Alliance Lite2 Service Guide
Alliance Lite2 Service Guide
Service Description
This document describes the features and functions of Alliance Lite2, the system requirements, and the available
operational services. In addition, the document describes the roles and responsibilities of SWIFT and the user in relation
to Alliance Lite2.
20 March 2020
Table of Contents
Preface............................................................................................................................................................... 4
3 System Requirements...........................................................................................................................30
4 Third-Party Software............................................................................................................................. 32
5 Ordering................................................................................................................................................. 33
7 SWIFT Training...................................................................................................................................... 35
9 Contractual Framework........................................................................................................................ 43
20 March 2020 2
Alliance Lite2 Table of Contents
Service Description
Legal Notices................................................................................................................................................... 51
20 March 2020 3
Alliance Lite2 Preface
Service Description
Preface
Purpose of the document
This service description describes the features and functions of Alliance Lite2, the system
requirements, and the available operational services. In addition, the document describes the roles
and responsibilities of SWIFT and the user in relation to Alliance Lite2.
Note This service description together with the SWIFT General Terms and Conditions and
other relevant SWIFT contractual documentation is an integral part of the contractual
arrangements between SWIFT and its customers for the provision and use of Alliance
Lite2.
Audience
This document is for the following audience:
• those who intend to subscribe to or use Alliance Lite2
• Alliance Lite2 users
• Alliance Lifeline users
Significant changes
The following table lists all significant changes to this service description since the release of
January 2019. This table does not include editorial changes that SWIFT makes to improve the
usability and comprehension of the document.
Inclusion of information related to the unique Accessing SWIFT Messaging Services on page 25
end-to-end transaction reference (UETR)
SWIFT-defined terms
In the context of SWIFT documentation, certain terms have a specific meaning. These terms are
called SWIFT-defined terms (for example, user, customer, or SWIFT services and products). The
definitions of the SWIFT-defined terms appear in the SWIFT Glossary.
Related documentation
• Alliance Connect Service Descriptions
• Alliance Lite2 Administration Guide
• Alliance Lite2 Administration Guide - RMA
• Alliance Lite2 AutoClient Release Letter (see the Alliance Lite2 A-Z page)
• Alliance Lite2 AutoClient User Guide
• Alliance Lite2 Direct Link User Guide
• Alliance Lite2 Security Guidance
• Alliance Lite2 support page
• Alliance Lite2 User Guide
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Alliance Lite2 Preface
Service Description
20 March 2020 5
Alliance Lite2 Overview of Alliance Lite2
Service Description
AutoClient
or Direct Link
USB token Alliance Lite2
or channel certificate
Connection Server
to SWIFT
Secure workflow
USB token
SWIFTNet Interface
D1370003
Alliance Lite2 is a hosted service operated by SWIFT, which allows customers to connect to the
SWIFT network. Alliance Lite2 enables SWIFT customers to send and to receive all types of
SWIFT messages and files, manual or automated, with a very light footprint. Alliance Lite2 also
enables the use of all SWIFTNet browse services offered over SWIFTNet upon separate
subscription to these services.
Manual sending and receiving of SWIFT messages and files through browser-based screens
Alliance Lite2 enables customers to enter, approve, send, and receive SWIFT messages and files
using a standard Internet Explorer browser on a Windows PC, and a secure USB token provided
by SWIFT.
Through the browser-based Alliance Lite2 screens, the customer can create and send SWIFT
messages (MT, MX, and FileAct), while validation and approval are performed through a secure
and auditable workflow. This workflow can be configured according to the customer's needs with 4-
eyes control. The SWIFT standards are built in, and SWIFT messages (MT or MX) are validated
against the SWIFT standards.
Customers can manually upload files and send to the counterparty on SWIFTNet as individual
SWIFT messages (MT or MX) or as entire files (FileAct) to the counterparty on SWIFTNet.
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Alliance Lite2 Overview of Alliance Lite2
Service Description
20 March 2020 7
Alliance Lite2 Overview of Alliance Lite2
Service Description
Security
Alliance Lite2 offers the following security features:
• Encrypted and authenticated communication
All communication between the user and the Alliance Lite2 servers is encrypted and protected
by 2-way authenticated TLS sessions.
• Hardware security tokens
The security tokens used on Alliance Lite2 are SWIFT-specific tamper-resistant hardware USB
tokens, used for strong authentication and highly secure digital signing. When initialising a
token, a 2048-bit PKI public/private key pair is generated on it and the user assigns a personal
password to the token. The secret PKI private key never leaves the token and cannot be
extracted from it. The public key is certified by SWIFT and the certificate is stored on the token.
Only a person in possession of such a token, and who knows the password for that token, can
access Alliance Lite2's browser-based screens and sign messages or files. The password of the
token is used locally on the user's PC to access the token, and that password never travels over
the Internet. The calculation of digital signatures occurs on the token. This provides strong two-
factor authentication and signing.
• Channel certificates
A channel certificate is an encrypted, disk-based profile file that provides a means for SWIFT to
authenticate the identity of an application. On Alliance Lite2, channel certificates can only be
used on AutoClient, not by operators to access the browser-based screens. Channel certificates
are optional, and provide as advantage that the use of a USB token can be avoided on
AutoClient. The use of channel certificates on AutoClient does require that AutoClient connects
to SWIFT over SWIFT's Virtual Private Network (VPN) with an Alliance Connect product (VPN
box) owned by the same customer who owns the channel certificate.
For more information about tokens and channel certificates, see Security Features on page 21,
and Channel Certificates on page 37.
SWIFT certifies the PKI public keys using SWIFT's own Certification Authority (CA).
The specific security requirements for Alliance Lite2 must build on, and be integrated with, the
customer's existing security infrastructure.
Customers have ultimate responsibility for ensuring that they follow secure browsing practices.
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Alliance Lite2 Overview of Alliance Lite2
Service Description
For more detailed descriptions about how the customer can achieve these goals, see Security
Features on page 21 and Users' Responsibilities on page 37.
