Introduction
Drummond Group Inc. (DGI) tests AS2 products-with-version for interoperability with other AS2 products-with-version in a specified interoperability test round. AS2 Interoperability tests are currently run twice a year in February and August. Participation in the testing is voluntary. As adoption of AS2 products increases, the need for compliant and interoperable products also grows. DGI's Drummond Certified Program is an industry- and vendor-neutral software testing program designed to enable vertical and horizontal interoperability across the global supply chain. Products which pass interoperability testing are provided a Drummond Certified seal and are listed in the product listings on the DGI website. All software vendors voluntarily choose to participate in this testing process and pay to support the cost of their participation. Each Interoperability Test Round confirms that products-with-version will interoperate with all other products-with-version listed within that test round and are included in the final report. Clarification is required in how to interpret the most recent set of interoperable products with those from previous test rounds. The purpose of this FAQ is to clarify to AS2 supply chain users how to interpret the results of the Drummond Certified Program and to offer some general guidelines in using this information.
Disclaimer
Test cases included in DGI's test offerings are based on the original technical specifications of the respective standard and may include additional test cases which are recommended by industry groups and/or end users which are not part of the original technical specifications. Testing and certification, including all profiles whether or not they are included in the original standard, should neither be construed as a guarantee of, or evidence of, acceptance by the end user, nor of market demand. DGI makes no warranties nor assumes any liability for the participant's interpretation of DGI's test offerings and how it may affect the sale of their product(s).
What is Interoperability?
Each test in the Drummond Certified Program tests software products against a particular standard (such as AS2) with input from the user community. At the end of each test round, a list of software products is published which have successfully passed and are considered interoperable amongst only the list of products in that specific round. The DGI Interoperability Compliance Process™, a stringent matrix testing methodology, ensures that each product-with-version can interoperate with every other product-with-version on the list. NOTE: To fully understand what functions have been tested for interoperability, please read the final report for test rounds which can be found on www.drummondgroup.com website alongside the product listings.
As vendors update their products with new versions, patches or upgrades, the use of the passing list from each test round ages and interoperability is slowly lost among that group of products. The current interoperability test list does not supercede the older list, but the products with versions on each list become aged as vendors make changes to their products or as new vendors join the list. A list refers to a specific test round.
How do I use the published results of Drummond Certified™ interoperability test rounds?
DGI publishes a list of interoperable products-with-version which have passed the interoperability test for AS2. The test only confirms that a specific set of individual products with specific versions and release numbers are interoperable amongst themselves. The results of the tests do not indicate that products-with-versions or releases other than those listed in the final published list are interoperable. There is the possibility that they may be, but DGI has only tested a specific product-with-version and does not attest to the interoperability of other versions of those or other products. A few important points:
- Each product listed must include Product Name and Version Number tested. Software vendors sometimes list a core component that is part of a complete product instead of a product name. The core component must have a name and version which will be listed as such on the final list.
- Lists from the most recent test rounds will remain on the www.drummondgroup.com website for use in selecting interoperable AS2 products. The participants from the latest test round have 90 days after the date of the final report to release the AS2 products to the marketplace. Thus, both lists will contain products which are available in the marketplace.
- A list refers to a specific test round. Products which the Drummond Certified program posts on passing lists refer to interoperability among products within a specific test round. No warranties are made for interoperability between products of two different lists.
Can you provide additional details on how to interpret what is listed on the Drummond Certified™ interoperability certification list?
The certification list contains complete product applications and software engines (sometimes referred to as libraries or modules). The complete product applications are off-the-shelf units which the end-user can deploy in a supply chain without having to make modifications or build additional software components. A complete product application includes interface, database functionality and a supporting engine, which is sometimes referred to as a library or module.
Engines may be utilized in multiple product applications which are developed by the original manufacturer. To be considered as interoperability certified, complete product applications must be from the original manufacturer and either match the name and version-with-release of one of the complete product applications on this list OR must utilize an engine with correct version-with-release on this list.
