Partners on the Exchange Network establish and maintain servers called Network Nodes that are securely connected to the Internet. A Node is a partner's single point of presence on the Exchange Network and serves as the exchange point for all data requests and submissions. Network Nodes automatically listen for and submit requests for data from other information trading partners and then deliver or publish the data based upon pre-described methods. Nodes are secure and authenticate all requests for data to ensure they are coming from an authorized trading partner.
The power of the Network lies in the technology that the Nodes use to transmit data among partners. Extensible Markup Language, or XML, is an open standard that describes data through simple but rigid syntax rules. It provides a standards base from which anyone may exchange data regardless of computer system or platform. XML also takes data from disparate data sets and formulates a common meaning between them. In short, XML overcomes system incompatibility by translating information into a common data structure and format. With XML, existing data management systems remain in place and the data is transformed as it enters and exits each system without changing the meaning or appearance of the data. For more information on XML, see this brief paper on XML Basics.
The Exchange Network works because partners agree to use a common vocabulary to define data exchanges. Incorporating data standards developed by the Environmental Data Standards Council, trading partners develop XML schemas and Data Exchange Templates (DETs) that standardize and identify the way information is shared, so partners can obtain and understand the data they need when they need it.
Data exchanges on the Network are governed by trading partner agreements (TPAs), which specify the data to be exchanged as well as the format, frequency, and other related issues. Trading Partner Agreements (TPAs) are formal agreements that detail the what, how, and when of data exchanges between trading partners. For an example of an actual agreement, check out this model TPA between the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. EPA.
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