20 March 2020 9
Alliance Lite2 Features and Functions
Service Description
20 March 2020 10
Alliance Lite2 Features and Functions
Service Description
20 March 2020 11
Alliance Lite2 Features and Functions
Service Description
A typical implementation thus requires a minimum of two Alliance Lite2 ADWs (that is, if
provisioning is allowed during those allowable downtime windows) to have a configuration change
implemented in the Live environment.
WHEN WHO/WHAT
Customer SWIFT
Requests configuration Analyses change and
change requests validation
1 2
Max 2 days
Customer
Confirms configuration
3 change
Thursday at
the latest (t)
SWIFT
Implements in
Test and Training
4
SWIFT ADW
Min: t + 9 days
Customer
Tests and validates
5 configuration change
Monday at
the latest (t’)
SWIFT
Implements in
Live
6
SWIFT ADW
Min: t’ + 5 days
D1370009
Emergency requests
The implementation timeline (see Implementation timeline for configuration changes on page 11) is
established based on the standard SWIFT change management process. Customers requiring the
implementation of a configuration change sooner than the estimated default timeline can request
this from SWIFT. SWIFT will review the request and accept or reject it at its full discretion. SWIFT
will not implement those requests that will have an impact on the general availability of the Alliance
Lite2 service. If accepted by SWIFT, an emergency request will be charged at an additional fee.
Cancellation requests
Once configuration changes are confirmed for implementation, requests to cancel the
implementation will be considered as payable emergency requests. The same principle applies for
requests to change the go-live date.
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Alliance Lite2 Features and Functions
Service Description
Message creation
• Message creation through screens that indicate which fields are mandatory or optional, and that
provide assistance in entering the values of fields, for example, with date pickers, code word
drop-down lists, and BIC choosers.
The message creation screens allow users to enter MT or MX messages, and support the full
SWIFTStandards (all fields and options) of these MT and MX messages.
Alliance Lite2 validates the messages against the SWIFTStandards syntax before sending them
on to SWIFT, and reports any errors against the SWIFTStandard syntax to the user.
Alliance Lite2 provides the possibility to use message drafts and templates (see Message drafts
and templates on page 13).
• Optional creation of messages in 'fast' mode, which allows to enter (or copy and paste) a
message in 'raw' MT or MX syntax.
• Upload of files with MT or MX messages
Users can upload files with MT messages (RJE file format) or MX messages (XMLv2 file
format). These messages can then be approved individually or in bulk on the screens.
• Alliance Lite2 supports the creation, modification, and reception of gpi-enabled messages.
20 March 2020 13
Alliance Lite2 Features and Functions
Service Description
Data retention
Alliance Lite2 keeps all messages and the related audit trails available online for a period of 124
days after the initial message emission or reception. After this 124-day period, as per a regular
housekeeping process, SWIFT deletes the messages that are older than 124 days from the
Alliance Lite2 database.
Note Alliance Lite2 does not provide by default a local copy of all messages processed. If
customers want to keep their messages for longer than the 124 days period, then they
must request SWIFT to perform a configuration change that will ensure a local copy,
through the AutoClient, of all their messages.
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Alliance Lite2 Features and Functions
Service Description
• Viewing, searching, printing and reporting of messages in various formats (PDF, XLS, CSV,
HTML)
SWIFT keeps all messages and related audit trails available online for a period of 124 days
after the initial message emission.
Other functions
• Access to reference data: the entire BIC Directory, all ISO country codes and currency codes.
• Access to the Relationship Management Application (RMA)
Alliance Lite2 allows users to exchange RMA authorisations with correspondents for the
Relationship Management Application. Viewing and revoking RMA is supported, as well as RMA
queries and answers.
• Use of security management functions
Security management functions are under the sole control of the customer's Alliance Lite2
security officers and include the creation and the deletion of users on Alliance Lite2, and the
assignment of roles to these users. These functions also include access to SWIFT's Online
Operations Manager for the creation of SWIFTNet distinguished names, the generation of initial
activation codes for personal certificates and for channel certificates, and the assignment of
SWIFTNet roles (RBAC roles) to users.
• SWIFT WebAccess over SWIFTNet
Customers who have subscribed to the SWIFT WebAccess service on SWIFTNet can browse to
that service through Alliance Lite2.
• Extraction of information from event journals or audits trails
Alliance Lite2 does not allow customers to extract information from event journals or audit trails.
In the exceptional circumstance where the investigation of a problem requires information from
event journals or audit trails, customers can request SWIFT to extract the information by
referring to specific logs (for example, date, operator ID). SWIFT is not in a position to act upon
general or extensive requests to retrieve data from those databases.
Related information
Users' Responsibilities on page 37
Alliance Lite2 User Guide
Alliance Lite2 Administration Guide
Alliance Lite2 Administration Guide - RMA
2.4 AutoClient
Features
AutoClient is an application that provides file-based communication to and from the FIN, InterAct,
and FileAct services through the Alliance Lite2 server.
With AutoClient, users can send and receive the following types of messages and files in a fully
automated way:
• FIN MT messages in a simple text file format (RJE format, XMLv2)
Files that use the same format as on Alliance Access or Alliance Entry. These files can contain
any MT message, including system messages (for reception only), with the exception of Select/
Quit and MT 047. Received files can also contain the positive or negative acknowledgements
for sent messages.
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Alliance Lite2 Features and Functions
Service Description
Folders
Users prepare files on a back-office application for transmission, and then AutoClient directs the
files to the Alliance Lite2 server through a directory structure.
AutoClient makes received files available to a customer's back-office application using the same
directory structure. The received files can contain messages from other SWIFT users, messages
about the status of the files sent through AutoClient, or can be FileAct files. By default, ACKs/NAKs
of messages created in the browser are not returned to AutoClient. Using AutoClient customers
can download a maximum of 30 days of messages. AutoClient downloads received files only once.
