August 2004

Downey Savings needed a testing source that could reliably simulate the Visa DPS network and was available 24x7 as needed. This would enable developers to test their code without waiting for available on-line testing time. The on-demand source would also eliminate potentially wasted scheduled testing blocks at several hundred dollars per hour due to development delays and unforeseeable technical glitches.

To alleviate similar testing problems with another direct processing link, the technical staff at Downey Savings had come to rely heavily upon the STAR ISO Lexcel TestSystem® that they had licensed as members of the STAR Network®. The Test System enabled them to connect to their development and test environments at any time of the day and test as if they were connected to the Star Network. Chuck Tarrant, a member of Downey's IS department noted "By using the STAR ISO TestSystem to test coding changes, mandated changes, and new products prior to certification with STAR, we were able to certify changes with STAR in one session most of the time."

Downey also noted a primary benefit of the Lexcel solution for testing purposes was to eliminate the high cost of testing directly with networks. The system and process have proved invaluable over the years enabling the financial institution to realize their Return On Investment many times over.

Based on this success Downey requested Lexcel to provide them with a Test System to simulate the Visa DPS network. An added bonus to Downey would be realized in the minimal training required for Downey's testing and development staff to become effective and efficient users. This benefit is a result of Lexcel's cross-format usability transparency between Lexcel's testing products.

Lexcel provided Downey Savings with a Visa DPS Lexcel TestSystem and connected it to their development and test platform.

Downey is currently utilizing the Test System to support two business processes:

• As an issuer, the Test System is forwarding transaction requests for Downey cardholders to the Downey host and the Test System is receiving and validating the responses returned from the host.
• Downey is acquiring foreign (not on-us) ATM transactions and routing these transactions to the Test System acting as Visa DPS, which is processing and generating response messages (either pre-conditioned or generated real-time using Lexcel response logic) and sending them to the Downey host which in turn routes the responses back to the Downey ATM which initially generated the transaction.

Each of the above listed issuer and acquirer testing processes is necessary to certify with the Visa DPS network. Utilizing the Lexcel TestSystem® enabled Downey Savings to 'pre-certify' their Visa host software interface and ensure a rapid and smooth conversion to the Visa network. The system also assists with on-going testing requirements.

Since licensing the simulator, Downey has been able to test a multitude of changes prior to and while attempting to certify with Visa DPS. Because of Visa's limited on-line testing schedule, Downey technical staff noted that they could not test with Visa as frequently as they required to complete objectives according to the project schedule. Therefore, in between certification testing times with Visa, Downey staff utilized the Visa DPS Lexcel TestSystem extensively to test required changes and fix errors found in the previous day's testing with Visa. The net result enabled Downey Savings to certify with Visa DPS in a timely manner.

Now certified, Downey reports they still get ample and invaluable use from the Lexcel TestSystem. For example, when the company experiences a production problem with a Visa transaction, the technical staff can duplicate the transaction exactly in the Lexcel test environment to trace and repair the source of the issue. Downey's staff also notes that they have used the Lexcel TestSystem to stress test their ATM system by re-processing production transactions in a test environment at a much faster throughput than the production system thereby verifying timing responses to transactions to ensure that they are in compliance with transaction response limits.

Chuck Tarrant, who oversees Downey's connection to Visa DPS summarized the Lexcel TestSystem's value to the organization: "In today's changing environment of EFT systems, it is difficult to believe anyone could effectively maintain these systems without Lexcel's Visa DPS TestSystem. I use the simulator almost everyday to test various problems. I couldn't do my job without it."