Testing and Certification

The certification process ensures that your system can seamlessly handle reservation notifications from the SiteMinder SMX platform. The process includes testing for both successful responses and meaningful error handling based on the OTA_HotelResNotifRS specifications.

Key Steps in the Certification Process:

1. Reservation Creation and Testing:

   • Generate a set of test reservations, including scenarios where reservations are:

     • Created

     • Modified

     • Canceled

2. Content Validation:

   • The system will be tested with both Minimum and Maximum Content XML Samples to ensure compatibility with varying data sizes.

3. Response Validation:

   • Your system must:

     • Respond with a success (OTA_HotelResNotifRS) or an eloquent error message for each reservation.

     • Errors should clearly describe the issue (e.g., missing data) but must not affect the HTTP status code, which should remain 200.

     • Use HTTP standard error codes (e.g., 500, 503) only for server-level issues.

4. Issue Reporting and Fixes:

   • If an issue is identified (e.g., reservations not delivered, unclear responses), SiteMinder will notify you.

   • Once the issue is resolved, testing will resume.

   • You can "fail" certification multiple times; the process aims to address all issues before final approval.

Requirements from Your Side:

1. Active Endpoint:

   • Ensure your web service endpoint remains up and running throughout the certification process.

2. Error Handling:

   • Implement robust error handling as per SiteMinder's Error Handling Specifications.
3. Collaboration:

   • Address issues promptly to ensure smooth progression through the certification process.

Testing Scenarios

The below scenarios can be performed using the Little Hotelier test account provided.

• Minimum Content XML

  • 1 Booking XML containing the basic required information handled by SMX

• Maximum Content XML

  • 1 Booking XML containing all possible information handled by SMX

• Error Handling - Username/Password

  • Testing error response from the SMX App. if an incorrect Username or Password has been sent via SMX

• Error Handling - Hotel Code

  • Testing error response from the SMX App. if an incorrect HotelCode has been sent via SMX

Scenario 1: Create a reservation.

• 1.1 LH Reservation - Initial Booking

  • Initial Booking for this scenario. 2-Night stay

• 1.2 LH Reservation - Move Dates

  • Check-in and Check-out dates changed. Same stay period. 2-Night stay

• 1.3 LH Reservation - Add Room

  • Same stay dates, additional room added

• 1.4 LH Reservation - Remove Room

  • Same stay dates, additional room removed

• 1.5 LH Reservation - Add Guests

  • Same stay dates, new guest added to the booking

Scenario 2: Create a reservation.

• 2.1 LH Reservation - Initial Booking

  • Initial Booking for this scenario. 1 Night stay

• 2.2 LH Reservation - Add Rooms+ Guests

  • Same stay dates, new room and guest added to the booking

• 2.3 LH Reservation - Remove Rooms+ Guests

  • Same stay dates, new guests and rooms removed from the booking

• 2.4 LH Reservation - Cancel

  • Same stay dates. Cancel the entire booking

Scenario 3: Create a reservation.

• 3.1 LH Reservation - Services

  • New booking created, with extra services

Scenario 4: Create a reservation.

• 4.1 LH Reservation - Initial Booking

  • Initial Booking for this scenario

• 4.2 LH Reservation - Checked In

  • Same booking Checked-In

• 4.3 LH Reservation - Checked Out

  • Same booking Checked-Out

Scenario 5: Create a reservation.

• 5.1 LH Reservation - Special Characters (No RoomID)

  • New booking created, with special characters in various fields.