How often are testing rounds conducted?
The frequency of test rounds depends on market demand, either because there are several vendors new to the Drummond Certified testing process requesting that their products-with-version be tested or because vendors who have already gone through the process have upgraded their products-with-versions and need newer versions of their products tested.
Test rounds are composed of three Dry Runs, followed by a week break to ensure that all product set-up and installation problems are fixed, followed by 3-5 days for the Final Run. Completion of the final test run without errors indicates the products-with-version in the test round are interoperable. The products-with-version which have successfully completed testing are then published on the www.drummondgroup.com website for reference by the buying community.
How do I use the current interoperability list and previous interoperability lists?
The last interoperability test round has the most current list of product-with-version that tested interoperable. Published lists from previous test rounds become more and more aged, and less and less useful over time because the versions or release designations have changed and are no longer available as purchasable products. The published list of interoperable products from the current round of Interoperability testing does not supercede the previous published lists from previous test rounds.
When are tested products-with-version available after the test round is completed?
The Program states that all specific products-with-versions should be available to the marketplace within 90 days from issuance of the test final report.
Lists from two test rounds will remain on the website for use in selecting interoperable AS2 products. The older list can be utilized as some products will not be changing versions or releases as quickly as others. The newer list has a deadline of 90 days after the date of the final test for the software vendors to release their AS2 product.
NOTE: No assumptions should be made about interoperability of products-with-versions between two or more different test rounds.
What does the Drummond Certified program test?
The Drummond Certified program does NOT test a product by name; it tests a product to a specific version only. Product A is not known to be interoperable, only Product A version X is tested to be interoperable with other products-with-version specific to an individual test round.
NOTE: No assumptions should be made about interoperability of products-with-versions between two or more different test rounds.
As the adoption grows for AS2, more stringent rules around the testing process will be taking effect to ensure interoperability is maintained over the life cycle of the products tested.
How do I know if my vendor's product is enrolled in a test round?
For products new to AS2 testing, it is a two-step process:
Step 1 - AS2 In-the-Queue is a conformance and debugging round. Passing AS2 In-the-Queue is a prerequisite for joining the AS2 Interoperability Test. Products which successfully pass AS2 In-the-Queue are listed on the DGI website as "In-the-Queue" and are considered compliant/conformant to the standard but are NOT considered interoperable. "In the Queue" listings are on the DGI website at: http://www.drummondgroup.com/html-v2/as2-que.html
Step 2: AS2 Interoperability Test is the actual interoperability test round where all participating AS2 software products send and receive messages to and from each of the software products involved in this test round. Those products which pass the AS2 Interoperability Test are certified as "interoperable" and are provided with a Drummond Certified seal and listed on the www.drummondgroup.com.
What is AS2 In-the-Queue ?
AS2 In-the-Queue is a conformance and debugging round. Passing AS2 In-the-Queue is a mandatory pre-requisite for 1) all new products entering testing or 2) for products which have made significant code changes to their product since passing the last AS2 Interoperability Round. Products which successfully pass AS2 In-the-Queue are listed on the DGI website as "In-the-Queue" and are considered compliant/conformant to the standard but are NOT considered interoperable.
What is AS2 OEM?
Products listed in the AS2 OEM box are considered interoperable with the associated list of AS2 Interoperable products. The AS2 OEM product listing is associated with a particular round of AS2 Interoperability Testing. Products listed in the AS2 OEM box are products whose software code is based on one of the products which passed the full AS2 Interoperability Test.
The software companies listed under the AS2 OEM list have a licensing agreement with an AS2 software developer, which passed the AS2 Interoperability Test, to privately label and resell the AS2 software under their own brand name. Companies listed as AS2 OEM companies also undergo a 2-day test to ensure that their OEM product is in fact the same code base as the product-with-version which passed the AS2 Interoperability Test.
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