SmartNS
The SmartNS framework - a "Smart Card Enablement Layer" supports and integrates any smart card application, including the STS EMV Level 2 Kernel (Emvelink) through any point of interface to any business system.
SmartNS is a global solution used in over 120,000 points of Sale in the UK and 16 other countries.
Today 12 out of the top 25 high street retailers in the UK use SmartNS as part of their payment solutions, with SmartNS supporting both traditional scheme and local debit cards as well as new technologies and initiatives such as contactless and loyalty cards.
SmartNS resides with the Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) client; this is normally the client that the payment application uses to communicate between the payment engine or service and the point of sale business applications.
The SmartNS card application framework provides solution architects with the scope to meet all their present and future card-based transaction requirements, both in the short term and more distant future. The modular approach and re-use of existing business objects allows roll-out and deployment to be phased to match market requirements. The flexibility of this approach allows the solutions to evolve to suit customer demand.
Benefits of SmartNS
- Protects hardware investment by providing the card application intelligence in a software kernel
- Proven technology, published interfaces and an open architecture enables vendors to reduce their time to market with smart card application
- Flexible enough to meet any future smart card requirements
- Simple to upgrade, maintain and modify in the field
- Reduces the Total Cost of Ownership of a smart card solution, by providing a single layer of software for all the disparate uses of smart cards
The following generic SmartNS plug-ins are currently available and can be simply plugged-in to the overall framework. End users can also write their own smart card applications using SmartNS.
- Emvelinka software-based EMVCo certified Level 2 Kernel for Chip and PIN transactions
- EmvelinkMobilea Windows CE EMV Level 2 Kernel for multiple handheld terminals
- Hostlinksoftware kernel that provides additional processing for the hospitality environment
- Touchlink software kernel allowing merchants to process contactless payments
- Wiclinksoftware kernel used to process e-Benefit smart cards throughout the United States
STS support over 30 Pin Entry Devices (PEDs) through SmartNS. Please click here for the current list.