AutoClient processes the content of the following pre-defined folders:
• Emission folder
Contains all files that Alliance Lite2 is due to transmit.
• Reception folder
Contains all files that Alliance Lite2 receives for the correspondent.
• Errors folder
Contains errors generated by AutoClient (FIN, MX, and FileAct).
• Archive folder
Contains any file that has successfully been transmitted by Alliance Lite2.
Message handling
On the Alliance Lite2 browser-based screens, operators can view individual FIN and MX messages
that AutoClient has imported through RJE files and XMLv2 files. They can approve or reject these
messages, either individually or in bulk.
By default, files and messages submitted through AutoClient to the Alliance Lite2 server do not
require an approval. However, customers can request a manual approval configuration.
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Alliance Lite2 Features and Functions
Service Description
Files exchanged between the customer back-office and the AutoClient software can be locally
checked for authentication and integrity of the information.
Operation
1. AutoClient runs in the background and therefore does not have a user interface.
2. Operators can check the AutoClient icon in the Windows taskbar to see the status of
AutoClient, that is, whether it is running or not. Operators can click this icon to start or to stop
the AutoClient monitoring. Alternatively, operators can use the Windows command line to check
the status of AutoClient, and to start or stop it.
3. Operators must monitor that the uploaded files are moved from the emission folder to the
archive folder, which indicates the successful upload of the file, and they must check the error
folder for files that fail to be uploaded. They must also ensure that acknowledgements are
received in the reception folder for sent MT or MX messages, and that files with a .ok
extension are received in the reception folder for sent FileAct files.
4. Operators can start AutoClient from the Windows taskbar, from the Windows start menu, or
from the Windows command line.
5. The customer's security officers can activate several AutoClient tokens, or AutoClient channel
certificates, if desired. This allows to set up several standby instances of AutoClient. Only one
AutoClient instance should be active (started and running). If two or more AutoClient instances
are running at the same time, then they will all receive the same messages and files. If a
(standby) AutoClient instance is started, then it will automatically receive all files that this
instance has not yet received, up to maximum 30 days history.
Related information
Users' Responsibilities on page 37
Alliance Lite2 AutoClient User Guide
Related information
Users' Responsibilities on page 37
Alliance Lite2 AutoClient User Guide
Alliance Lite2 Direct Link User Guide
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Alliance Lite2 Features and Functions
Service Description
20 March 2020 18
Alliance Lite2 Features and Functions
Service Description
Transformation tools
Alliance Lite2 Direct Link includes a mapping tool to assist SWIFT Professional Services in the
development of custom logic for transforming proprietary messages to SWIFT standard messages
and vice versa. Alliance Lite2 Direct Link includes utilities that SWIFT Professional Services can
use for transformation to and from the structures needed for data exchanged with Alliance Lite2.
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Alliance Lite2 Features and Functions
Service Description
2.5.4 Monitoring
Event logging
SWIFT Integration Layer, the SWIFT integration technology embedded in Alliance Lite2 Direct Link,
generates both business-related events and technical events. These events are visible through the
audit trail monitoring feature. The audit trail content can be viewed as XML or CSV.
2.5.5 Resilience
Alliance Lite2 Direct Link is a lightweight and stateless product without any message storage. As
such, it relies on the resiliency of the customer's business application connector and on Alliance
Lite2.
To assure smooth recovery in the event of an outage of Alliance Lite2 Direct Link (due to process
stoppage or hardware issues, for example) all aspects of the recovery procedure must be
analysed. SWIFT Professional Services, together with the customer, must design, implement, and
test recovery aspects in the scope of an integration project.
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Alliance Lite2 Features and Functions
Service Description
Business user
A business user can use the browser-based screens to create, view, and approve messages,
access SWIFT WebAccess services, and other screen functions, according to the roles assigned to
this user by the customer's security officers.
Security officer
The two Alliance Lite2 security officers appointed by the customer are responsible for the following
tasks:
• configuration of Alliance Lite2, and creation, maintenance, and deletion of the records of the
business users
• generation of the initial activation codes for the personal certificates, and handover of the initial
activation code to the intended user or AutoClient operator
• generation of the initial activation code for the channel certificates, and handover of the initial
activation code to the intended AutoClient operator
• assignment of roles to business users
The Alliance Lite2 security officers must have access to the SWIFT Online Operations Manager
and to the SWIFT Secure Channel application (for offline intervention requests in case online
access is not available).
SWIFT recommends that security officers, through the SWIFT Online Operations Manager, request
the generation of a report for all certificates on a monthly basis to be able to monitor the certificate
expiry dates and to renew them on time.
Related information
SWIFTNet Online Operations Manager User Guide
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Alliance Lite2 Features and Functions
Service Description
To activate the tokens, the left and right security officers must first work together to submit a Secure
Channel security request ('recover a pki certificate'). When SWIFT has processed the request, the
security officers receive an e-mail containing a link to the SWIFT Certificate Centre where they can
activate their own token. The security officers then assign a password to their token, which is only
known by themselves.
It is the responsibility of the Alliance Lite2 security officers to configure the tokens for the business
users and for AutoClient. SWIFT offers the services of SWIFT-certified engineers to assist with this
initial set-up.
Each Alliance Lite2 security officer and each Alliance Lite2 business user has a personal hardware
token. The security officer or the business user must plug his own token into a USB port of the
computer, and then must enter the token's password each time the token is used. After five
consecutive failed attempts to enter the valid password, the token is locked.
A token contains a certificate and its private key, a processor chip, and the algorithm to calculate
the digital signature on the token. The private key of the certificate never leaves the token. The
certificate operates at a personal level. It is not possible to put other software or data on these
tokens.
Channel certificates
A channel certificate is an encrypted, disk-based profile file that provides a way for SWIFT to
authenticate the identity of an application. The Alliance Lite2 AutoClient application is authenticated
through a 2048-bits PKI private key that is generated at customer premises.
