As adoption of EDI-INT has grown, other uses have developed aside from single EDI document transport. Some transactions required multiple attachments to be interpreted together and stored in a single message. Multiple documents, including non-EDI payloads, can be attached and transmitted in a single EDI-INT transport message. The attachments are stored within the MIME Multipart/Related structure.

In addition, Filename Preservation within MA was implemented and certified in the 1Q07 AS2 Interop Round.

For more information about the MA standard, see:
https://datatracker.ietf.org/public/idindex.cgi?command=id_detail&id=13055

The MA optional profile has been implemented in AS2 interoperability test rounds conducted by DGI since 2005. For a list of products certified in the MA profile during the recent AS2 interoperability test round, please see:
http://www.drummondgroup.com/html-v2/as2-companies.html

Read the MA Internet-Draft >

Industry Support for Multiple Attachments (MA):

"In April 2005, PIDX, the Petroleum Industry Data Exchange, the American Petroleum Institute's (API) committee on Electronic Business, adopted AS2 as an additional TRP (Transaction, Routing, Package) protocol within the PIDX Recommended Practice 3901 - PIDX XML Transaction Standards. PIDX developed these standards for use in oil and gas B2B e-commerce. After significant research, it was determined that AS2 represented a secure, low-cost option for communications that would help lower the barrier to entry to e-commerce for small and medium businesses (SMB). A significant factor in the acceptance of AS2 by PIDX and petroleum industry trading partners was the certified interoperability tested by Drummond Group. Knowing that DGI AS2 Interoperability Certified vendor products are compatible has removed a significant and costly barrier to e-commerce for SMBs. The potential lowered costs for entry, secure transport and multiple attachment handling are key functions provided by AS2 that fulfill the upstream oil and gas transaction requirements. This has been evident in recent successful integrations completed by small oil and gas service companies. These companies are realizing the benefits of faster and more efficient business transactions through the Internet, streamlined invoicing and payment process and reduced costs and administrative resources."
Terry Thomas
Chairman,
Petroleum Industry Data Exchange (PIDX)