A HTTP POST operation is used to send appropriately packed business data.  The data is packaged using standard MIME content types so you can use XML, binary data, and any other data describable in MIME.

The request-URI identifies a process for unpacking and handling the message data and for generating a reply for the client that contains a receipt, either signed or unsigned.  The receipt is either returned in the HTTP response message body or by a new HTTP POST operation to a URL for the original sender.

This request/reply transactional interchange can provide secure, reliable and authenticated transport for EDI (electronic data interchange) or other business data using HTTP as a transfer protocol.