OFTP was created by Odette, the European automotive standards committee and is one of the most commonly used standards in the automotive industry.
The OFTP2 protocol is an evolution of OFTP1. Version 2 was designed principally to protect data exchanged over the internet, where the security of the data is guaranteed with the use of security certificates. This change in the protocol is justified by the benefits that OFTP2 brings for companies that need to exchange confidential commercial information and large files like the CAD files used in the automotive industry.
It is presently the most widely used system in the automotive sector and is used by most European car manufacturers to exchange transactions with their suppliers. Automotive industry firms operate globally and require data exchange solutions with their partners at a global level, respecting the particularities of each region. The use of this protocol at the global level facilitates the exchange of large volumes of information since it is faster, and transmission times can be further reduced if the data is compressed.
Furthermore, in some countries telcos are cancelling their ISDN services , which is the channel that OFTP1 ran on. This is obviously fueling the change to OFTP2 as a protocol that is better suited for communications development, providing numerous advantages along with similar counterparts like AS2, AS4, etc.
OFTP2 advantages
The latest protocol version boasts more security functionalities for secure data exchange over IP networks.
EDI and CAD exchanges: EDICOM permits the fast and secure exchange of structured EDI transactions of technical documents (CAD/CAM/CAE) through the EOS (EDICOM OFTP Server). This communications protocol also enables the compression of large data volumes.
Full availability: Uses the internet as a secure communications channel, ensuring complete service availability anywhere in the world.
Traceability: It implements functions that permit tracking, reception confirmation and non-repudiation of data exchanged between stakeholders, as the data is authenticated.
Reliability: EDICOM OFTP Server can resume suspended data transmission processes. Transmissions can be performed in push & pull mode.
Security: It implements data encryption via asymmetric cryptography and electronic signatures, employing algorithms and procedures such as SHA-256 and PFS (Perfect Forward Secrecy).
Savings: Shorter transfer times and internet use enable drastic cost reductions compared to OFTP1 and other protocols.
EDICOMNet, the value added network for data transmission
EDICOMNet is EDICOM’s value added network, a integral service for critical data transmission in B2B environments. Through this infrastructure, we guarantee that electronic transactions and commercial documents reach their destination properly, with full delivery guarantee and through secure channels that ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the exchanged messages.
It is a multi-standard (EDIFACT, X12, XML, etc.) and multi-protocol network able to route all types of messages and allowing access to them by web services, HTTPs, FTP, x400, OFTP and AS2, etc.