Now that the payload is in the appropriate format, you are ready for Step 3—transmission of the data to your business partner.
There are many different Internet protocols that are able to transmit messages (payloads) between companies. The available protocols offer a range of choices to meet different performance and security needs. One way to think about the different options is to compare them to the options offered by the postal service for sending a piece of physical mail. You could send a postcard, which is very inexpensive but offers no privacy, as anyone who encounters it can read the contents. You could enclose the contents in an envelope. But envelopes can be easily opened by anyone handling them. Furthermore the envelope could be accidentally misrouted to the wrong address. Would you put a check for $10,000 in a plain envelope and send it via the postal service? If the contents of your letter were sensitive or critical you might want to receive delivery confirmation. The confirmation might be passive in the form of being able to track the location on a website. Or, the confirmation might be more active, such as a proof of delivery that is sent to you.