Store-and-Forward

Asynchronous delivery model via a VAN mailbox.

Definition

Unlike a point-to-point link (e.g. AS2) where sender and receiver talk in real time, store-and-forward decouples the two: the sender does not need the receiver to be online. The trade-off is latency and no real-time receipt, hence the regular polling of mailboxes.

Origin

A founding principle of EDI Value-Added Networks, inherited from store-and-forward messaging systems (e.g. the ITU-T X.400 message handling system) and described in VAN operator documentation.

Example in context

The supplier sends a ship notice at midnight; even if the buyer is offline, the VAN holds it in the mailbox and hands it over at the buyer's 08:00 pickup — delivery does not depend on a shared online window.

Related terms

• EDI Mailbox — where the interchange is stored while waiting.
• VAN — the operator performing store-and-forward.