Value Added Networks (VAN)


Value Added Networks provide the primary medium for exchanging EDI documents, both in the United States and internationally.

VANs came into being originally to allow personal computers running EDI software to communicate via modem to large mainframe-based EDI systems maintained by trading partners.

Since then, they have greatly broadened their scope and now offer a full range of hardware, software, and services intended to allow companies to do EDI, in addition to the data communications services between trading partners.

Many VANs are now offering Internet-based services. Additionally, many large organizations are duplicating VAN services by implementing their own Internet-based EDI services. Netscape's ECXpert system is at the forefront of the movement to handle a wide variety of electronic commerce tasks, including EDI, over the Internet.