This topic provides an overview of the CME client application testing and certification process.

CME Group requires that all client systems transacting on CME Globex via iLink order routing or processing CME Group market data are certified by AutoCert+, an automated testing tool for validating client system functionality. CME Group offers three customer testing environments, Certification, New Release, and EBS Customer Lab, for system validation prior to connecting to and transacting on CME Group platforms. Certification ensures messaging and processing reliability and the capability to gracefully recover during abnormal message processing events. 

Contents

Environments Video

View this video for a brief overview of the Certification environments.

System Requirements

AutoCert+ supports connections that meet the requirements listed on the Supported Browsers page.

The AutoCert+ tool provides a user-friendly web interface and guides customers through the entire certification process. AutoCert+ is flexible and scalable, allowing customers to simultaneously test order entry and market data messages, and to receive instantaneous test results with an explanation for failed tests. 

AutoCert+ functional/certification testing allows a maximum of 10 Transactions Per Second (TPS). A maximum of 70 TPS is allowed for performance testing. In order to enable performance testing (greater than 10 TPS), you must contact Global Account Management.

Log into AutoCert+ at the following link: https://autocert.cmegroup.com/.

Customer Support

For additional information regarding client system certification, contact the following CME Group departments:

Global Account Management

Certification Support for Electronic Trading (CSET)

Prerequisites for Certification

To connect and test in the testing environments complete the following:

1. Request and configure your new network connection by contacting Global Account Management.

   1. You are invited to discuss other network options with your Global Account Manager.

   2. This network connection allows you to perform functional testing on both environments and also to access AutoCert+.

2. Create new iLink IDs for each environment.

   1. You can choose the firm IDs that you are using in production to perform front-end to back-end system testing.

      • Third-party system providers can provide and set up temporary IDs to perform functional testing.

   2. The iLink IDs used for connecting to the testing environments are the same as those used for certifying on AutoCert+.

   3. The Session IDs indicate which environment you are connected to. If the ID is alpha-numeric-numeric (i.e. C28), you are connected to New Release environment. If the ID is numeric-alpha-numeric (i.e. 7E8), you are connected to Certification environment.

3. Download the network configuration file for the applicable environment.

CME Request Center NR/Cert

CME Request Center NR/CERT is available to all CME Group Logins registered in AutoCert+. With CME Request Center NR/CERT, you can:

• Manage your Drop Copy ID's for testing

• Manage and create new CERT and New Release session ID's

• Generate and download your iLink and Drop Copy session secure key pairs

• View your certification results (you are permissioned for)

• Register a company, add users and add application systems

• Submit Self-Service Injector Requests to:

  • Generate live market data for liquidity

  • Conduct end-to-end Clearing testing for matched trade information

Additonal Resources:

• Login to CME Request Center NR/CERT

• CME Request Center NR/CERT User Help System

Network Connectivity

The client system connects to AutoCert+ and processes data sent by CME Group as shown in this diagram. For example, a client system certifying on MDP functionality must join the MDP feed and process market data according to the test requirements.  Please refer to the Network Connectivity topic for comprehensive information related to network connectivity solutions.

Environments

These environments are in separate data centers and have distinct connectivity. EBS clients should select the testing environment(s) that support the trading platforms, modes, and services they need.

The Certification environment mirrors current production functionality. Use this environment to:

• Certify a client system for core functionality

• Perform maintenance testing

• Perform development testing for new features in production-like conditions

The New Release environment allows product and new functionality testing prior to release in production. New functionality is typically available in the New Release environment 6-8 weeks prior to production launch.  New products are typically available in New Release 2 weeks prior to production launch. Use the New Release Environment to perform:

• New Product testing

• Development testing on new functionality

• Certification testing on new functionality

The EBS Customer Lab environment allows testing for EBS Central Post Trade (CPT) TOF, CPT FIX and all EBS Direct services prior to release in production. CPT TOF and FIX support EBS Market on CME Globex trades. 

Certification and New Release environments support straight-through processing (STP) from CME Globex through CME Clearing testing environments. In fact, both environments are connected to their own clearing testing environments. This allows customers, who have clearing setup in the production environment, to perform end-to-end testing by submitting and executing orders from their front-end systems and receiving the corresponding clearing trade reports on their back-end systems in conditions similar to production.

Features of the testing environments are shown in the diagram below:

• Connection to both environments is through the Order Routing Gateway using the same IP address via different ports.

• Distinguishing which environment you are connected to is simplified by the ID format structure.

iLink Certification

General iLink Tag Requirements

Please note the following before certifying your application:

• You are required to add milliseconds in the HH:MM:SS.sss format (such as 10:00:29.714) to tag 60-TransactTime for all inbound messages.

• AutoCert+ validates tag 167-SecurityType on inbound messages where this tag is required.

• AutoCert+ requires tag 1-Account to be included on all Order Cancel Request tag 35-MsgType=F messages.

For more information regarding the certification tests, refer to the AutoCert+ User Help System associated with each test.

SenderCompID Naming Convention

To successfully run and track tests, a System Profile needs to be associated with a SenderCompID.  SenderCompIDs are created and assigned to a company.  A tester may choose from among the SenderCompIDs available for their company. This SenderCompID then belongs to the tester as long as the tester remains logged into the AutoCertPlus web application or until the tester chooses to un-assign the SenderCompID.

SenderCompID is 7 characters long and is composed of 3 sub-fields:

• Session ID (left-most 3 characters)

• Firm ID (next 3 characters)

• Fault Tolerance Indicator (the last trailing character)