[imglorp]

I seem to remember reading somewhere the transport channel used to be nightly FTP of these files in a cron job. Is that still true, and if so, how do they manage to secure something like that?

[whyaduck]

SFTP - I can't say what's happening today, but 8 years ago this was the only channel available when I added an ACH payment system to B2B accounting system. 80 column text files SFTP'd overnight to the company's bank. I also had a couple of 200 page dead tree books on my desk describing the process & formats.

I joked that it was originally designed for delivery by telegraph. I'm still not convinced I was wrong.

[hathawsh]

Today, it's SFTP over IPSec and the book is now 600 pages long. :-)

[wiredfool]

80? The file format is 94 char fixed width, and it's based on the track specs of 9 track mainframe tape.

[whyaduck]

It was a 3 month project I finished 8 years ago...I guess my memory failed me.

[wiredfool]

Sorry, I was just switching away from the first low level NACHA file stuff I've had to do in years.

[PeterisP]

I've seen PGP encrypted&signed batch files used over sftp, with a backup channel of these same encrypted&signed files sent over email with second channel (e.g. SWIFT message) confirmation and verification.

[barbecue_sauce]

SFTP?

[funkymike]

That's how I have seen it used in practice.