resend messages to partners.
• Post-processing script – The full path to an executable file that contains post-processing commands. This field is available for community integration delivery exchanges and partner trading delivery exchanges.