| Attached is a press release from CommerceNet about Digital, amongst
others, demonstating interoperability with their SMTP implementations
over the Internet, and how digital signatures and/or bulk data
encryption have been done too.
Graham
>
>CommerceNet Sponsors EDI Over Internet Initiative; Digitally-Signed
>EDI Data is Exchanged Successfully for the First Time
>--VeriSign Provides Digital Authentication for Open EDI Transactions--
>
>SAN FRANCISCO, CA, January 27, 1997 -- CommerceNet, the premier industry
>association for Internet commerce, today announced the successful results of
>its ongoing initiative to demonstrate and promote the interoperable exchange
>of EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) data over the Internet. The announcement
>was made at the RSA Data Security Conference in San Francisco.
>
>During the week of January 20, five participating EDI vendors in the
>initiative exchanged digitally-signed data, marking the first time that such
>an event has occurred. Those organizations are Actra Business Systems (a
>Netscape/GEIS company), AT&T, Digital Equipment Corporation, Premenos and
>Sterling Commerce.
>
>VeriSign, Inc. is providing third-party digital authentication services for
>many test participants through its Get-rEDI Digital ID Center (sm), a
>Web-based enrollment site. Authentication, in the form of VeriSign Digital
>IDs (sm), verifies the identity of parties in an electronic transaction and
>ensures the integrity of messages.
>
>The complete list of initiative participants includes: Actra Business
>Systems, Atlas Products International, AT&T, CyberPath, DanNet, Digital
>Equipment Corporation, EDS, Harbinger, Premenos, Sterling Commerce and U.S.
>Department of Defense.
>
>Jay M. Tenenbaum, CommerceNet founder and chairman, said, "CommerceNet is
>pleased to sponsor the first-ever demonstration of interoperable and secure
>EDI on the Internet. As today's news proves, the initiative takes us beyond
>theorizing to actual implementation. Migrating successful technologies such
>as EDI to more cost-effective solutions is a win-win strategy."
>
>--more--
>CommerceNet, Page 2
>
>Stratton Sclavos, president and CEO of VeriSign, Inc., added, "EDI systems
>have traditionally been expensive and closed. By spearheading the effort to
>demonstrate open EDI across a public network, CommerceNet is helping to
>accelerate the adoption of EDI. We are excited to be a part of this
>groundbreaking initiative."
>
>The Benefits of Interoperability
>"The Internet's ease of use and accessibility will help expand the benefits
>of electronic commerce to a broader trading community," said Charles
>Stambaugh, vice president of marketing for Sterling Commerce's Commerce
>Service Group. "As a leading value-added services and software provider,
>Sterling Commerce is pleased to participate in this exciting pilot project."
>
>"A lack of choice of EDI software vendors has been the major inhibitor of
>Internet-based EDI to date. Once the interoperability initiative ends, users
>will have a choice of EDI software vendors, regardless of the vendor selected
>by their trading partners," said Lincoln Yarbrough, product manager, Actra
>Business Systems and CommerceNet pilot team leader.
>
>Wayne Toye, EDI marketing manager at Digital Equipment Corporation, added,
>"We are excited by the business benefits this initiative provides for
>companies wanting to exchange secure EDI transactions over the Internet. We
>look forward to our continuing participation in the ongoing CommerceNet
>demonstration and testing."
>
>"AT&T is committed to making it safe and easy for businesses to conduct
>electronic commerce over the Internet. Participation in this program helps
>keep us at the forefront of technological innovation to help our customers
>grow their businesses," said AT&T's Jim Daniell, electronic messaging and new
>business development vice president.
>
>"Premenos is a strong advocate of open standards and adheres to them in
>developing its electronic commerce products," said Steve Botts, director of
>Templar product management for Premenos. "It's gratifying to see others
>following and adopting the methodology and standards implemented in Templar
>to secure EDI on the Internet."
>
>About EDI
>EDI is a fast and dependable way to exchange business documents using
>computer-to-computer communication between different companies. Early EDI
>systems were proprietary and expensive, establishing barriers to entry and to
>the open exchange of documents. EDI has historically been used to improve
>only discrete processes such as automating the accounts payable function or
>the funds transfer process. Internet technologies enable a new paradigm for
>EDI. Increased interoperability will make EDI easier and less expensive to
>implement. The new focus for EDI, using the Internet for electronic commerce,
>is bridging the external and internal business processes which will enable
>companies to improve their productivity beyond what has
>
> --more--
>CommerceNet, Page 3
>
>been possible previously. Companies can now enter orders and purchases; do
>accounts payable; transfer funds; and link seamlessly to suppliers,
>distributors, customers, banks and transportation carriers. An open,
>interactive EDI allows completion of the entire business transaction
>point-to-point.
>
>Background on the Initiative
>The CommerceNet initiative consists of three phases of testing:
>* During Phase I, participants successfully demonstrated the exchange of EDI
>documents over SMTP (Simple Mail Transport Protocol) using MIME
>(Multi-purpose Internet Mail Extensions). The participating companies
>completed this phase at the end of 1996.
>* Phase II, now underway, covers security with signature and encryption. This
>includes adding S/MIME (Secure/ Multi-purpose Internet Mail Extensions)
>encryption and integrity technology (see www.rsa.com). PGP is optional, but
>no vendors have selected PGP yet. Phase II will also include the use of
>certificates, both self-issued and from VeriSign.
>* In Phase III, the participating companies will test receipt requests and
>signed and unsigned receipts.
>
>For technical information related to the initiative, please contact project
>lead Rik Drummond, The Drummond Group, Tel: 817-294-7339. Email:
>[email protected].
>
>CommerceNet
>CommerceNet is the premier industry association for promoting and building
>electronic commerce solutions on the Internet. Launched in April 1994 in
>Silicon Valley, CA, its membership has grown to over 200 companies and
>organizations worldwide. They include the leading banks, telecommunications
>companies, VANs, ISPs, online services, and software and services companies,
>as well as major end-users, who together are transforming the net into a
>global electronic marketplace. CommerceNet can be contacted at Tel:
>415-858-1930; Fax: 415-858-1936; URL: http://www.commerce.net. (CN1A)
>
># # #
>
>
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