Alliance Lite2 supports channel certificates as an alternative means to physical tokens for securing
the connection between the Alliance Lite2 AutoClient or Direct Link instance at customer premises
and SWIFT.
Alliance Lite2 supports channel certificates on Windows, yet channel certificates mandate the use
of the SWIFT VPN connection over an Alliance Connect product (VPN box) that belongs to the
owner of the channel certificate. To prevent misuse of channel certificates, SWIFT ensures that
channel certificates cannot be used by a VPN box having an IP address outside the range of IP
addresses that is linked to the BIC of the certificate. In addition, channel certificates are only
permitted for application-to-application flows, not for human-to-application flows, such as browse
services.
The policy ID for channel certificates is 1.3.21.6.3.10.100.1.
Token management functions
For token management functions, see the SWIFT Certificate Centre Portal User Guide.
20 March 2020 22
Alliance Lite2 Features and Functions
Service Description
4-eyes principle
The following operations are carried out under the 4-eyes principle:
• Creation and modification of the Alliance Lite2 user records
Requires the approval of at least two Alliance Lite2 security officers.
• Dual processing of messages created in the browser-based screens
A central workflow handles the message creation and approval. Alliance Lite2 security officers
can configure the application in such a way that a second business user must approve a
message before that message is released to SWIFT. SWIFT strongly recommends that the
Alliance Lite2 security officers configure the application in such a way that two different business
users must process a message before that message is released to SWIFT. SWIFT recommends
that this dual processing of messages is performed on two different PCs.
• Approval of transactions from AutoClient
By default, files and messages submitted through AutoClient to the Alliance Lite2 server do not
require approval. SWIFT strongly recommends that Alliance Lite2 customers request SWIFT for
a configuration change in such a way that the transactions from AutoClient must be approved
before they are released to SWIFT.
PKI-based security
Alliance Lite2 customers are identified on SWIFTNet using BICs, just like any other SWIFTNet
customer.
All SWIFTNet messages or files initiated by, or intended for, Alliance Lite2 customers are signed
with standard SWIFTNet PKI certificates associated with the BICs of the customer, like any
message exchanged between other SWIFTNet customers.
Relationship Management Application authorisation messages must also be exchanged with
Alliance Lite2 users when required, such as for authenticated FIN messages.
A BIC identifies each Alliance Lite2 customer, and the Alliance Lite2 user has two identities:
• one identity for access to the Alliance Lite2 server
• a second identity to exchange messages or files over SWIFTNet. Only the second identity is
visible to other SWIFTNet customers.
An Alliance Lite2 user is authenticated towards the Alliance Lite2 server through a 2048-bit PKI
private key that is generated at the user's premises. That PKI credential is protected in, and never
leaves the FIPS 140-2-level3-compliant USB token.
The USB token uses the private PKI key to sign the most sensitive operations that the user creates
and sends to the Alliance Lite2 server. To activate the USB token, the user must enter the
password.
Encryption
All exchanges with Alliance Lite2 through the Internet are fully encrypted using standard HTTPS
(TLS 1.2) and a strong encryption algorithm.
Note A strong encryption algorithm means the highest priority with the Cipher Suite
TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA.
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Alliance Lite2 Features and Functions
Service Description
20 March 2020 24
Alliance Lite2 Features and Functions
Service Description
SWIFT Integration Layer and Alliance Lite2 Direct Link are stateless and therefore do not
persist business messages for recovery or message search. These functions are handled for
the emission flow by either the business application or middleware, and for the reception flow by
Alliance Lite2.
Limitations on use
Any software supplied as part of the Alliance Lite2 application, including any embedded third-party
software, is for use by Alliance Lite2 users only, and must be used to access and use Alliance Lite2
only or other SWIFT services and products as authorised in other applicable documentation.
Receiving messages
SWIFT processes all FIN and MX messages in real-time mode. They are displayed on the browser-
based screens for Alliance Lite2 users, and SWIFT also forwards them to the customer's
AutoClient.
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Alliance Lite2 Features and Functions
Service Description
SWIFT's responsibilities
SWIFT performs certain verifications on the signature of messages, as set out in the requirements
described in the FIN Service Description.
SWIFT is responsible for the protection and the use of the SWIFTNet PKI certificates of the
Alliance Lite2 users.
SWIFT signs messages and files on behalf of the Alliance Lite2 user with its PKI certificates.
SWIFT keeps and protects customer's data, messages, and files on SWIFT systems as further
detailed in Protection of Customer Information on page 26.
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Alliance Lite2 Features and Functions
Service Description
User space
SWIFT provisions each customer with a user space on the Alliance Lite2 server that can be used
by operators to perform manual file uploads. SWIFT provides this user space as a temporary file
storage. Customers are responsible for removing files from this location after successful file
emission. SWIFT will automatically delete from these individual user spaces the files that have not
been modified during the past 7 days.
Planned unavailability
SWIFT plans for specific dates and times when the service, or the SWIFT WebAccess, FIN, FileAct
or SWIFTNet service will be unavailable.
Planned unavailability can be for various events including the following:
• downtime due to scheduled equipment maintenance
• scheduled system or service changes
• business continuity activities
SWIFT performs system changes and maintenance during allowable downtime windows (ADW).
During an allowable downtime window, the Alliance Lite2 may be unavailable either for the whole
duration of the downtime, or only intermittently.
For information about the scheduled downtime, see the Planned maintenance page on swift.com.
SWIFT notifies customers in advance of planned unavailability. SWIFT recommends that
customers subscribe to the products and services notifications to be notified of any maintenance
updates. For more information about the notifications subscription, see the SWIFT Operational
Status page on swift.com (Subscribe to notifications).
Unplanned unavailability
If SWIFT becomes aware of a problem in the Alliance Lite2 service, then SWIFT will initiate any
recovery or fallback operation for which it is responsible and that is necessary to restore the
service.
