File Exchanger

The FEX component provides “file exchanger” services and connects a PSP or CSM running Tapestry to other PSUs or PSPs acting as customers as well as to service provider PSPs and other peer CSMs.

The FEX sends and receives single payment messages or files containing batches of payment messages. Separate transport sub-components of the FEX provide transport services over different protocols used for payment message exchange.

Each payment message in the FEX is represented by a Message model. Each Message contains source and destination information that instructs how a transport sub-component should receive or send payment messages. Any payment message received from a PSU, PSP or CSM is forwarded to the relevant Tapestry Interface Message Processor (IMP) for processing. Similarly, a payment message received from an IMP, is sent to a PSU, PSP or CSM.

A set of configuration files in the YAML format are used as to describe the the PSUs, PSPs and CSMs that the FEX exchanges payment messages as peers. Also the schedules for file exchange can be configured.

The FEX is designed as extensible so that additional transport modules can be added. An example of a transport module would be support for EBICS, the file exchange protocol commonly used in Germany, France and Switzerland in PSU-PSP scenarios. EBICS is also used for PSP-PSP and PSP-CSM file exchanges. Classic payment message exchange using SFTP would be another example of an exchange protocol.