Configurations

The “C-TAP Native” Model

The C-TAP Native Model is the model where a C-TAP terminal is able to accept several payment brands with different acquirers and therefore can be connected to several acquiring processor C-TAP hosts. Acquiris manages via the Acquiris Common Parameters the list of accepted card brands and operational hosts. The retailer defines on his equipment the card brands he wants to support and the acquirers per accepted card brand.

In the C-TAP Native model, the terminal can also take the form of a terminal & gateway configuration that combines a NON-C-TAP terminal connected via a Gateway to C-TAP acquiring hosts. This terminal & gateway configuration, also called C-TAP Virtual Terminal, behaves as a standard C-TAP terminal (e.g. services, user interface).

A C-TAP Gateway model using a non C-TAP terminal can also be used to transform security implementations specific to the connected terminal (i.e. mPOS, …) into C-TAP TSC compliant security. This security transformation process has to be PCI DSS (most recent version) compliant

The “Connector” Model

The C-TAP Connector Model is the model where a NON-C-TAP terminal embedded within an existing NON-C-TAP transaction processing infrastructure is connecting via a so-called Connector to one or more specific C-TAP Hosts for acceptation of one or more specific Card Brands after formal approval of those concerned hosts. It is for instance used when non-CTAP terminals already deployed in the field must be connected to hosts requiring the use of the C-TAP specifications (or at least protocol).

In this model, the Connector is the complete terminal and processing infrastructure transforming the NON-C-TAP-terminal and processing infrastructure combination into an asmuch as possible C-TAP compliant solution towards the C-TAP Hosts both from a functional and connectivity perspective, but for the limited number of brands and functions agreed with the Card Acquirers of the considered C-TAP hosts. The entity in charge of the C-TAP Connector is assimilated to a Terminal Vendor.

The “Component” Model

The C-TAP Component model allows to use the C-TAP specifications to connect C-TAP terminals to a gateway (the so-called Proprietary Payment Server) which will ensure the connection with one or several Acquiring hosts according to protocols different than the C-TAP specifications (and thus to connect non-C-TAP hosts).

IN this model, the C-TAP terminal is a standard C-TAP terminal, as in the Native mode, which will be deployed with a specific set of Common Parameters taking into consideration the sole connection with a specific gateway and potentially a specific set of accepted brands, according to the services and features of the solution proposed by the C-TAP Component Provider.

This solution may be used for instance by solution providers (C-TAP Component Provider) willing to combine on one platform the acceptance of transactions in the proximity and remote context (e.g. transaction initiated remotely and finalized at the shop).