Overview

The CEN/XFS standard defines a common language to speak with the hardware components of the Automated Teller Machine (ATM). It shares a common conceptual background with Microsoft Windows device drivers.
The architecture is similar to a client-server model, where the server knows how to drive a particular ATM hardware component. The server must publish a standard interface which is common for all similar hardware components.
The client benefits from the services provided by the server (also called Service Provider or SP) and uses its standardized interface to drive hardware components from different manufacturers with the same set of commands.
This is a huge benefit, because it virtually unifies different ATM platforms, and creates a common environment for the ATM applications all over the world.

Background

The XFS standard was initiated by Microsoft in the early 90's and it was called WOSA/XFS. The acronym stands for Windows Open Services Architecture/Extension for Financial Services. WOSA is defined by Microsoft as a software architecture that provides a single system-level interface for connecting front-end applications with back-end services.
So the XFS was initially perceived as a WOSA extension for the banking automation industry.
It was released first time in 1995, then it became an international standard adopted by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). The Microsoft Windows dependency stayed also after this adoption, and the situation has not been changed neither with the latest release (version 3.10 - 2008).

Architecture

Figure 1 - CEN/XFS Architecture

The applications communicate with SPs, via the XFS Manager, using the API set, which is the common deliverable in all implementations of the XFS specification. It maps the specified API to the corresponding SP Interface (SPI), then routes this request to the appropriate SP. The XFS Manager uses the configuration information to route the API call (made to a "logical service") to the proper SP entry point, and provides overall management of the XFS subsystem.
The primary function of the SP (Service Provider) is to translate the generic XFS requests to the managed hardware component specific command.
The ATM application (Windows-based application) uses the ATM hardware components through the XFS Manager and does not need to know anything about the hardware type and manufacturer.

CEN/XFS Device Classes

The following device classes are defined by the CEN/XFS specification:

Printers and Scanners (Ptr)
Identification Card Units (Idc)
Cash Dispensers (Cdm)
Personal Identification Number Keypads (Pin)
Check Readers and Scanners (Chk)
Depository Units (Dep)
Text Terminal Units (Ttu)
Sensors and Indicators Units (Siu)
Vendor Dependent Mode (Vdm)
Cameras (Cam)
Alarms (Alm)
Card Embossing Units (Ceu)
Cash-In Modules (Cim)
Card Dispensers (Crd)
Barcode Readers (Bcr)
Item Processing Modules (Ipm)

Solutions

An ATM software which is based on the CEN/XFS specification is called Multivendor ATM Software, and is able to run virtually on any ATM which has installed CEN/XFS Service Providers. The manufacturer of the ATM is not important.
By using a Multivendor ATM Software, banks and ATM operators can extend their existing ATM portfolio with ATMs manufactured by other vendors without the adoption cost of a new software. In simple terms the adoption of a Multivendor ATM Software reduces the possibility of being locked to a single hardware vendor.
Currently the Multivendor ATM Software market is dominated by three players (2/3 market share). Each player has more than 20% market share, and two of them are the market leaders also in the ATM hardware market.

Links & Resources

The purpose of this page is to provide an understandable description of the CEN/XFS standard.
The content of this page is maintained by Software Industries Ltd, the company that develops productivity tools for the ATM marketplace. Please send your messages to the laszlo.barta@software-industries.com email address.
The XFS Explorer product incorporates the domain specific knowledge of the CEN/XFS standard and its feature set allows you to explore the CEN/XFS documentation, test CEN/XFS SPs, execute commands and queries on CEN/XFS SPs and browse or edit the CEN/XFS configuration.
The XFS Simulator product provides CEN/XFS SP simulations. It virtually transforms a PC into a full function ATM or TAU (Teller Assist Unit), and it allows running Multivendor ATM Software for testing and development purposes.
CEN/XFS Workshop
CEN/XFS on Wikipedia
ATM on Wikipedia
TAU on Wikipedia

ATMSOLUSTION

Saturday, 9 April 2011

ATM SOLUTION