Synthesis™ originally started out as a mechanism to ease the implementation of mandated Scheme changes, by extending the life of the host application supporting the old message formats while simultaneously extending the testing window for the new Scheme changes.
What Proteros had found in the past is that mandated Scheme changes – though the implementation dates are known in advance – did not always fit in with other in-house implementations. As a result, other equally important internal projects might suffer as resources are moved to facilitate the Scheme changes. Even with a dedicated team to look after Scheme changes, this was money off the bottom line and so if the changes could be implemented cheaper then this would constitute a real saving.
It was felt by Proteros that if the current Host configuration could remain in place until valuable resources could be deployed at a time that suited the acquirer or issuer then this would allow for better integration of mandated Scheme changes with other development work.
The way that Synthesis™ works to maintain the current Host configuration is to take an incoming ISO-8583 message and transform it to another variation. Using the Frurion™ data dictionary services it is possible to define the new and old message structures. By placing Synthesis™ between the Scheme and the Host system (acquirer or issuer) it is possible to bridge the two formats until such time that the Host has been upgraded and Synthesis™ can then be removed. Once in place, Synthesis™ simply adapts itself dynamically to changes in the data dictionary without the need for software changes.
Synthesis™ has since evolved to cater for inter-Scheme migrations, such as UK Maestro moving from RCMS and becoming integrated with International Maestro on GCMS as illustrated in our guide: UK Maestro Migration, as well as intra-Scheme migrations.
