Implement XMLVend

Ten Easy Steps for a Utility to Implement XMLVend

The Generic version of XMLVend should be sufficient to provide for 90% of a Utility’s requirements without any additional modification. However, the object oriented design and inheritance capability provides for specialisation of XMLVend while still providing backward compatibility from other Clients.

These are the recommended steps for a Utility to specialise and implement an XMLVend system:

  • Select the preferred Server developer via the Utility’s normal contract management processes.
  • Review the generic XMLVend Use Cases on the test suite together with developer. Decide where specialisation would be required and how it can be done.
  • The Server developer will typically do the specialisation of the test suite and demonstrate the changes for the Utility to accept.
  • The Utility evaluates the specialised Test Suite and sign off the agreed XMLVend functionality with Server developer
    (The Test suite now forms the standard baseline for the Utility’s XMLVend compliance validation for the Server as well as for future Clients.)
  • Use the Test Suite Client to validate the XMLVend interface of the new Vending Server upon delivery.
  • The Utility can now release their specialised version of XMLVend and the Test Suite to all potential Client developers. (They do not have to test their Clients directly with the Server since the test suite provides the same interface)
  • The Test Suite Server can also be used by the Utility to validate and approve Clients from any manufacturer. Since the Test Suite forms the baseline for validation. It addresses any potential dispute that might arise between the Server and Client developers if they are not compatible.
  • Every selected Client must then generate a security certificate and request signing from any signing authority e.g. Verisign™ or Eskom. (This process is equivalent to requesting the coding of a security module for a vending machine.)
  • Utility’s Server and Client exchange public keys as part of the Client’s auto registration on the Server to communicate and vend.
  • Ready to vend