AS2 Shared Server Connector

The AS2 Shared Server Connector is included in its own AtomSphere edition. If you would like to have EDI, B2B, and Trading Partner capabilities enabled in your account, please review our EDI Solution Overview and connect with a Boomi Sales Representative.

Note: Before working with the AS2 Shared Server connector, you should be familiar with general Process Development.

The AS2 Shared Server Connector is a Listen-only connector that accepts AS2 requests real-time and initiates Boomi Processes. When a Process containing this connector is deployed to an Atom, the Atom's internal AS2 web server will listen for Documents based on configurations made in the AS2 Shared Server Operation. AS2 is a common communication choice for EDI and business-to-business (B2B) integrations. Because of this, the AS2 Server Connector will almost always be used within the context of a Trading Partner.

The AS2 Server Connector is not like Web Services or SOAP. It can be used to receive generic data (often in EDI or XML) via AS2. It "listens" for inbound or event-based messages sent from trading partners and processes them immediately. As a result, AS2 Shared Server Connectors can only be used in the Start Step as the initial inbound Connector. Processes that use this Connector do not need to be scheduled.

Note: Review the EDI & B2B Solutions section as it describes the different options and use case scenarios that apply when using this connector from a trading partner context.

Connector Configuration

Building a connector to listen for AS2 Client applications requires the configuration of two unique pieces:

• Listen Connection
• AS2 Shared Server Operation

The listen connection is managed at the atom-level; therefore, it is not configurable within an individual Process. Review the configuration requirements for the Atom's Shared Web Server to learn more. This connector design allows for shared re-usability across atoms and the ability to launch unique operations / URLs for different process actions. When a AS2 server is launched for request listening, you can develop a Process to interact with virtually any system using other connectors in our library.

AS2 URL Configuration

Applications and trading partners will send messages to a specific URL:

http://<Atom Host name or IP address>:<Port>/as2
or if using SSL:
https://<Atom Host name or IP address>:<Port>/as2

The hostname and port variables are configured in the Atom's Shared Web Server. The main URL needs to be appended with /as2 in order for messages to be properly routed. This is the URL you will give to the sending trading partner.

If you receive AS2 from multiple trading partners, you can configure the Atom's Shared Web once and pair it with multiple AS2 Shared Server Operations, one for each trading partner based on a unique AS2 ID.

The AS2 Server Connector is used to "listen" for inbound messages sent from another trading partner. For sending data, use the AS2 Client Connector.

Process Options

Allow Simultaneous Process Executions -- This Process option is ignored for real-time Processes that are deployed with the AS2 Shared Server connector.

Prerequisites

• AS2 Shared Server Connectors can only be used within a deployed process. This means you cannot use this connector via Test Mode.
• You must be able to provide your trading partner with a static URL/IP address to connect to. This means the machine on which the Atom is installed or network gateway device must have a static IP address assigned. Work with your network administrator for help with this configuration.
• Because AS2 is a secure protocol, you will need to provide your trading partner with a certificate that they will use to encrypt data when sending to you. You can either import an existing certificate or generate a new one within Boomi. See Certificates for more information on working with Certificates.
• You must configure your firewall to allow AS2 traffic on the specific ports configured in the Atom's Shared Web Server. A common port for AS2 is 8080. Contact your network administrator for help configuring the firewall.

Tracked Properties

This Connector has the following Tracked Properties that can be referenced in various Process Steps.

Additional Resources

AS2 Integration - Best Practices
What is AS2?
Official standard