> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.podigee.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.podigee.com/documentation/grow-and-monetize/monetization/configure-cats-transport.md).

# Configure CATS transport

Configure and certify a Common Ad Transport Standard connection for non-auction and post-auction ad transport.

Podigee Audio Video Ad Server supports the Common Ad Transport Standard (CATS) as a controlled transport for non-auction and post-auction ad workflows. After the first mention, this article uses Podigee Ad Server for the product name. CATS can carry an approved ad response and its delivery information when a provider contract defines the exact message, media, and security rules.

CATS is a transport contract. It does not choose the winning Campaign, replace the demand policy, or prove that a listener or player completed an ad.

## Before you start

* You have permission to configure and activate external demand integrations in the workspace.
* You have the CATS endpoint and the current provider contract.
* You have an approved credential reference. Do not paste a secret into a form.
* You know whether the connection is for a request, a post-auction response, or another approved operation.
* You know the allowed markets, media types, request volume, timeout, currency, and fee rules.
* You have an owner for media, tracking, privacy, billing, and fallback decisions.

The approved profile is CATS 1.0. A partner profile is still required before activation. A provider that uses a different CATS version or extension needs a separate certification record.

## Open the connector form

1. Open **Monetization > Integrations**.
2. Choose **Certify an integration**.
3. Choose **Configure a connector**.
4. Select the workspace where the transport will run.
5. Choose **Ad demand** for the connection purpose.

![The One Podigee Add flight form shows the delivery destination and the choice between Podigee delivery and a connected demand provider.](https://2032417310-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FbqUKO6lljHGzkEAzliPI%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-5fc4e4d261a5d8c83f52f4569ec7dfeb55c32a06%2Fdoc-monetization-034-add-flight.jpg?alt=media)

*Choose a connected provider only when its connection has passed the required checks.*

## Enter the transport details

Use the controlled fields in the form. Do not create provider names, protocols, or operations by typing values that are not in the list.

1. Select **CATS 1.0** under **Standards and platform contracts**.
2. Enter the secure HTTPS endpoint.
3. Select the data flow that the provider uses.
4. Select the certified CATS delivery capability.
5. Select **Audio**, **Video**, or both.
6. Select the allowed markets.
7. Enter the managed request limit and response timeout for the provider contract.
8. Select how provider records match Podigee records.
9. Select the stored credential reference.
10. Confirm the operator responsibility and authorization statements.
11. Apply the connector configuration.

The request limit, timeout, retry profile, and circuit-breaker settings are part of the managed provider profile. They protect request-time delivery. They do not change the provider contract.

## Verify the message and media

Before you certify the transport, inspect one test message. The message must preserve the information needed to deliver and audit the result:

* the Podigee workspace, release, opportunity, and exact Flight version;
* the delivery destination and media kind;
* the break position and available duration;
* the market and content categories;
* the privacy and consent state;
* the currency, fee, and price model when the message contains a commercial result;
* the provider message identifier and operation;
* the media resource and its authority; and
* the tracking, error, and extension data allowed by the provider contract.

The message must not include raw identity, credentials, or fields that the provider contract does not allow. A change to the message mapping requires a new connector version and new evidence.

## Run the conformance checks

1. Open the connector version in **Monetization > Integrations**.
2. Start the local CATS conformance check.
3. Run a valid CATS message fixture.
4. Run an invalid schema fixture.
5. Run a missing media or unsupported extension fixture.
6. Confirm the endpoint, credential reference, and message authority.
7. Confirm the audio or video media is valid for the selected delivery.
8. Confirm that tracking and error destinations are approved.
9. Confirm that the message identifier and response can be replayed safely.
10. Confirm that timeout and unavailable-transport behavior use the configured fallback.
11. Save the conformance evidence.

Local conformance uses managed test messages. It does not contact the provider. Provider certification is a separate check that uses the partner endpoint, its contract, and its approved evidence.