In the extreme event that the operating centre where Alliance Lite2 is running becomes
unavailable, SWIFT will restore the Alliance Lite2 live services in a standby infrastructure located in
another operating centre. The standby disaster recovery infrastructure then becomes the main
infrastructure.
The standby operating centre is deployed as a cold standby infrastructure. This means that the
standby server infrastructure is ready and configured, and that the configuration data it contains is
identical to the data that was on the primary site at the time of the last data synchronisation.
Customers will need to undertake certain actions to be able to continue using Alliance Lite2. These
actions will be detailed in a disaster recovery guide that will be distributed to customers as and
when required.
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Alliance Lite2 Features and Functions
Service Description
The Alliance Lite2 service is available through the Internet. The availability of the Internet network
route between the customer and the Alliance Lite2 servers is not under SWIFT's control. Therefore
SWIFT disclaims any liability for unavailability of the Internet network route. Users seeking service
level guarantees on the connection between their premises and the Alliance Lite2 server should
use SWIFT's VPN with the Alliance Connect products of SWIFT, and use lines from SWIFT's
network partners with guaranteed service levels.
The levels of service that this document specifies assume normal operating conditions. These
include resilient operations during most single-component failure scenarios within the active SWIFT
operating centre where SWIFT runs the Alliance Lite2 service. The Alliance Lite2 service is
designed to handle many anomalous events without impact to the activities of the Alliance Lite2
subscribers and users. However, under certain, very unlikely, disaster scenarios (for example, the
complete unavailability of a SWIFT operating centre, dual failures of similar components), SWIFT
may be unable to meet these levels of service, in whole or in part.
Availability
Outside the allowable downtime windows and the cases of unplanned unavailability as described
above, SWIFT provides the Alliance Lite2 service 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, all year long.
Permitted usage
Alliance Lite2 has been designed to meet the needs of most customers with regards to traffic
volumes, performance, and resilience. Customers with specific requirements that are beyond what
can be considered as standard usage are not permitted to use Alliance Lite2 and are advised to
use an on-premise infrastructure. In case the usage of an existing Alliance Lite2 customer evolves
over time to a point where it is no longer considered as permitted usage, SWIFT reserves the right
to terminate the customer's Alliance Lite2 subscription at any moment.
SWIFT recommends the use of on-premises FIN and SWIFTNet interface solutions for Market
Infrastructures such as central banks and Central Securities Depositories (CSD) that wish to
connect to SWIFT. This connectivity option ensures the highest level of business continuity for
Market Infrastructure customers and the communities they serve. Alliance Lite2 should not be used
by Market Infrastructures to operate their own service to their community (such as an RTGS, or a
SWIFTNet browse service for CSD application). For other types of usage, even though not
recommended, Alliance Lite2 could be offered, on a case by case basis, after acceptance from the
Market Infrastructure of the current Cloud services capabilities in terms of volume, throughput and
latency. Authorisation to use Alliance Lite2 should be granted by SWIFT.
Usage limits : Alliance Lite2 supports the following:
• Daily volume
- FIN: 10,000 messages per day in each direction
- MX: 1,200 messages per day in each direction
- FileAct: 1,200 files per day in each direction
• GUI/browse users
- up to 10 concurrent users
- up to 20 defined users (maximum 20 tokens)
• Throughput
- maximum 2,500 FIN messages per hour
- maximum 300 MX messages per hour
These maximum throughput volumes are achievable only if multiple messages per file are
submitted to the AutoClient by means of back-office message batching.
• Business flows configuration
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Alliance Lite2 Features and Functions
Service Description
Alliance Lite2 supports simple and a limited number of business flows configurations.
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Alliance Lite2 System Requirements
Service Description
3 System Requirements
Operating systems for use with Alliance Lite2
Alliance Lite2 is qualified to operate with Microsoft Windows. Customers can find details about the
operating system levels and releases in the Alliance Lite2 Administration Guide, the Alliance Lite2
AutoClient User Guide, and the Alliance Lite2 Direct Link User Guide.
Note Alliance Lite2 can be installed and used on a Windows system running under
virtualisation technology. The use of SWIFT's security hardware tokens requires that
the virtualisation technology supports USB ports. Channel certificates do not require
USB support. Given the variety of possible virtualisation technologies, SWIFT refrains
from formally qualifying its software, including Alliance Lite2 AutoClient, on such virtual
environments. Instead, customers should seek assurance and support from the
vendor of the virtualisation technology. SWIFT has not qualified the release under any
virtualisation technology.
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Alliance Lite2 System Requirements
Service Description
Related information
Alliance Lite2 AutoClient User Guide
Alliance Lite2 Direct Link User Guide
Alliance Connect product page
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Alliance Lite2 Third-Party Software
Service Description
4 Third-Party Software
The following third-party software is embedded in the Alliance Lite2 AutoClient:
• Oracle Java 2 Standard Edition (J2SE) (Runtime Environment)
• Bouncy Castle Java
SWIFT Integration Layer, the SWIFT integration technology embedded in Alliance Lite2 Direct Link,
embeds certain third-party software, in whole or in part, which is described in the SWIFT
Integration Layer Installation Notice. This Installation Notice is contained within the software
medium.
The customer acknowledges that it may not under any circumstances use any third-party software
(whether specifically identified in this service description or not) embedded as part of SWIFT
Integration Layer for any function other than as an integral part of SWIFT Integration Layer. Any
misuse of such third-party software by the customer may subject the customer to a revocation of
the right to use SWIFT Integration Layer.
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Alliance Lite2 Ordering
Service Description
5 Ordering
Order SWIFT services and products
To use SWIFT services and products, a customer must subscribe to, or order, the relevant services
and products.
Related information
For information about SWIFT's online ordering facility and how to order, see www.swift.com >
Ordering & Support > Ordering.
