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Trading Partner uses VAN, do I mandatorily need to use a VAN as well?


As expressed in the title, one of our trading partner is using a VAN (Value Added Network) and we are wondering if we mandatorily need to use a VAN as well to exchange with him?

Why can't we use our own API management/gateway platform to communicate with him?

We basically want to centralize all our communications through one unique API platform and avoid using VANs.

As our partners are using them, I want to know if, generally speaking, every VAN allows direct communication with the partners account in that VAN coming from the outside? Or does it always need to be coming from our own account within that VAN, forcing us to use one?

Thank you.


Solution

  • If your partner uses a VAN, then you need to retrieve the data from the VAN. The VANs don't care about your APIs and likely won't attempt to integrate with it. The communication protocols in place (FTP, AS2, SFTP, etc) serve pretty much everyone. You won't need an account to connect to the VAN.

    Find out what VAN your partner is using and then set up a connection to them using their supported protocols. For example, you'll want to support AS2. Your partner will send data to the VAN, and the VAN will route it and push it directly to you.

    Most VANs these days act like clearing houses, and many of them do translation as a SaaS offering.