The conformance result must identify the exact failure when a message cannot be used:

* **Schema failure:** the message does not match the certified CATS version.
* **Media failure:** the media is missing, unsupported, or not allowed for the delivery surface.
* **Extension failure:** the provider extension is not certified for this connector version.
* **Integrity failure:** the message, signature, digest, or identifier cannot be verified.
* **Security failure:** the endpoint, credential, redirect, or authority is not allowed.
* **Timeout:** the provider did not answer within the managed limit.
* **Transport unavailable:** the connection could not be used for this request.

A failure is not a paid result. The request continues to the next eligible source or to the configured fallback.

## Review demand policy

The active demand policy decides when the CATS source may compete or provide a post-auction result, what minimum price applies, how long Podigee waits, and what happens when the transport is unavailable.

![Active demand routing rules show the source order, minimum CPM, response limit, and no-fill outcome.](https://2032417310-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FbqUKO6lljHGzkEAzliPI%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-3300aa6f6beb817f111c20442043939d962b3178%2Fdoc-monetization-019-demand-rules-active.png?alt=media)

*Demand order is a policy decision. Connecting a provider does not silently change that order.*

Review **Monetization > Monetization settings > Revenue and data rules** before activation. Confirm the source order, minimum CPM, response limit, retry behavior, and no-fill outcome.

## Certify and activate the transport

1. Add the provider certification evidence to the connector version.
2. Confirm the exact provider version, endpoint, credential reference, and media capabilities.
3. Confirm the CATS schema, VAST or approved extension behavior, security, and timeout evidence.
4. Confirm that the certification has not expired.
5. Select the environment where the transport may run.
6. Submit the connector for the required review policy.
7. Activate the connector only when the review and certification state are current.
8. Open **Monetization > Campaigns** and choose **Add flight** when the transport is used as a demand source.
9. Select **Connected demand provider**.
10. Select the certified provider, the CATS protocol, and the certified operation.
11. Save the Flight and continue through the normal proposal, review, approval, and publication flow.

If the provider, protocol, or operation does not appear, do not enter it by hand. The connection is not ready for that use, or the workspace does not have the required authority.

## Understand delivery behavior

For an eligible RSS audio request, Podigee checks the episode, break, listener context, Flight, market, policy, and CATS connection. It uses the transport only when the source is eligible and the message passes validation. It then selects the result, tries the next eligible source, or uses the configured clean or house fallback.

For an eligible HLS video request, Podigee checks the video presentation, break duration, player capability, Flight, policy, and CATS connection. It validates the media, tracking, integrity, and commercial result before it places the ad in the HLS presentation.

For a post-auction or reporting transport, Podigee keeps the transport result separate from the delivery decision. A received message can update evidence only when its identifier, authority, version, and replay rules match the original transaction.

## If the transport fails

* **No connection appears:** confirm that the connector is active and has current certification.
* **The provider is not selectable in Add flight:** confirm its media, destination, protocol, and operation capabilities.
* **The schema fails:** review the exact field and certified CATS version. Keep the original message unchanged.
* **Media or extension validation fails:** repair the provider version and run conformance again.
* **The message cannot be verified:** check its signature, digest, identifier, and authority.
* **The request times out:** review the managed timeout and provider latency evidence. Continue to the next eligible source or fallback.
* **The source is quarantined:** submit new evidence for a new connector version. Do not reactivate an older version without checking its certification period.
* **There is no qualified demand:** use the configured next source, house Flight, or clean content. Do not create paid evidence for an invalid or unavailable transport result.

Use **Monetization > Operations** for the interoperability diagnostic. It preserves the original message and reports the exact schema, media, extension, integrity, security, or timeout reason.

## Expected result

The CATS transport is active only for the certified provider version, message schema, extensions, markets, media types, operation, and environment that passed the checks. An eligible listener or player receives a validated ad or the declared fallback. Campaign, transport, decision, delivery, measurement, and revenue evidence refer to the same approved message and connector version.


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