Axway continues to set the B2B standard

Here at Axway, we’re proud of our MFT and B2B integration solutions that have been trusted for 20 years. But our solutions don’t just lead the field: for the last 10+ years, Axway has served as a benchmark for all connectivity vendors.

Setting the standard for AS4

The Drummond Group is an independent agency that certifies software products and solutions — such as for interoperability standards — to verify that solutions do what they say they’ll do.

The certification process is extensive, and Drummond uses Axway’s B2B Integration platform to manage its interoperability testing.

That means that if another vendor’s software solution can’t connect to Axway B2B Integration during a test event, it has failed the test and their solution will have to undergo revisions to attempt the test again.

It means that our B2Bi solution is setting the industry standard in helping companies around the world meet stringent industry requirements.

“This is continued evidence of our commitment to the B2B market, as well as our evolution in the protocols and profiles that our customers need to support mission-critical processes,” said JB Bentz, VP of B2B Product Line at Axway.

You can read more about Drummond’s latest interoperability testing event here, where the agency also certified Axway for its successful completion of the ebMS-1Q21 interoperability test.

ebMS 2.0 is used around the world in industries like financial services, government, healthcare, retail and automotive.

A growing global standard

Applicability Statement 4 (AS4) interoperability is a state-of-the-art interoperability protocol that simplifies and standardizes the use of web services for B2B data exchange and integration.

Essentially, AS4 validates that different products can work together to seamlessly exchange information using web services from any location, anywhere in the world.

Adoption of the standard is growing in large and diverse ecosystems such as the European gas industry and the Australian government, where AS4 is a requirement for securely exchanging highly sensitive documents.

And while large organizations, especially in Europe, are increasingly adopting AS4, Axway continues to support the AS2 standard as well, since it’s still one of the most widely adopted messaging standards in the world.

Axway helped define and test AS4, just as we served as a major contributor/author for previous standards including AS2, OFTP2, and SSL. Read more about AS4 in our whitepaper: AS4, what’s in it for you?

Streamlining integration processes at Equinor

Many global Axway customers rely on our B2Bi solution to transparently support tough security protocols, data integrity checking, and guaranteed delivery.

Equinor is the second-largest gas supplier in Europe, selling 100 billion cubic meters of gas per year. As the gas industry has been moving toward faster and faster decision-making cycles, B2B integration requirements have tightened.

For Equinor, it’s essential to be able to balance the flow of gas across key areas of the network.

“Being imbalanced in one hub in the network — even for just an hour — can drive our operational costs significantly,” explained Jarle Rønnevik, Principal Analyst Energy Logistics, OPI BIG BI at Equinor ASA.

“As a result, it is crucial that we can always communicate with every part of the supply chain: from our offshore gas platforms and transport system operators to the clients we sell to across Europe.”

When the AS4 standard became a legal requirement, Equinor engaged Axway B2Bi as the foundation of its B2B integration platform and has achieved its goal of transitioning from AS2 to AS4 without significant disruption for its business users.

Today, the Axway solution helps the company exchange some 2,000 messages each day and growing with its 80 counterparts across Europe, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Setting the ENTSOG standard

At the end of 2019, the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG) coordinated an AS4 Agreement Update Proof of concept (POC) to test a new capability called “Automated Certificate Exchange.”

Around 10 of the largest gas companies participated in the POC, two of which were Axway customers. After a lengthy POC process, the only companies that were able to successfully complete the POC were the two Axway customers who participated, Gassco and Equinor.

Equinor’s Jarle Rønnevik said he was proud to have worked with Axway on this challenging Proof of Concept. “We consider it a significant accomplishment, that we were able to successfully complete the testing. Axway was a great partner throughout the process, and we feel confident that Axway will continue to drive us to the forefront of our industry’s new requirements,” he added. Learn more about how European gas giant Equinor finds peace of mind in its B2B integration network.

AS4 has many different usage profiles, such as the above-mentioned ENTSOG sub-usage profile, which has taken the standard AS4 specifications and extended them slightly to fit the needs of the gas transmission systems market.

And once again, Axway leads the industry in many of these usage profiles.

eDelivery: The bigger picture for data exchange in the European Union

The European Union’s infrastructure and connectivity agency sets standards for eDelivery in 6 different use cases: Common Profile, Four Corner Topology, Dynamic Sender, Dynamic Receiver, Standard Business Document Header (SBDH), and ENTSOG Usage Profile.

Axway is the only eDelivery service provider to successfully complete four out of six AS4 use case tests. That’s twice as many as the other top performers, making Axway B2Bi the most comprehensive eDelivery-certified solution.

Our B2B integration means business

In short, Axway’s B2B Integration has been setting industry standards and helping define and test them for years.

Companies around the world rely on our secure, API-enabled approach to EDI that lets you respond faster to evolving business demands. We will continue to accompany you on your digital transformation journey as standards evolve to adapt to the latest industry needs.