Export restrictions
Due to export control and other sanctions programmes, Alliance Lite2 may not be supplied or made
available to certain customers. If you have any questions about your particular status regarding the
various sanctions programmes, then contact your regional support centre.
20 March 2020 33
Alliance Lite2 Support and Care Services
Service Description
6.1 Support
Support for SWIFT customers
By default, SWIFT Support is the single point of contact to report all problems and queries that
relate to SWIFT services and products. SWIFT Community Support is available to all SWIFT
customers.
Individuals within a customer organisation must register on swift.com to use the Support service.
On top of the SWIFT Community Support, customers can purchase the Advanced Support and
Care Services.
SWIFT automatically registers the Alliance Lite2 customer security officers, specified at ordering
time, as users of the Support service. Other users within a customer organisation must register to
get access to the Support service.
Subscription to Alliance Lite2 includes the SWIFT Community Support package.
For more information about the different services that SWIFT offers as part of the SWIFT Advanced
Support and Care Services and the procedure to order support, see Support and Care Services on
swift.com.
SWIFT provides support for SWIFT services and products only. For example, SWIFT does not offer
support for the underlying hardware and software systems (operating system, third-party
messaging middleware) which are used in conjunction with the SWIFT product. In case of
problems or queries that relate to those third-party hardware or software systems, customers must
contact the responsible vendor.
Related information
For more information about Support services, see the Service Description related to the applicable
support package: Support documentation
20 March 2020 34
Alliance Lite2 SWIFT Training
Service Description
7 SWIFT Training
SWIFT provides training about standards, products, and services to suit different needs. From
tailored training to self-paced e-learning modules on SWIFTSmart, a range of training options are
available for all SWIFT end users.
SWIFTSmart
SWIFTSmart is an interactive, cloud-based training service that offers a large variety of courses for
different levels of knowledge. The courses contain exercises and quizzes and are available in
multiple languages. The SWIFTSmart catalogue provides a list of courses that are organised into
these learning tracks:
• General knowledge
• Work with messages
• Deploy and manage SWIFT software solutions
• Security and audit
• Compliance and shared services
SWIFTSmart is accessible from the desktop or from a mobile device. No installation is required.
It is available to all connected SWIFT end users and registered SWIFT partners with a swift.com
account. For more information, see How to become a swift.com user.
Tailored training
A full range of tailored programmes are available to meet specific training needs. For more
information, visit the Training web page.
20 March 2020 35
Alliance Lite2 Roles and Responsibilities
Service Description
Licence terms
Subject to the applicable licence terms set out from time to time in the SWIFT contractual
documentation, including the SWIFT General Terms and Conditions or any third-party licence terms
which shall be contained in an application installation notice, SWIFT grants the customer a non-
exclusive and non-transferable right to use SWIFT Integration Layer, the integration technology
embedded in Alliance Lite2 Direct Link, as contemplated by this service description and as
permitted under the SWIFT Integration Layer base licence subscribed to by the customer.
SWIFT Integration Layer and Alliance Lite2 Direct Link base licences
Each base license must have an association with one active SWIFT BIC that grants the licensee
the right to use all the low-level connectivity libraries that are part of the product. Optionally,
depending on the type of customer (Alliance Lite2, Alliance Lite2 for Business Application Provider,
or Alliance Lifeline) and the options the customer has purchased, SWIFT grants customers a
licence to use the transformation engine (that is built into the product).
For further information, as well as the latest information about the calculation of the base licence,
customers should contact their SWIFT Account Manager.
The base licence has no limit on the number of users or attached application systems.
Installation options
The SWIFT Integration Layer and Alliance Lite2 Direct Link base licences authorise the customer
to install and run the respective product on all of the following environments:
• one production instance
• one test instance
• one contingency instance, potentially deployed in a different site
20 March 2020 36
Alliance Lite2 Roles and Responsibilities
Service Description
Internet access
The Alliance Lite2 user is responsible for the availability of the Internet connection and the
resolution of any other problems caused by or arising during the Internet connection to the Alliance
Lite2 server.
In particular, the Alliance Lite2 user must troubleshoot problems related to the user's Internet
connection, or problems with the set-up of the Internet on the user's side.
VPN access
When using a VPN box as ordered from SWIFT, the customer must comply with any guidelines or
instructions in force given by SWIFT regarding the use of the equipment, in particular as detailed in
the VPN Box Terms and Conditions and in the Alliance Connect Service Descriptions.
20 March 2020 37
Alliance Lite2 Roles and Responsibilities
Service Description
Related information
Security Features on page 21
20 March 2020 38
Alliance Lite2 Roles and Responsibilities
Service Description
• on the PC running AutoClient, leave the token inserted in the PC, unless the PC is in a secured
area, protected from physical and logical (network) access by unauthorised people or
applications
• write down any password or communicate a password to unauthorised people, especially the
password to unlock the token
• use a password that can be deduced easily
• allow anybody to watch over the shoulder of a user who is typing a password
20 March 2020 39
Alliance Lite2 Roles and Responsibilities
Service Description
Because users change roles or leave the company, the customer must maintain an accurate
and up-to-date list of authorised users.
• Establish entitlement management practices to ensure that customers are granted access to
Alliance Lite2 functions only on a need-to-know or need-to-have basis.
As an example, use this capability to whitelist bank accounts, and to set a limit on the maximum
amount per transaction or per day.
• Use the dual approval features provided by Alliance Lite2 (see 4-eyes principle on page 23),
ideally from two different PCs.
• Configure the application in such a way that the transactions from AutoClient must be manually
approved before they are released to SWIFT.
• Ensure that only the person with the required permission has physical and logical access to the
Alliance Lite2 PC, to the AutoClient PC, and to the backups.
• Reconcile daily traffic, to detect mismatches between authorised and actual traffic, both sent or
received.
20 March 2020 40
Alliance Lite2 Roles and Responsibilities
Service Description
Specific obligations and responsibilities apply to customers of these services, as set out in the
relevant service description and other related SWIFT contractual documentation.
