MessageManager Server
The MessageManager Server consists of the components at the back of the visible part. It copes with the work of connecting to the network (SWIFT, SIC/euroSIC and SECOM), to the host (MQ-Series, FTP, ODBC) and with background printing.
Standards, Protocols, Networks
As interface providers, we are obliged and committed to be up-to-date on the newest message standards, security implementation (hardware and software security measures) and the transportation protocol. We are certified for the new networks over IP (SNL for SWIFT and Finance-IP for SIC, euroSIC and SECOM) and have already migrated all our customers to the new networks. All security devices and routines are fully implemented, such as automated bilateral key exchange for SWIFT, IBASEC/Gretacoder signing and encryption for SIC, euroSIC and SECOM. All message types are fully supported and extensively validated (e.g. SWIFT code word validation for ISO15022).
Throughput
All MessageManager Server processes have been tuned and tested to guarantee high throughput all the way from the host-connection out onto the network and back again into the host-connection (round-trip). Benchmarking is a science in itself, depending on average message length, bandwidth, availability and speed of the test-environment on the provider side, messaging window-size, speed of encryption algorithms, etc. By devising a suite of simulator- and loop-back-programs, we have been able to identify bottlenecks and thereby optimise our programs, and also show up where the environment can be tuned (such as multiple sessions, multiple Gretacoders, higher window-size, etc.). This has enabled us to show in a proof of concept scenario that our software meets high performance requirements and has allowed us to win contract bids against competitors traditionally operating in a considerably higher price class.
Hardware/Software Components
Certain hardware and software components are enforced by the network providers, such as the SNL-software, the VPN-box and HSM-boxes for SWIFT, and IBASEC software for SIC, euroSIC and SECOM. These are, of course, all supported by the MessageManager. All components can be installed together on a single server, or can be distributed, depending on the requirements (see "Architecture"). There is no need for any other products or gateways, as all functions are fully implemented. The MessageManager is completely administered over the browser-based Webclient, so there is no need for any kind of workstation installation, either.
The preferred hardware platform for the MessageManager Server is Windows2003 (installation as Windows service, usage of Eventlog for monitoring tools). The database can run on other platforms (see "Architecture").