Alternative FHA Network Connectivity

Introduction

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offers several network connectivity options to its business partners (mortgagees and related mortgage industry service providers) to access FHA systems and data. Access to applications under the FHA Connection is achieved using an Internet connection. For large business partners, some FHA applications also support an alternative to Internet-based access. This alternative is based on a dedicated Frame Relay Network connection. These applications are based on an FTP (file transfer protocol) and/or a real-time client/server architectures.

HUD is making every effort to make it easier for all of its business partners to conduct business electronically. However, the business partner community should recognize that resource constraints and business priorities prevent making all business functions available through every connectivity option. The information that follows describes the steps to be followed to establish dedicated access through the Frame Relay Network.

Frame Relay Network Details Connectivity

To begin the process, request a Frame Relay Network connection. The request must include "Frame Relay Request - Monthly MIP" in the subject line, your company name, HUD mortgagee ID, address, and the name, telephone number and email address of a technical point of contact (POC). (The contact should be a technical person who will be able to respond to technical issues when contacted by HUD). Your POC will be contacted by HUD when your request has been approved and you can contact a Frame Relay provider.

HUD has chosen Verizon as its Frame Relay provider. The next steps differ depending on the Frame Relay provider you have selected.

If you are a HUD Business Partner who will not or cannot choose Verizon as your Frame Relay provider:

1. Select a Frame Relay provider for your local site access.
   
   
2. Inform your Frame Relay provider that you need to connect to Verizon's Frame Relay cloud with the specific destination of HUD HQ in downtown Washington D.C. (451 7th Street, SW Washington, D.C.) The Verizon circuit ID is 36.QGDQ.684591..CD.
   
   
3. The majority of HUD Business Partners choose to utilize a 56Kbps access line with a 32Kbps CIR, Committed Burst Size (Bc=32Kbps) and Excess Burst Size (Be=24Kbps). If you need a Frame Relay PVC with characteristics different than what is described above, contact HUD by an email detailing your specific requirements.

If you are a HUD Business Partner who chooses to utilize Verizon as your Frame Relay provider:

1. Ask Verizon for a Frame Relay connection to HUD HQ in downtown Washington D.C. (451 7th Street, SW Washington D.C.) The Verizon circuit ID is 36.QGDQ.684591..CD.
   
   
2. The majority of HUD Business Partners choose to utilize a 56Kbps access line with a 32Kbps CIR, Committed Burst Size (Bc=32Kbps) and Excess Burst Size (Be=24Kbps). If you need a Frame Relay PVC with characteristics different than what is described above, contact HUD by an email detailing your specific requirements.

Note: The installation of the line may take up to 6 weeks to complete.

Routing Issues

HUD uses a screened subnet firewall architecture. No HUD Business Partner will be given direct access to the internal HUD network. All HUD Business Partners will be given access to servers on the screened subnet network.

The use of dynamic routing protocols between HUD and its Business Partners will be discouraged. HUD would prefer to use static routes to find business partner networks (and vice versa). If you wish to access HUD applications, HUD will provide the IP network number of its screened subnet to you. In turn, you must provide your IP network numbers to HUD.

At no time will you be able to directly exchange data with another HUD Business Partner via this Frame Relay Network. This network is to be used exclusively for access to HUD applications.

IP Address Assignments

HUD will provide the IP address of the HUD Business Partner Frame Relay interface. This address assignment comes from the HUD Class B network number and will utilize a variable length subnet mask.

Applications: Monthly Premiums

Access to Monthly Premiums data through the Frame Relay facility is supported using the FTP. A directory will be assigned on a HUD FTP server for each Frame Relay user. Each of the seven files will be generated for all Frame Relay users and available in your directory on the dates specified below:

	Advance Notices: 10th day of the month
	Billing: 17th day of the month
	Portfolio: 2nd day of the month
	Reallocation Transactions: Every Monday. The complete Refund Transactions file for the month is available the 2nd day of the following month.
	Reconciliation: 17th day of the month
	Lender Notification: 14th day of the month
	Refund Transactions: Every Monday with new statuses and newly initiated refunds. The complete Refund Transactions file for the month is available the 2nd day of the following month.

When downloading Monthly Premiums files, HUD recommends that you do not delete the files from your Frame Relay directory. If there is concern about pulling the same file twice, HUD's recommendation is to rename each file in the directory to .OLD after it is downloaded; for example, rename portfolio.dat to portfolio.old. This will ensure a backup copy remains available in the Frame Relay directory. The following month, the new renamed file will overlay the prior month's copy.

Header and Trailer Records

See Header and Trailer Records for information on monthly premium files retrieved through the Frame Relay Network.

Other Functionality

Information to access other FHA applications using the Frame Relay facility can be requested by email.