Overview of the sedex System¶
The sedex platform is a client-server messaging system of the Swiss Federal Government that enables distributed business and e-government applications (referred to as end-user applications) to exchange data via the Internet. The data transfer via sedex is secure, traceable and reliable.
Components of the sedex System¶
The sedex messaging system can be divided into the following top level components:
1. End-user applications¶
End-user applications (business applications) that need to exchange business data (often in the form of XML documents) securely over the Internet with other end-user applications.
2. sedex Client¶
The sedex Client is the decentralised component of the sedex platform, placed as close as possible to the participants' end-user applications. A Java-based application that enables one or more end-user applications to exchange business data in the form of messages via the sedex platform. The sedex Client is installed, configured and run by the operator of the end-user application.
3. sedex Server¶
The central component of the sedex platform through which all messages are exchanged. The sedex server controls the message exchange and ensures the long-term traceability of the message exchange. The sedex Server is technically operated by the Federal Office of Information Technology, Systems and Telecommunication (FOITT).
Note: sedex messaging is asynchronous by design
The sedex system provides an asynchronous message exchange between its participants. This means that senders and recipients communicate indirectly via sedex as an intermediary and do not have to be online at the same time.
A typical sedex message may reach a recipient within about 1 minute, but that message transfer time is not guaranteed.
For example, if the recipient's sedex client is not working or is offline, the message may only reach the recipient much later or never at all.
In such a case, after 30 days of no delivery, the sender will be informed by a corresponding sedex receipt generated by the system.
Therefore, it is important that the sending end-user application processes the sedex receipts.