GIGO Frequently Asked Questions
Is GIGO available to non-ECG members?
Where is my information stored?
How is security of data ensured?
Will I be able to interface my systems with GIGO?
Back to GIGO home page 7
Entry-level GIGO is free to use for terminal operators, forwarders and truck operators.
Other functions and services are available as options on a pay-to-use basis. Pricing for these functions is not yet agreed but should be set by end of March 2010. Please contact us to be kept updated about pricing during the launch period. Note that members of Foundation Organisations (such as the ECG) will enjoy significant discounts on these options.
See the Functionality Overview for further information. 7
Truck Operators - to check slot availability, to make appointments for pick-up and drop-off, to enter cargo details and to use the other productivity tools built-in to GIGO.
Terminal Operators - to set capacity, view expected flows, analyse history, integrate with current systems and to use the other productivity tools built-in to GIGO.
Other parties may in future benefit from GIGO, and they include:
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Freight forwards - to announce cargo
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Shipping Lines - to publish schedules
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Train Operators - to publish schedules
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Manufacturers - to publish production VIN data 7
ECG would become a Foundation Organisation which gives influence over the direction of GIGO. See Oversight and Governance. 7
Is GIGO available to non-ECG members
Yes. GIGO is an industry collaboration tool which works to the best advantage of all when high levels of users are engaged. Companies who are not members of a Foundation Organisation will not enjoy the same cost-of-use advantages. 7
GIGO is ready NOW (Feb 2010) for a managed trial. A Launch Plan is available to view. 7
For PC users there are no special technology requirements. Users simply require a connection to the Internet and around 20Mb of local storage space for plug-ins. The GIGO application is registered to each user and his PC for reasons of security. 7
Where is my information stored?
Your data is stored on a private, secure server in Europe.7
How is security of data ensured?
Your data is protected in many ways:
- Secure Hosting at a high availabilty, high integrity, industry independent data server.
- Secure user profiles with active password management.
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Secure and encrypted FTP connections for safe transmission and receipt of data to/from your systems to GIGO
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Encrypted and secure access to servers and databases by Vehnet personnel only.
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User and company vetting by ECG and Foundation Organisations. 7
As a Vehnet product GIGO is registered under an international escrow agreement with Softcrow International www.softcrow.com 7
What other functionality is envisaged in the future?
A number of suggestions and ideas have already been recorded. These will be developed under the direction of the Oversight and Governance board within a strict budget. There will be a balance of features and services to be provided free-of-charge and pay-per-use.
Current candidates for development are:
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OCR of truck licence plate
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Interface to ALFA-PASS
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Biometric identification of drivers
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Swipe card identification of drivers
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'Cargo Available' boards in the terminal (airport style)
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'Cargo Available' messaging
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Interface for in-cab systems to give current location of truck
- Alerts based on supply chain event exceptions
- Interface to ECG VMEX system
- Ship Schedules Interface
- Train Schedule Interface
- Controlled advertising by vetted sponsors 7
Will I be able to interface my existing systems with GIGO?
Yes. GIGO is built on Vehnet Technology which supports the widest format of messages.
For GIGO we will work with industry partners, including other software vendors, terminal and truck operators and ODETTE, to develop, publish and promote a set of standard messages. These will probably be in the format of XML and web services subject to demand. XML messages can be sent from GIGO and received by GIGO over secure FTP. Web services will be hosted from a high security server and will be encrypted.
The Functional Summary gives a high-level description of the message flows. 7
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