A non-embedded, or local footprint, terminal solution is often referred to as a DLL based solution. This type of terminal involves being a slave controlled by a master program. The controller is typically a Dynamic Link Library (DLL) mini-program that is installed on a workstation. This approach was developed at a time when terminals did not have a dedicated Ethernet connection, but were controlled by serial port.
The benefits of this type of solution:
- Wide acceptance in the industry
- Wide availability, and
- Non-maker components are generally not required.
The drawbacks of a local footprint solution include:
- PA-DSS requirement – Cardholder information flows through a merchant network, so Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS) certification may be necessary to deploy the terminal solution to an environment that is already PCI compliant. Future software changes then require expensive and complicated recertification.
- Point-to-point encryption problems – Implementing authentic P2PE requires complex and expensive PA-DSS certification on the encrypting code. There is controversy between PCI auditors over whether non-embedded solutions are certifiable for removing POS systems from the scope of PCI compliance.
- Updates can be complicated and tricky – Code that is a component of a primary application is easily updated as part of the main application. Updating unbundled code requires a procedure or management system to update.
There may also be additional costs associated with using components requiring licensing. The solution may also be linked to a particular operating system and support may not be available for other systems.
If you would like to learn more about terminal solutions, contact one of our payment processing experts today. We’ll work with you to find the best solution for your business.