Overview
This year’s test will be held on Saturday, October 5, 2013 from 9:00am EST to 1:00pm EST.
This is a critical exercise that highlights our industry's ability to operate through a significant emergency using backup sites, recovery facilities and backup communications capabilities across the industry. SIFMA urges all firms to participate in this important event.
Overview Presentation on 2013 SIFMA Industry Test 
Test Components
Industry-wide tests follow a consistent format whereby firms submit test orders and transactions from their backup sites to markets and utilities.
The test is supported by all major exchanges, markets and industry utilities. The exercise involves test transactions for commercial paper, equities, options, futures, fixed income, settlement, payments, Treasury auctions and market data. On the same day, the Futures Industry Association (FIA) leads the futures test component and Financial Information Forum (FIF) coordinates market data vendors and service bureaus.
SIFMA compiles and discloses aggregate test results (but not individual performance). For prior year's test results, please view our Archives.
Schedule & Milestones
- May 31, 2013 - All Exchanges, Markets and Utilities identified, manner of participation and contact information provided
- June 10, 2013 - Registration opens for participants
- July 31, 2013 - All test scripts provided and posted
- August/September - Pre-Test period (dates to be posted as soon as available per each Exchange, Market or Utility)
- September - Will hold two coordination calls with all participants and providers
Test Scripts from Exchanges, Markets and Utilities
Scripts will be posted when they are available. The current target for getting scripts posted is August 1, 2013.
Private Line Testing
In conjunction with this year’s SIFMA Industry Test we will be hosting an additional test around Private Line connectivity. As many of you know Private Lines are an integral component of a firm’s trading strategy. They ensure a direct path to a firm’s counterparties, as well as provide a means of identification when calls are received. Like other key technologies, Private Lines must be recoverable within predefined timeframes and we feel that validating this during the Industry Test would be beneficial.
This is a test that we piloted to great success last year with a small group of members and we would like to expand upon that success this year and expand the number of firms participating. View this presentation (PDF) for further details on this test, how it will be organized and how it will be run.
If you are interested in participating, please click here to register for the Private Voice Lines Testing Component.
Please register no later than June 3rd as we would like to have ample time to gather critical information on what lines you would like to test and in general coordinate how it will be executed. Once registered we will reach out and tie you and your firm into the planning calls that we having on a regular basis.
Archives
The Archives hold relevant documents from prior year's industry-wide tests.
