When choosing the right product and delivery method for your solution or project, you will find that there are a few ways to evaluate the optimum solution. The considerations are as follows:

·         Data Requirements (Driven by product needs)

·         Delivery method (Driven by product needs & Cost, both for service and internal development)

·         Cost structure (Driven by Delivery Method, and DatChoosing a Requirements)

 A. For basic VIN data, the best way to receive this data is via CSV file. There is no limit on transactions and it is licensed annually with fees based on the usage of the data, and the data points which are included. 

Best Used: For normalization, basic drop down lists, basic vehicle identification, parts reference, validation / verification.

Pros: Data is in an easy format to import and use, one table, opens in excel, no transactions.

Cons: Limited data is available in this format

 For Basic VIN data plus additional reference materials, multiple database tables are required, as well as potentially media materials. Here there are two choices.

B.   Utilize the web services, making use of the DataOne Software Decode engine. Write simple code to pass a VIN number to the service, and receive back a well formed document ideal for import into any database, along with references to media and other materials for download and retrieval. This service works well for real time applications, as well as for batch processing.

Best Used: When you need powerful data on demand, but do not necessarily need to have data stored in-house.

Pros: Quick and easy integration, be decoding vehicles in under 1 hour.Save on development time and costs, no need to write your own decoding engine, no need to host and maintain data with updates. Substantial IT savings. 

Cons: May not be ideal for some applications where data may be required in an offline manner, unless used in conjunction with the Basic VIN CSV file, for initial selection, and later full decoding.

C.  License the data tables and materials in-house. You will require development time to write a VIN decoder engine and incorporate the data into your secure application. Best Used: When you need to have access to more data than just one vehicle lookup at a time, when your number of lookups may exceed 50,000 or more per month, if your application cannot physically accommodate a web service interaction.

Pros: Data can be used in different ways when you have access to the full dataset, including drop down lists, search. No external dependencies may be ideal for some mobile applications depending on the service area, no transactional based fees.

Cons: Requires substantially more development to work with tables in-house, lose benefit of the DataOne Software decoder engine, with extensive rules base, and licensing may be more costly due to full access to the data in-house, rather than individual VIN lookups.

There is no one data set, or delivery method that is idea for all applications. The methods outlined here with pros and cons simply represent the most ideal variance for data/delivery/price options.