Technique for reliable message confirmation

A network component for generating messages that are exchanged in a computer network using a public data template and a message transfer protocol involving the transmission of request and confirmation messages, the network component comprising:

• a first interface for receiving a request message via the computer network, the request message including a first data structure and a message identification code unique to the first data structure obtained by packing application data that requires confirmation in the public data template;
• a first unit for unpacking, into a different format, the application data and the message identification code included in the first data structure;
• a second unit for:
• providing the unpacked application data and the message identification code to a confirmation process as a basis for generating a confirmation result, and
• creating a second data structure by re-packing the unpacked application data and the message identification code using a packing process in which the unpacked application data is packed in the public data template;
• a third unit for creating a confirmation message responsive to the request message, the confirmation message including the second data structure and the message identification code, wherein message identification code and the content of the second data structure operate in conjunction to provide a basis for resuming or resetting processing of the application data included in the first data structure upon receipt of the confirmation result by a first message recipient;
• and
• a second interface for transmitting the confirmation message via the computer network to the first message recipient as a basis for detecting inconsistencies in the confirmation result reflective of a difference between content included in the first and second data structures.

A network component for generating messages that are exchanged in a computer network using a public data template and a message transfer protocol involving the transmission of request and confirmation messages, the network component comprising:

• a first unit for providing a first data structure and a message identification code unique to the first data structure obtained by packing application data, which requires confirmation, the public data template;
• a second unit for creating a request message including the first data structure and the message identification code;
• a first interface for transmitting the request message via the computer network to a second message recipient;
• a second interface for receiving a confirmation message via the computer network from the second message recipient, the confirmation message including a confirmation result and second data structure generated by re-packing the message identification code and the application data included in the first data structure into the public data template;
• and
• a third unit for detecting inconsistencies degrading the trustworthiness of the confirmation result based on the message identification code and a comparison of the content of the first data structure with the content of the second data structure.