For the latest available versions of the relevant service descriptions and other SWIFT contractual
documentation, see Knowledge Centre (User Handbook).
Unless performed by SWIFT as an integral part of the Alliance Lite2 release or not relevant in the
context of the Alliance Lite2 release, Alliance Lite2 customers must also abide by these obligations
and responsibilities when using the following services.
FIN
The Alliance Lite2 customers accessing FIN must in particular:
• use the appropriate SWIFT Standards. Customers can find more information about the use of
FIN message standards in the FIN Service Description.
• take all necessary steps to receive all messages queued to them during local working hours,
and before the applicable cut-off time. SWIFT reserves the right, in exceptional circumstances,
to delay the cut-off time.
• never ignore the receipt of a message. A customer that receives a message from another
customer cannot just reject or ignore the message. The receiving customer must either process
the message or promptly revert to the sender.
Customers can find more information about their obligations and responsibilities regarding the
receipt of FIN messages in the FIN Service Description.
InterAct MX
Alliance Lite2 users receiving InterAct MX messages must:
• take all necessary steps to receive all messages queued to them
• never ignore the receipt of a message
InterAct MX messages can be sent and received by Alliance Lite2 over InterAct in store-and-
forward or in real-time mode. Customers can find more information about InterAct in the SWIFTNet
Service Description.
FileAct
Alliance Lite2 users using FileAct in a many-to-many environment must accept having their
participation published in the generic Directories Over FileAct Implementation Guidelines, part of
the SWIFTNet Services Directory (restricted area). These users must also adhere to the policies
and other customer responsibilities in the SWIFTNet Messaging Operations Guide.
20 March 2020 41
Alliance Lite2 Roles and Responsibilities
Service Description
Member-Administered Closed User Group service administrator must approve their participation.
Also the market infrastructure or Member-Administered Closed User Group service administrator
may at all times request SWIFT to withdraw them from the market infrastructure or Member-
Administered Closed User Group. These users must also adhere to the service parameters and
any operational rules that the market infrastructure or Member-Administered Closed User Group
service administrator defines from time to time in respect of the use of SWIFT services and
products in their market infrastructure or Member-Administered Closed User Group.
20 March 2020 42
Alliance Lite2 Contractual Framework
Service Description
9 Contractual Framework
SWIFT General Terms and Conditions
Together with this service description, the SWIFT General Terms and Conditions govern the
provision and the use of Alliance Lite2, except otherwise provided in the Liability section with
respect to SWIFT liability. Such section on liability shall prevail in the case of conflict or
inconsistency with the SWIFT General Terms and Conditions.
For the latest available version of the SWIFT General Terms and Conditions, see www.swift.com >
About Us > Legal > Terms & Conditions.
Liability
However, SWIFT's liability for the provision and the use of Alliance Lite2 to any and all Alliance
Lite2 users shall together not exceed, in respect of any and all claims notified to SWIFT in each
calendar year, an aggregate maximum of one million euro per calendar year.
This specific limit of SWIFT's liability does not apply to any liability for death or personal injury, or in
respect of claims relating to physical damage or loss of the user's tangible property. Any limit to any
such liability of SWIFT will be assessed according to the SWIFT General Terms and Conditions
only.
The SWIFT General Terms and Conditions also apply to the provision and the use of SWIFTNet
PKI.
SWIFTRef Products
The provision and use of the SWIFTRef Products are governed by the SWIFTRef Products Terms
and Conditions.
20 March 2020 43
Alliance Lite2 Contractual Framework
Service Description
Should SWIFT provide professional services related to Alliance Lite2 Direct Link, SWIFT's
obligations and responsibilities will be governed by the applicable service proposal and the related
SWIFT Services Terms and Conditions.
Customer testing
Customers must not conduct any performance or vulnerability tests on or through SWIFT services
and products unless expressly permitted in the SWIFT Customer Testing Policy. If customers
believe they have identified a potential performance or vulnerability threat, they must immediately
inform SWIFT thereof and treat all related information, data or materials as SWIFT confidential
information.
20 March 2020 44
Alliance Lite2 List of Available Configuration Changes
Service Description
Add one unit for manual message By default, BIC8_Unit is Alliance Lite2 User Guide
processing. assigned to all messages (Message Creation section)
manually created or processed,
and all operators are assigned to
this BIC8_Unit. Additional units
can be created for manual
message processing to
segregate the messages
displayed to the operators.
Add or change one operator profile. Additional operator profiles can The list of default operator
be defined to customise the profiles is available in the
applications and the activities Alliance Lite2 Administration
that the operators can perform. Guide (Default Operator Profiles
section).
Generate a PDF automatically for all This configuration enables the Alliance Lite2 AutoClient User
the messages that are sent and/or customer to print, in PDF format, Guide (Additional Configurations
received through AutoClient. all the messages that are sent section)
and/or received for a customer
BIC in AutoClient. These
messages are stored in a PDF
folder in the reception directory
of AutoClient.
Change the FIN message default By default, the received FIN Alliance Lite2 AutoClient User
output format from RJE to XMLv2. message files are available in Guide (Message File Preparation
RJE format. On request, SWIFT section)
can change the default output
format to XMLv2 per customer.
Change the InterAct message output By default, the received InterAct Alliance Lite2 AutoClient User
format to XMLv2 rev7 message output format is XMLv2 Guide (XMLv2 Format used by
rev3. On request, SWIFT can Alliance Lite2)
change the default output format
to XMLv2 rev7 per customer.
20 March 2020 45
Alliance Lite2 List of Available Configuration Changes
Service Description
Change the message flow so that all By default, files and messages Alliance Lite2 AutoClient User
messages sent to SWIFT through that are submitted through Guide (Successful Upload
AutoClient require authorisation. AutoClient to the Alliance Lite2 section)
server do not require
authorisation and are sent
directly to SWIFT. This message
flow can be changed to force
manual authorisation before
sending to SWIFT.
