Frequently Asked Questions
What is PlugFest?
PlugFest is an interoperability workshop where manufacturers can bring their BACnet products and test them with BACnet devices from other manufacturers. It is a friendly and neutral environment, and the goal is to improve the overall quality of BACnet products in the market. The workshop includes multiple testing sessions with both one-on-one and round table testing, and networking events to build industry relationships.
Who is this workshop for?
PlugFest welcomes all developers at any stage of their product engineering. Many industry veterans attend and are willing to help newer engineers understand the standard’s esoteric history. We are all aligned to the same purpose of achieving interoperability between the products.
Who, specifically, from each company should attend?
Companies should send engineering and product development staff and QA Analysts. This could include hardware, firmware, software developers, and testers as well as technical product managers.
Why should companies participate in PlugFest?
PlugFest provides an unequaled opportunity to test product functionality with other manufacturers to ensure the core purpose of BACnet: interoperable networks. It is an open and friendly environment dedicated to mutual success. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from experts, potentially shortening their product development learning curve and gaining exposure to helpful tools. Further, this type of interoperability testing is a great way to lower the cost of BTL Testing and Certification by finding and fixing errors earlier in the development cycle.
What if companies have intellectual property they don’t want to share?
Companies are only required to share information necessary to interoperate with other products and diagnose any issues that arise. To protect sensitive information all attendees are required to sign a non-disclosure agreement designed to ensure information shared at PlugFest remains confidential.
Why do you offer both one-on-one and round-table testing?
In one-on-one testing, or pairing, companies can test in-depth with a specific manufacturer. In round table testing attendees arrange their equipment on a larger Local Area Network (LAN) and test with multiple manufacturers simultaneously. This provides a more robust simulation of the interoperability environment that products will encounter in the field.
What products are brought to Plugfest?
Anything BACnet! From devices with the latest data link (BACnet/SC) to devices on MS/TP. From Protocol_Revision 6 to 26. B-SS devices to B-XAWS front-ends. Products from lighting, access control, and other domains. Brand new devices with the latest technology and operating systems to mature products that continue to receive attention. Some attendees bring mainstream building controllers while others bring niche market hardware and software solutions. Basically, everything BACnet.
How do I guarantee I can test with a specific vendor?
With limited one-on-one testing sessions, it is impossible to provide a one-on-one pairing session with every other vendor. To improve your chances, each vendor has the opportunity to select what other vendors they would like to test with. The round table also provides an opportunity to test with many different vendors. Finally, the last test session of Plugfest is an open session allowing you to request testing time with any vendor.
How can people find out more about PlugFest?
Visit the PlugFest main event page to get more information, updates, and to register for the workshop.