PCD Pre-Connectathon Testing 2010

Pre-Connectathon Tests with the MWB and NIST Tools, and the Virtual Connectathon

For a sending system:

• The MWB can be used in develop as well as test messages; messages are posted to Kudu and to the PCD ftp site
• The NIST tools provide on line testing; results (as defined) are sent to the Project Manager
• The Virtual Connectathon provides assurance that the profiles, semantics, tables, etc. used are really the ones everyone is relying upon and that you and your partners can indeed communicate; results (as defined) are sent to the Project Manager

For a receiving system:

• The MWB can be used in develop as well as test messages; generic profiles may be available; the senders' messages are posted to the PCD ftp site and can be used for testing; results are posted to Kudu
• The NIST tools may provide on line testing; if so, results (as defined) are sent to the Project Manager; the usefulness of these tests at this time in 2009 remains TBD
• The Virtual Connectathon provides assurance that the profiles, semantics, tables, etc. used are really the ones everyone is relying upon and that you and your partners can indeed communicate; results (as defined) are sent to the Project Manager

We have used the MWB every year for the past 4 years, with DEC, PIV and ACM. This will be the first time for IDCO.

Important housekeeping: you should be receiving emails from these Google Groups: PCD Connectathon/Showcase WG and the WGs supporting the profiles you are testing. You may want to join other PCD GGs, such as the Planning and/or Technical Committees, Alarm Communications Management, etc. Just let the project manager know which to add you to. You should consider active participation in the weekly PCD Connectathon/Showcase WG meetings. Please be sure to follow the developments on the Wiki pages; and please don’t confuse the PCD’s communications with those provided by Steve Moore or HIMSS. There are several channels for each.

The PCD generally provides weekly meeting summaries; you should receive one copy for each GG you join (unfortunately Google doesn’t have a tool to combine these).

MWB and NIST Tools

• MWB: the original v6.8 is at ftp://ftp.ihe.net/Patient_Care_Devices/Tools/MWB/MWB%20v%201.6.8%20also%20called%206.8/. Pete said: I can tell you though that all you need is the original v6.8 distribution package that I sent you ( .zip) – it contains readme and install instructions and the latest patch file that I sent you this a.m. Those that are installing for the first time need to do so from the large install package then replace the .exe with the patch from today. Those that already have 6.8 installed just need to replace the .exe with today’s [October 16, 2009] patch.

- NOTE: Be sure to read all the README files on the ftp site and in the zipped file. You may need to change the extensions on .zip and on .exe files.

• NIST: From John: As a point of clarification, we (at NIST) are not working on MWB profiles, but rather ones for IHE-PCD integrated with the NIST HL7 V2 Tools. While these profiles (in XML) can be used as baseline and subsequently loaded into MWB, we make no claims about what issues one may find with using it within MWB (also note that we are not providing any MWB table files - as we are achieving this functionality via XML “content validation” files which again are used internally by the NIST V2 tools for this IHE-PCD cycle). Having said this, we will (as time permits) attempt to load the NIST created XML profiles into MWB and to define them to be as consistent across both tools as possible. So bottom line, while we are happy to share what we have (XML profiles), companies are on their own to develop MWB HL7 profiles to help meet their internal needs for the pre-connectation. NIST will release our XML profiles as we believe they are in a stable state (hopefully within a week or so), given that the Technical Framework and Supplements are still being updated (and thus the requirements for validation/testing will change).

MWB and NIST Tools Tutorials

The following recordings are available:

IHE PCD MWB Tutorial Part 1 - we are attempting to schedule a repeat

IHE PCD MWB Tutorial Part 2-20091016 1458; Friday, October 16, 2009 10:58 am New York Time; 2 Hours 15 Minutes:

- https://ihe.webex.com/ihe/lsr.php?AT=pb&SP=MC&rID=36139777&rKey=d2a1fdb77f11fdde

NIST Test Tools; we plan to record that tutorial; the slides are available at

- ftp://ftp.ihe.net/Patient_Care_Devices/Tools/NIST-Tools/Presentations_Tool_updates/ with title IHE-PCD_NIST_V2Tools_tutorial_10_19_09v1.0.ppt

Post the Messages that Pass Pre-Connectathon Tests with the MWB and NIST Tools

Kudu requires indication that your message passed the MWB tests. Each test requires an individual response. Depending upon the test you may be asked for a text or word file, a pdf or other representation of a message, etc. If you are posting a complex message please accompany it with an explanatory note to make review more efficient.

When you upload the MWB results to Kudu please also post them to the ftp site for use by your partners and those joining the PCD efforts in the future. Please notify potential test partners and the project manager when you have posted messages.

Receiving systems can make use of the messages that have passed each of the MWB tests. Post them as early as possible; if you have login please post them; if not send zipped files to the project manager. Each company and system has a distinct folder, found under each profile implemented: ftp://ftp.ihe.net/Patient_Care_Devices/ConnectathonsIncludingProcessAndTesting/YR4-2010Connectathon-PreConnectathonTesting/SampleMessages/

If subsequent NIST Tool testing reveals a problem that the MWB didn't find, please post the corrected messages to the ftp site. This is not anticipated, but this is our first year experience with the NIST tool.

Virtual Connectathon

The Virtual Connectathon should use Internet connections. If firewall issues prevent direct connection you will use these tested messages from sending systems. Coordination is the responsibility of those testing. Note that the MWB can be used as a sniffer and can be set to analyze the messages. Please test with two partners. The process to document of successful tests will be determined later.

Due Dates

Test results are due December 1; however Thanksgiving is November 26; for many the effective deadline is November 25.

Return to PCD Connectathon&Showcase WG 2009-10