Before you begin, acquire some real data to work with. You can accomplish this easily by using the HL7 Listener tool. This makes it easy to get realistic data that you can work with. Do not allow your customers to send you old log files because you will have to spend hours reformatting it.

	The HL7 Listener will also warn you if you are likely to have any low level problems with connectivity in acquiring the data. If the listener works then you know that the site is correctly implementing the LLP Protocol.

The great thing about the HL7 Listener is that it ensures you get the data in a format that is easy to analyze and process using iNTERFACEWARE's command line tools. You can then simulate the HL7 feed using the HL7 Simulator.