A key underlying dependency for all of the transport interoperability guidelines is the ability to interact over the Internet. Basic Internet connectivity is a required infrastructure component to support the higher-level capabilities recommended in this document. This section will clarify the expectations and options around how and what is required when connecting to the Internet and communicating with other STAR organizations.

The STAR standard Internet connectivity guidelines are based on common accepted Internet protocols including TCP/IP, HTTP/S, and SMTP as the foundation for higher-level XML-based protocols like SOAP. Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) version 1.1 defines the underlying behavior for sending and receiving messages for both Web services specifications, and ebMS (electronic business Messaging Service) based messaging solutions. But, in order to interoperate using these underlying technology standards, additional conventions around Internet connectivity must be described. Requirements like bi-directional messaging, intermittent connectivity, flexibility in end-point footprint and capabilities, and security are requirements that drive the selection of Internet connectivity usage conventions. This section will address the core Internet usage conventions required for STAR interactions over the Internet.