CasinoFest3: GSA Certification GSA Certification: How does it benefit Operators? Russ Ristine –...
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Transcript of CasinoFest3: GSA Certification GSA Certification: How does it benefit Operators? Russ Ristine –...
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
GSA Certification:
How does it benefit Operators?Russ Ristine – Radical Blue Gaming
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
What is GSA?
• GSA is an international trade association
• GSA’s members include gaming manufacturers, suppliers, operators, and regulators
• Since 1998, GSA has been promoting and facilitating the development of open standards that benefit the entire gaming industry
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
Benefits of GSA
• Create Standard Protocols (GDS, G2S, and S2S)
– Protocol experts from member companies
– All agree this is the way it must be
• Encourage adoption
– Create a stable protocol
– Training (UNLV – IGI)
– Celebrate implementations
– Provide publicity
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
GSA’s Platinum Members
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
Goal of a Standard Protocol
• Move all players from proprietary solutions to standard communications
• Vendors spend less time maintaining protocols
• Single Protocol – Much easier to test
• Operator doesn’t have to wait for their version to get modified
• Fearless Installs!
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
Agenda
Looking at Slot Machines (EGMs)
• What about Systems?
• GSA’s Certification Program
• Making Certification Effective
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
Current EGM World
• Every EGM has a version of SAS for every SMIB
• Every SMIB has a version of SAS for every EGM
• System to SMIB – homogenized, but proprietary
• All are typically developed in a vacuum
• New versions are developed to solve problems when teams finally connect in the field
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
Why is SAS Hard?
• 19,200K polled protocol with odd start bit
• Polling requires responses at inconvenient times
• Responses must meet strict timing requirements
• Multiple interpretations of the SAS protocol make interoperability testing a requirement
• SAS Certification testing started in 2005, 16 years after protocol came out!
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
SAS Certification
• GSA Creates a SAS working group
• Operators then ask for certification to reduce problems in the field
• Most existing applications failed certification
• Certification only tests EGMs…
• EGMs are now more conscious about doing their implementation correctly
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
SAS Problems Fade Away
Why is G2S better?
• G2S is made to be easily extended to accommodate new features and functions
• G2S is event driven – the EGM (or system) acknowledges immediately, and then replies as soon as it is able
• G2S uses proven Internet technology such as TCP/IP and Web Services, and is designed for reliability in a high traffic network
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
Reference Implementation
• RadBlue’s G2S Scope for EGM manufacturers
• RadBlue’s EGM Simulator for System developers
• Everyone is looking for faults in our products
• New versions go to everyone
• All of this is happening NOW
• Even though the path is mapped out, it’s hard to get everyone to follow it…
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
Agenda
• Looking at Slot Machines (EGMs)
What about Systems?
• GSA’s Certification Program
• Making Certification Effective
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
What about Systems?
• Every System vendor has their own suite of protocols for connecting to peripherals
• Every peripheral has a suite of protocols for connecting to different systems
• Everything eventually works together but it’s hard to make changes
– New vendor
– New feature
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
GSA’s S2S Protocol
• With GSA’s S2S protocol, there’s now one “standard” System to System protocol
• Provides a standardized way for communications to occur
• S2S can be easily extended to accommodate new features and functions
• S2S uses proven Internet technology such as TCP/IP and Web Services, and is designed for reliability in a high traffic network
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
However…
• Even with S2S we have differing implementations
• Seminoles are sort of doing S2S 1.1.5
• Choctaws – S2S 1.10 with non-std transport + extra classes
• Chickasaws – S2S 1.2 (Yeah!) but developing in a vacuum (uh-oh!)
• Why is this occurring?
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
Solutions
Eliminating non-standard implementations
• Doing it right must become the only way
• Standard reference implementations for S2S
• Certification program is needed
• Achieving certification must have value
• Operators MUST insist on certification
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
Agenda
• Looking at Slot Machines (EGMs)
• What about Systems?
GSA’s Certification Program
• Making Certification Effective
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
GSA Certification – Planned from the Start
• The GSA Certification program is designed to minimize interoperability problems
• With Certification testing, there is only one correct interpretation of the protocol
• Protocol schemas and web services rules can easily test messages
• Feedback loop from Operators ensures the Certification program remains viable (and relevant)
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
GSA Certification
• GSA compliance – testing by 3rd party lab to ensure that the protocol implementation is correct
• GSA Compliance testing is NOT Regulatory Approval
• Protocol certification streamlines the regulatory process – Reduces the quantity and variety of
tests that must be performed
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
GSA Certification
• All parties benefit through
– Improved speed to market for products– Products work together when they show
up on your floor– Plug and Play (easier installs, reduced
service calls)
• If both devices are certified, they should work together the first time they are connected (like your PC and printer)
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
Certification Program
• Goal = Correct and consistent implementation of GSA’s standards
• Formal process for the testing and certification of
– Gaming Products
– Testing Agencies
• Products passing certification will be published in the Certification Register on GSA’s web site
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
Reference Implementations
• Simulators and test tools are available to provide a reference version of the protocol
• Developers can use a simulator to ensure their EGM or system will talk to a correctly implemented system (or EGM)
• Test tools are also available so that new code can be exercised with thousands of transaction over days
• Developers can pre-test with certification tools
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
Testing Centers
• Interoperability Centers will be available for manufacturers (Interop event in Q4)
• Testing Authority will certify Test Agencies
• Test Suites are commercially available to anyone
• Like UL testing, GSA testing can be done by any certified Test Agency – Test Labs– Casinos– Manufacturers
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
Challenge Tests
• GSA will employ challenge tests to spot check testing agencies to ensure they are testing effectively
• If a certified product fails a challenge test, the testing agency is notified to review their process.
• If situation doesn’t improve, test agency can lose certification
• Goal – ensure process is of high quality
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
Agenda
• Looking at Slot Machines (EGMs)
• What about Systems?
• GSA’s Certification Program
Making Certification Work
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
Why Bother?
• Left to their own devices, most folks will take the easiest path to a solution
• Operators must strongly indicate they prefer less chaos on their floors
• Developers will realize that doing it right (vs. fast) is actually more efficient
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
What is GSA doing?
• Publishing protocols
• Cajoling
• Slowing the rate of change
• Focus on backwards compatibility
• Working with members to finalize the process
• Interoperability event (Sept / Oct)
• Interoperability Demonstration at G2E
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
What can operators do?
• Stay involved in what GSA is doing
• Become an intelligent consumer
• Ask vendors about GSA protocol progress
• Look for the Inter-op Demo at G2E
• Insist on certified products (major change is coming quickly – minimize your pain)
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
Certification – A Graphical Example
Teams that plan for Certification
Teams that do things the old way
Your Casino
CasinoFest3: GSA Certification
Questions?
WWW.GAMINGSTANDARDS.COM