| Federico,
This is a very hurried reply to your request, so I hope it helps a little.
My understanding is that RINET is not yet out of pilot stage - in June, 89 it
had not at that time gone into pilot - info gathered from the CAPA seminar in
Paris in June 89 - I attach the first and incomplete draft of my meeting
report from a workshop attended by me at that conference in case it adds
something to your existing knowledge.
RINET, being an IBM VANS, and therefore part of the IBM Managed Network
Sevices, will be the same as the IBM VANS: LIMNET, operating (slowly), here in
the London Insurance Market.
Connection from VAX systems to LIMNET can be made via:
PC and dial-up, as you say
or
by our IBM gateways and I attach part of a mail I sent to the US earlier this
year outlining this route and the products that I believe are necessary
Mail on the IBM VANS: LIMNET is a thing called Screen mail - which even IBM
doesn't seem to know anything about and I have not yet been able to discover
more than the fact that it is a sudset of DISOSS - is this the same on RINET?
_____________________________________________________________________________
LIMNET (& RINET?) CONNECTIVITY
" 1. NETWORK ISSUES
Interested parties should initially contact their INS representative,
in the event of not being an IBM account and therefore not having a
representative, they should contact:
IBM US: Tom Cumbo tel. (312) 245 2436(/2000 for the main
switchboard)
IBM UK: Bob Perry
2. HARDWARE & SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS
I have spoken to both a UK Digital customer and to one of our UK
salesmen re: hardware and software. Both companies are LIMNET
members. The information that follows is simply for your convenience.
The principle is correct but I have no idea whether the product
numbers are exact - they were quoted to me and I believe the "x" is
replaced according to the VAX host. They will also be UK numbers so I
don't know what their US equivalent would be.
i leased telecommunication line
ii VMS/SNA gateway (QL-362-Ax-AA)
I believe this will allow up to 16 logical units to be set up
on the SNA network.
iii DECnet SNA/VMS/RJE software (QL-453-Ax-JG.)
This is a layered product that allows IBM JCL to be passed to
the IBM host from VAX for the non-interactive sessions.
iv DECnet SNA/VMS 3270 terminal emulator (QL-454-Ax-JG)
This allows interactive connect e.g. to use the screenmail
service
v DECnet SNA Installation services (QL-362-Ax-I5)
Apparently customers are not allowed to install their own
gateways?
vi INTERBRIDGE software from SITPRO
This is stand alone software for passing messages between an
agreed market community. It is available in the UK from 4
suppliers. There is a VMS version. It would need to be adapted
to the LIMNET requirements. It is a component in the UK
product VAX/EDI which currently accesses other non-IBM public
networks. (Colin Osborne, DECPARK, Reading, @RDL, is the
product marketing manager). "
______________________________________________________________________________
RINET NOTES
RINET: CURRENT STATUS
Report of Seminar Session, CAPA, Paris, 7.06.89
The presentation was given by M. Dereppe, MD, RINET
M.Dereppe was previously employed by General Motors Europe and was responsible
for their EDI programmes. He was twice chairman of Odette and is vice chairman
of the EDIFACT steering committee.
RINET originated during 1986 from an association between
Munich Re.;
Skandia Re;
Swiss Re.
In 1987 that association was extended by the other 5 founding members:
Mercantile and General Reinsurance, UK;
Nacional de Reaseguros, Sp;
Netherlands Re, Neth;
Societe Commerciale de Reassurance, Fr;
Unione Italiana di Riassicurazione, It;
and in late 87 a non-profit company was founded, based in Brussels.
The services provided by RINET will be over the IBM carrier "Information
Network" and encompass:
. Electronic mail of unformatted documents between mailbox systems
.. RINET are incorporating MEMO, the*****************************
and also Siemans E-mail
. file transfer
this is based on reinsurance applications and accounting
routines for passive reinsurance.
the reinsurance application is based on cedants of non-life
treaty business and covers contract data and accounting
Reinsurance account entries will appear quarterley and cover:
Premiums and claims for each business description allocated
automatically calculated commissions
current account will provide consolidated balances, per participant,
per currency, using past balances and the new reinsurance account
. access to a notice board
. access to an information database
. secondary functions:
ability to print accounts for non-RINET members
coding transfer module - e.g. currency, country codes
help screens
Each computer system will be directly connected to the carrier. All activity
will be based on connectivity only required during the transmit or reception
of data.
RINET are providing access connectivity to SIEMAN 1 and IBM m/fs and software
will be free to all members - a menu will link the various applications.
Independant audits of the systems will be carried out routinely.
Current status
2 messages available:
reinsurance account
current account
systems testing completed
stress test (i.e. live environment between founder members) in process
pilot postponed (as of 6.6.89) as product delivered by supplier "not yet of
sufficiently robust quality". Pilot will include the 8 founder members and 9
other companies. It is expected to complete the pilot by the end of 89.
Future Plans
claims cash management
commission statements
non-proportional premium statements
bordereaux
account confirmation
payment settlement
expansion will initially be within Europe and then world wide with gateways to
other networks
Questions from the floor:
1. will there be a single European network in the next decade?
answer: it will be commercially unthinkable to have a single network.
There will be close connections with ASSURNET and RINET.
2. does RINET have plans for other business than reinsurrance? (Roger
Stenson)
answer: no
3. what is the timescale for future developments?
answer: RIAC and CURAC development is pre EDIFACT, all future
development will be submitted to the EDIFACT board.
4. which brokers will be targeted? how many are being targeted? (Dupret)
answer:only reinsurance brokers are being targeted, total number is
not known but the objective is for 200 members by the end of 89.
_____________________________________________________________________________
regards
Tillie
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