Interoperability Testing at CalConnect XXV in Zurich

Posted October 18, 2012

This was a relatively large session with 22 on-site participants, 14 from Europe, representing the following organizations/implementations:

  • Apple (iCal Server, iCal Client, iCloud Server, iCloud Outlook Client, IOS 6)

  • Bedework

  • CalDAV-Sync and CardDAV-Sync

  • Evolution plugin

  • EGroupware

  • emClient

  • Google

  • Kerio Technologies

  • Mozilla Lightning

  • SabreDAV

  • Zimbra

In addition we had the following participate externally:

  • AOL (AOL Calendar Server)

  • CMU (Cyrus Calendar Server)

  • DaviCal

  • Oracle (Oracle Communications Calendar Server)

A number of those present concentrated on iSchedule with DKIM and discovery. Testing was fairly intensive and a number of issues were found with the draft protocol as well as with server implementations. A number of servers managed to successfully connect and interact with each other, handling freebusy requests and meeting invitations and replies.

Testing of sharing and notifications also took place with a fairly successful outcome for all. Bugs in the client and server software were found and sometimes even rectified.

Discovery was also a hot topic and there were a number of issues discovered in the current use of .well-known and SRV records. The Brief and Prefer header also got some testing with some participants.

In addition there were many issues raised when testing the basic CalDAV and CardDAV access protocols. The kinds of issues seen were:

  • Misreporting of missing DAV properties

  • Problems with content type

  • Redirections causing issues

  • Lack of support for required properties

  • Errors in report formats

As ever, the benefits of working together in one room to discover and fix interoperability issues were enormous. Most of the participants test remotely during the year but these sessions provide a much more productive environment. Many participants were staying for the following Roundtable and took the opportunity to continue testing quietly with each other.

Mike Douglass, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
CalConnect Interoperability Test Event Manager