Certified for Windows Server 2003
Instructions
Please review the whole process (steps 1 through 7), before beginning.
- Ensure your application meets Microsoft's requirements
- Complete the Software Submission for your product with Microsoft
- Register for testing at VeriTest
- Submit your testing package
- Schedule your test
- Test execution
- Your test results and next steps with Microsoft
1. Ensure Your Application Meets Microsoft's Requirements
The following tools and resources will greatly enhance your chances of passing certification testing the first time around:
- Carefully read the appropriate Application Specification
- Read our article, "Top 10 Reasons Server Applications Fail Certification Testing the First Time" (available on our Resources page)
- Learn about VeriTest's Pre-Certification Testing and Consultation services
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2. Complete the Software Submission for your product with Microsoft
Microsoft manages the Certified for Windows Server 2003 logo program process on its Windows Quality Online Services (Winqual) website. In order to receive permission to use the logo artwork for this program, a Software Submission must be completed for products on http://winqual.microsoft.com. Upon completion of the software submission, you will receive a Submission ID and a "Testing Authority XML File" from Microsoft. The Submission ID is required when registering your product for testing at VeriTest, and you will need to upload the "Testing Authority XML File" to VeriTest for the test.
Note: A VeriSign Code-Signing ID is required for this process.
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3. Register for Testing at VeriTest
Completing the Online Vendor Questionnaire accurately ensures that your product will be tested in the shortest time possible.
- Thoroughly document any requests for exemptions on this form.
- If you license the logo, your product will be highlighted in the VeriTest Catalog of Certified Server Applications. Information in fields marked with a ^ will be used for this purpose.
We strongly suggest that you print and circulate the form within your workgroup before completing and submitting it.
Important: Upon submitting the online questionnaire, you will receive a tracking number. Write this tracking number on your product disk or CD-ROM when you send it in for testing and refer to it in all correspondence.
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4. Submit Your Testing Package
Required Items
- A signed hard copy of the VeriTest Master Testing Agreement, which is available on our Resources page.
If you already have a VeriTest Master Testing Agreement in place with us from a previous project, you only need to submit the “Attachment A” portion of this document.
Confidentiality Option: Within the VeriTest Master Testing Agreement, you have the option to keep your testing and test results confidential from Microsoft. If you choose this option, upon passing a compliance test, you must sign a Release of Confidentiality Form allowing VeriTest to send the results to Microsoft. Microsoft can grant you a license to use the Logo only after you sign this release. Consultation services are not available free of charge if you select the confidentiality option.
- Payment Form and Test Fee. All fees must be paid in advance. The Pricing Guidelines and Payment Form are available on our Resources page.
- A release candidate of your software product with all necessary hardware, passwords, registration numbers and any available documentation. If your application is to be distributed on CD ROM or DVD, you need to submit your application on this media.
- Documentation, even in rough form, and/or a complete list of your product's functionality.
- The "Testing Authority XML File" you received from Microsoft upon completion of the software submission for your product on winqual.microsoft.com.
Additional Items, Based on Your Application's Requirements
- Any required third-party software products.
- Your preconfigured server, and any unusual or proprietary hardware required for your product which is unlikely to be in VeriTest's standard library; for instance, a specialized 3D video card, a specialized telephony device, a VR headset, etc. If you request it, these items will be returned to you after your final test result is obtained.
- If you are submitting a development tool, we require that you include a sample program in your (uncompiled) language which we can compile during testing. Please clearly label the sample application.
- If you bundle hardware drivers with your software, they must be tested by WHQL to qualify your application for the Certified for Windows logo. See www.microsoft.com/hwtest.
Datacenter-Level Tests Only
- Documentation of 24x7 Support
As part of Datacenter testing, VeriTest will audit your technical support infrastructure. This process can begin well before your application arrives for testing, once you have completed registration and payment. The process includes:
- Brief overview of your 24x7 Support infrastructure in the Vendor Questionnaire
- Completion of the Support Center Audit Questionnaire (this document will be sent to you by the Audit Team)
- An audit by VeriTest personnel
- Automated Test Harness and Test Harness Documentation
You must provide a fully-automated Test Harness (along with appropriate licensing) with which VeriTest personnel can exercise the primary functionality of your application for 48 hours at a typical user load. This test harness will be used twice, once on our Unisys ES7000 32-processor machine along with HCT tests, and on the IBM cluster equipment during failover testing.
In addition to the Harness itself, you must provide documentation on this test which we can publish with your Certification Result. You may choose to have us publish the Test Harness itself and its accompanying documentation, or as an alternative, you must provide comprehensive documentation on the Test Harness that we can publish. This documentation must provide a level of detail sufficient for a customer to audit the test coverage and the level to which the Test Harness exercised the application. See the Application Specification section 7.4 for more information.
Deliver Your Testing Package to VeriTest (click for address):
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5. Schedule Your Test
It is necessary to schedule all tests. So that we may accommodate your preferred testing dates, please send an email at your earliest convenience to WindowsCert@veritest.com. We will make every effort to ensure mutually agreeable testing dates.
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6. Test Execution
VeriTest begins by evaluating the completeness of your test package and your readiness to test. A confirmation email will be sent to the person indicated as the Primary Contact on the Vendor Questionnaire within two business days. This confirmation will include a scheduled test date.
Due to our testing techniques, interim testing results are not available unless fail conditions exist. Address questions to WindowsCert@veritest.com. Please refer to your Pricing Guidelines form to determine how long your test will take.
Holds
In order to certify your application as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible, it may be necessary to place your application on hold if fail conditions exist. If we determine that a product may not pass all testing requirements, you will immediately be contacted.
If the non-compliance issues are such that we cannot continue testing, (for example, if we cannot install your product) your test will be put on hold while a new build is created or a waiver is requested. You will receive a formal "hold notification" via email, which will include applicable instructions.
This process may or may not include a New Build Charge (determined at our discretion). Once all issues are resolved, your product will be put back into the testing queue and you will be notified of the new expected results date.
Please keep in mind that if your product has been placed on hold for more than (90) days, a "Fail" report will be issued, and you must resubmit your product for a "Retest" to continue testing.
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7. Your test results and next steps with Microsoft
Once testing has been completed, you will receive your results from VeriTest:
- VeriTest Lab Report. This is your detailed technical report.
- VeriTest Certification Report. This is a high-level document confirming that your product has met the requirements of a Certified for Windows logo. After you have been given an opportunity to review this document and suggest edits and comments, it will be posted to the VeriTest Catalog of Certified Windows Server Applications. Feel free to visit this catalog now to see what your report could look like.
Please Note:
If you did not choose the Confidentiality Option, we will send a copy of the test results to Microsoft and you at the same time.
If you did request test confidentiality, the results will be sent only to you. Remember that you must release confidentiality by signing the Release Form (available on our Resources page) before a pass result can go to Microsoft and you can complete the licensing process and receive your artwork.
Important: Click here to learn about your next steps with Microsoft once you have successfully completed testing
- Get your product listed in the Microsoft Windows Server Catalog of Tested Products
- Use the "Certified for Windows" logo
- Join the ISV/Software Solution Competency of the Microsoft Partner Program
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Contact VeriTest
WindowsCert@veritest.com
+1 425.468.1108 (U.S.)
+33 1 58 74 92 22 (Europe)