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ExpressCard® PlugFest

PCMCIA will be holding an ExpressCard Interoperability Testing Event (PlugFest) in Taipei, Taiwan at the Grand Victoria Hotel on November 18th, 2008. A PlugFest provides members with an event at which they can test their products against a number of other PCMCIA member's products and complete the Interoperability Checklist phase of the ExpressCard Compliance Program, all free of charge.

Products must complete and pass these tests along with the Compliance Checklist in order to be issued a Compliance ID and licensed to use the ExpressCard logo. For more information on the Interoperability Testing procedures, please see the Interoperability Checklist and the ExpressCard Compliance Program overview document at the Members-only section of www.expresscard.org.

Any PCMCIA member may register to bring an ExpressCard host system or module to the event. To make the event productive for all participants we strongly recommend that submitted products have passed all of the tests listed in the Compliance Checklist before attending the PlugFest. Any Compliance Checklist failures should be declared to PCMCIA when the product is registered. See the member list at www.pcmcia.org to check your membership status.

There is no charge for PCMCIA Executive and Affiliate members to participate in the PlugFest. By attending a PlugFest, members can save money by not having to pay for outside Interoperability testing, with the added benefit of testing against new products that other members have brought to the event that are not part of the standard Gold Suite. Host system vendors are required to reserve a separate hotel room for each system that they are testing, so they will incur this cost.

Registrations Due: Registration for the PlugFest is now closed.

Event Date: Tuesday, November 18th, 2008

• 08:00 - 09:00: Event Registration
• 09:00 - 12:00: Testing Sessions (Six 25 minute sessions with 5 minutes transition time)
• 12:00 - 13:00: Lunch Break
• 13:00 - 18:00: Testing Sessions (Ten 25 minute sessions with 5 minutes transition time)
• 18:00 ~ 20:00: Overtime Testing (if needed)

Companies may test multiple products, but must register each product individually. At this time, we will accept registrations for a maximum of three (3) products from any individual company. Participating companies must support each product with a technical representative at the event. If your company would like to bring more than three products, PCMCIA will request that you rank the products beyond three in order of prioriy. If we determine that the schedule will allow for additional products, PCMCIA will inform you and add as many of your additional products into the schedule as possible, in the priority order you determined. PCMCIA will make every effort to have every module scheduled to test against every host system.

PCMCIA will issue a test schedule matrix once the registration period closes and we have identified all of the participating devices. The test matrix will be handed out at the Event Registration. In addition to Interoperability testing with other participating companies, all products will be tested by a PCMCIA Third Party Test House against the Mandatory Equipment List (Gold Suite).

Testing between each module and host will be allocated 25 minutes, with 5 additional minutes for module vendors to transition to the next host vendor on their schedule. We expect the whole process to be completed within one day. If problems are encountered during the 25 minute testing session and further debugging time is needed, time will be allowed following the event for Overtime Testing to take place. It is critical that module vendors move on to their next scheduled test at the end of each allotted testing session to allow all module vendors to test with each host system vendor on their schedule.

PCMCIA is asking that all vendors bring a minimum of two (2) samples of each device to the event. Mandatory (Gold Suite) testing is scheduled to occur simultaneously with member-to-member testing. This can only be accomplished if you bring two samples. If you bring only one sample, Gold Suite testing may not be possible, in which case your device will fail Interoperability testing at the PlugFest and will need to be retested.

During the event all participants will be given a three-part form to record how their module or system performs on the Interoperability Checklist items against other units. The form must be signed by both the host and module vendor after each test and all forms must be submitted to the PCMCIA coordinator at the end of the event.

Results from the Mandatory Equipment (Gold Suite) Testing along with the Interoperability testing will determine whether a product passes the Interoperability Checklist phase. The participants will be notified by email after the event closes.

The devices that are brought to an Interoperability Event will be unreleased products and as such it is critical that all attendees regard any product information they are exposed to as confidential. Attendees are required to limit all technical and product discussions to the test suites and avoid having these conversations in public areas. Participants will not be required to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), although PCMCIA Anti-trust rules will apply as at all PCMCIA functions. This means that discussions on release dates, marketing, purchasing or pricing are specifically prohibited. PCMCIA will not release any information on results without the express written consent of the participant.

PCMCIA and all its committees and TOGs adhere rigidly to the PCMCIA Antitrust Policy. This policy statement is summarized here, and the complete statement can be obtained from the PCMCIA office.

• Each member has the responsibility to avoid raising improper subjects for discussion and to avoid probing as to how far a discussion may go without violating the policy.
• Keep in mind that the purpose of PCMCIA is to promote the design, development, and application of modular peripheral technology and not individual member company's activities in the marketing of particular products.
• The following matters as they relate to specific member company product or plans are not to be considered or discussed: product development; marketing; purchasing; pricing.
• The PCMCIA Anti-trust Policy can be found in PCMCIA's Policies and Procedures.

Host system vendors are required to reserve a room at the Grand Victoria Hotel on the PlugFest floor for each system model. Due to confidentiality between module vendors, Host System Vendors cannot host more than one system per room. PCMCIA has arranged that rooms can be reserved with an early (8:00 AM) check-in time on the day of the event, with the room available until check-out time on the day following the event. The early check-in will require a small additional fee. Module vendors may reserve a room, but it is not required. To make your room reservations, please download and submit the hotel reservation form. Please contact andrechou@allion.com for assistance with hotel reservations.

Registration Form

Any PCMCIA member may register product(s) for the PlugFest. You may register a product for the event once you have registered for a Compliance Case # and we strongly recommend that you have completed the Compliance Checklist phase. If silicon certification (through the USB-IF or PCI-SIG) is still pending, you can still attend the Interoperability Event.

Please submit individual registration forms for each product your company is planning to bring to the event. If you would like to register more than three (3) products, please register all of your products and we will try to accommodate as many products as possible, depending upon the total number of registered products. Please keep in mind that a technical contact capable of performing interoperability testing is required to represent each registered product.

NOTE: Registration of new products is now closed