Change the message flow so that the By default, the ACKs of Alliance Lite2 User Guide
ACKs of all messages created messages created manually are (Management of Messages
manually are routed to the AutoClient automatically completed. This section)
directory. message flow can be changed to
have all the ACKs routed to the
AutoClient directory.
Segregate one received message flow By default, all received Alliance Lite2 AutoClient User
into its own, separate subdirectory (for messages are sent to the Guide (Reception Directory
example, based on MT, correspondent, AutoClient Reception directory. section)
request type). This message flow can be
updated to have part of it (for
example, based on a message
type or correspondent) routed to
a new and separate AutoClient
subdirectory.
Segregate the message flow to By default, all received Alliance Lite2 AutoClient User
separate subdirectories based on the messages are sent to the Guide (Reception Directory
traffic type (for example, FIN, FileAct). AutoClient Reception directory. section)
This message flow can be
updated to route messages of
different types (for example, FIN,
FileAct) to new and distinct
AutoClient subdirectories.
Add one BIC11. BIC11s are, by default, not Knowledge base tip 5017673
defined as internal
correspondents in Alliance Lite2.
SWIFT can change the customer
BIC11 definition to allow
message sending from that
BIC11.
20 March 2020 46
Alliance Lite2 List of Available Configuration Changes
Service Description
Change the message flow so that a By default, files and messages Alliance Lite2 AutoClient User
subset of messages sent to SWIFT that are submitted through Guide (Successful Upload
through AutoClient require verification AutoClient to the Alliance Lite2 section)
or authorisation. server do not require verification
or authorisation, and are sent
directly to SWIFT. This message
flow can be changed to force
manual verification or
authorisation of a subset of
messages before sending to
SWIFT.
Change the message flow so that a By default, the AutoClient Alliance Lite2 User Guide
copy of all messages (including ACKs Archive directory only contains (Management of Messages
and manually created messages) is the messages processed section)
sent to the AutoClient Archive through AutoClient. This
directory. message flow can be changed to
have a copy of all messages,
including ACKs and manually
created messages, sent to the
AutoClient Archive directory.
Change the message flow so that the By default, the ACKs of Alliance Lite2 User Guide
ACKs (FIN, FileAct) are routed to a messages sent to the Alliance (Management of Messages
separate AutoClient subdirectory. Lite2 server through AutoClient section)
are sent to the AutoClient
Reception directory. This
message flow can be changed to
have those ACKs routed to a
separate AutoClient
subdirectory.
Change the message flow so that the By default, the delivery Alliance Lite2 User Guide
delivery notifications (FIN, FileAct) are notifications of messages sent to (Management of Messages
routed to a separate AutoClient the Alliance Lite2 server through section)
subdirectory. AutoClient are sent to the
AutoClient Reception directory.
This message flow can be
changed to have those delivery
notifications routed to a separate
AutoClient subdirectory.
Change the unit assignment of By default, messages are Alliance Lite2 User Guide
messages during message processing. processed and routed without (Management of Messages
changing their unit assignment. section)
This message flow can be
changed to have the unit
assignment modified while
processing the messages.
20 March 2020 47
Alliance Lite2 List of Available Configuration Changes
Service Description
Change network configuration to By default, customers who are Knowledge base tip 5018026
disable internet access, for customers using an Alliance Connect
connecting through Alliance Connect. connectivity pack to connect to
Alliance Lite2 can also connect
to Alliance Lite2 through the
internet. SWIFT can change the
access configuration to disable
the internet access for such
customers.
Import FIN message templates created By default, there are no Alliance Lite2 User Guide (Use
in Alliance Access or created in an message templates defined in Message Templates section)
Alliance Lite2 test environment. Alliance Lite2. Customers can
create their own message
templates. It is also possible to
request SWIFT to import into
Alliance Lite2 message
templates previously created in
Alliance Access or in an Alliance
Lite2 test environment.
Import MX message templates, By default, there are no Alliance Lite2 User Guide (Use
created in Alliance Access or in an message templates defined in Message Templates section)
Alliance Lite2 test environment. Alliance Lite2. Customers can
create their own message
templates. It is also possible to
request SWIFT to import into
Alliance Lite2 message
templates previously created in
Alliance Access or in an Alliance
Lite2 test environment.
Note The following requests are part of the Community Support service provided to all
Alliance Lite2 customers:
• Request to switch FIN LTs into future mode testing
This allows customers to start testing a new SWIFT Standards Release before Live
availability. Requests for future mode testing do not require a SWIFT maintenance
window. When the tests are completed, the customer must explicitely request
SWIFT to set the mode back to the original value.
For more information, see Knowledge Base tip 5019985.
• Request to create additional Alliance Lite2 LSOs and RSOs
By default, Alliance Lite2 is configured with one left security officer (LSO) and one
right security officer (RSO). Customers can create additional LSOs and RSOs, but
this requires the intervention of SWIFT.
20 March 2020 48
Alliance Lite2 Alliance Lite2 Service Levels
Service Description
20 March 2020 49
Alliance Lite2 Alliance Lite2 Service Levels
Service Description
actions depending on the nature of the failure. If required, SWIFT will declare an incident, with
potential notification to the SWIFT Command Centre.
20 March 2020 50
Alliance Lite2 Legal Notices
Service Description
Legal Notices
Copyright
SWIFT © 2020. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer
The information in this publication may change from time to time. You must always refer to the
latest available version.
Translations
The English version of SWIFT documentation is the only official and binding version.
Trademarks
SWIFT is the trade name of S.W.I.F.T. SC. The following are registered trademarks of SWIFT:
3SKey, Innotribe, MyStandards, Sibos, SWIFT, SWIFTNet, SWIFT Institute, the Standards Forum
logo, the SWIFT logo and UETR. Other product, service, or company names in this publication are
trade names, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
20 March 2020 51