CasinoFest4: GSA Certification GSA Certification: How does it benefit Operators? Russ Ristine –...
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Transcript of CasinoFest4: GSA Certification GSA Certification: How does it benefit Operators? Russ Ristine –...
CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
GSA Certification:
How does it benefit Operators?Russ Ristine – Radical Blue Gaming
CasinoFest4: 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
CasinoFest4: 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
CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
GSA’s Platinum Members
CasinoFest4: 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!
CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
What are these Protocols?
• G2S - Game to System Protocol
– Used to connect Gaming Devices to back of house systems
– SAS Replacement
• S2S - System to System Protocol
– Used to connect servers to other servers
– In the field, used for Class II, Kiosks, etc.
– One independent standard communication method
CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
Intro to the Protocols
• GDS – Gaming Device Standard
– Internal to EGM
– USB protocol which connects peripherals (note acceptor, card reader, printer, etc.) to the main computer board in the EGM
• SAS – Slot Accounting System
– This protocol is the most widely used in the industry
– Created nearly 20 years ago; evolved to become most common protocol
CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
GSA’s 3 Protocols
GameControl
Progressive
Advanced
Slot Accounting
Voucher Manager
Player Tracking
Coin/BillCounters
S2S
S2S
S2S
S2S
CoinAcceptor
CoinHopper
NoteAcceptor
Printer
TouchScreen
EGM
Host Systems and other S2S devices
Kiosks
Point ofSale
Class IIServers
S2SG2SGDS
CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
Agenda
Looking at Slot Machines (EGMs)
• What about Systems?
• GSA’s Certification Program
• Making Certification Effective
CasinoFest4: 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
CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
Slot Floor Network - Today
Data Collection
AccountingOffices
SMIB resides in the EGM Cabinet
SASProprietary Protocol
Duplicate Database
Data MiningApplication
DatabaseServer
Accounting
SMIB
`
Slot Floor Management
Server
Player Management
System
Player Management
Proprietary Protocols
Proprietary Protocols
CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
Why is SAS Difficult?
• 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!
CasinoFest4: 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
CasinoFest4: 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
CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
More Benefits of G2S
• G2S is made up of “classes”
– The classes separate the protocol into smaller parts with each performing a specific function
• The name of the class is typically the function it provides
– Classes can represent • physical devices (money acceptors, printers etc.)• business needs (such as vouchers or handpay)• Or protocol function (Communications,
configuration)
CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
More Benefits of G2S
• Every Class has an owner
– Owner - the computer/Server that owns and is responsible for managing the class
• But any server can be a guest (read only access)
– subscribe to meters and events
– request status, logs and profile information
CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
Agenda
• Looking at Slot Machines (EGMs)
What about Systems?
• GSA’s Certification Program
• Making Certification Effective
CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
What about Systems?
• Every System vendor has their own suite of protocols for connecting to peripherals
• Every peripheral (like a kiosk) 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
CasinoFest4: 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
CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
However…
• Even with S2S we have differing implementations
• Seminoles are using a variant of 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?
CasinoFest4: 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
CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
Agenda
• Looking at Slot Machines (EGMs)
• What about Systems?
GSA’s Certification Program
• Making Certification Effective
CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
GSA Certification – Planned from the Start
• The GSA Certification program is designed to minimize interoperability problems
• The goal is to achieve one correct interpretation of the protocol
• Protocol schemas and web services rules can be used to test messages
• Feedback loop from Operators ensures the Certification program remains viable (and relevant)
CasinoFest4: 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
CasinoFest4: 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)
CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
Certification Program
• Goal = Correct and consistent implementation of GSA’s standards
• Formal process for the testing and certification of Gaming Products
• ISO 17025 Accreditation for Testing Agencies
• Products passing certification will be published in the Certification Register on GSA’s web site
CasinoFest4: 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
CasinoFest4: 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
CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
Agenda
• Looking at Slot Machines (EGMs)
• What about Systems?
• GSA’s Certification Program
Making Certification Work
CasinoFest4: 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
CasinoFest4: 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 Demonstration at G2E
CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
Education
• GSA Donated funds to UNLV Foundation to establish a GSA Certified Engineering Program
– International Gaming Institute & School of Informatics at the UNLV
– Two GSA Affiliate Professors of Gaming Technology
• Initial Course Focus – G2S Developers
– Covering XML & Web services; G2S Messaging classes
– Transport and Security
– Configuration & Player Management
• Two classes have graduated so far
CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
Standard Simulators
• G2S Scope (Host) for EGM manufacturers
• EGM Simulator for System developers
• Everyone is looking for faults in the 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…
CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
G2E 2007 – Interop Demo
Host A
aaa bbb ccc ddd eee
Host C
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Host B
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CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
What can YOU 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 GSA certifications - - not negotiable, no variations from the standard
• Consider setting up your own testing facility
CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
Recap - G2S Certification
• The G2S Certification program is designed to minimize interoperability problems
• With Certification testing, there is only one correct interpretation of the protocol for all EGMs and Systems
• Operator involvement will ensure that the Certification program is effective
CasinoFest4: GSA Certification
Questions?
WWW.GAMINGSTANDARDS.COM