Asteron: Kiwisaver B2B Messaging Solution
Synopsis
Asteron Life Limited (Asteron) is one of Australia and New Zealand’s largest financial service providers, especially in the areas of funds management and superannuation savings. In 2006 Asteron enrolled as a Kiwisaver Scheme provider. A mandatory condition was that their internal systems communicate electronically with the Inland Revenue (IR) Kiwisaver “gateway” system.
Solnet Solutions Ltd (Solnet) provided Asteron with IT support since 2004, and was a natural choice for helping Asteron resolve its Kiwisaver needs. In cooperation with Asteron, the team at Solnet designed and co-developed a Business-to-Business (B2B) messaging solution to link Asteron’s internal systems to the Inland Revenue Kiwisaver gateway. The solution delivery was executed under tight timeframes and successfully passed the Inland Revenue’s rigorous qualification testing.
The Problem
The NZ government legislation for the Kiwisaver superannuation scheme made electronic messaging mandatory between Inland Revenue and all Kiwisaver Scheme providers.
Asteron was faced with two challenges in order to qualify as a Kiwisaver scheme provider:
- Asteron’s main CRM system could not be enhanced to manage and process the specialised Kiwisaver electronic messages.
- The message solution must be delivered in successive versions throughout 2007. Each version must pass Inland Revenue tests by a specific date.
The Solution
Asteron engaged Solnet to resolve these two core implementation hurdles. The Solnet consultants analysed IR requirements and investigated the technical capabilities of the CRM system and relevant IT environments. They also researched viable commercial products and reviewed different options with Asteron’s IT team to identify the best solution.
As a result of the evaluation, Solnet proposed a B2B middleware solution. It included the following components:
- A commercial product, IBM Partner Gateway Express, to communicate directly with the Inland Revenue Kiwisaver gateway;
- Custom-built software to pass messages from IBM Partner Gateway Express to Asteron’s CRM system;
- New message-data APIs for the CRM system;
- A .NET-based operator console to manage the workflow of messages between Inland Revenue and Asteron; and
- Security for the messages and operator console inside Asteron’s IT environment.
Solnet built a replica of Asteron’s IT environment in its local office in which they installed the IBM Partner Gateway Express software and quickly developed the messaging software and operator console, along with appropriate security. At the same time, the CRM system vendor developed the message-data APIs. Asteron’s IT department assembled all these components in a test environment for integration testing. This B2B software passed the initial set of Inland Revenue tests by the required date early in 2007.
Throughout 2007, Inland Revenue issued additional sets of message requirements to support each new piece of legislation as it passed into law. Each set typically required an enhancement to the Asteron B2B software within a short period. Asteron IT, Solnet and the CRM system vendor worked closely together to ensure that all software enhancements passed the Inland Revenue tests by the target dates.
As a result of this teamwork, Asteron was ready as a Kiwisaver Scheme provider when the Kiwisaver Scheme started in 2007.
Technologies applied:
- Microsoft ASP.NET 1.1
- Microsoft Internet Information Services
- Java J2EE 1.4 with Spring
- IBM Partner Gateway Express
- IBM Websphere Application Server 6.0
- IBM DB2 database server
- SUN One Directory Server
