Describes the evolution of Sakora to handle real-time SIS-LMS integration using IMS LIS 2.0 specification.

1. IMS LIS 2.0 & Sakai
Nate Angell, Sakai Product Manager, The rSmart Group, Inc.
Duffy Gillman, Sr. SoCware Engineer, The rSmart Group, Inc.
Alan Hanson, VP Product Management, Teaching and Learning, Sungard SCT

2. OVERVIEW
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3. Overview
• Improved Ability for Synching Data
• rSmart Increment to Sakora Tool
Contributed by Unicon
• Learning InformaWon Services (LIS) 2.0
• IMS Global Learning ConsorWum
• Standard for SIS ‐ LMS IntegraWon
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4. Problem Space
Courses
Sites
SecWons
Groups CLE SIS Instructors
SynchronizaWon
Roles Students
&
Mapping Enrollments
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5. Sakai SIS Integra6on
SIS Batch
• Template Site Shells
• AutomaWc Site CreaWon per Course
CLE SIS
Site
Templates
Batch
Files
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6. Sakai SIS Integra6on
Course Management (CM)
• Rich Course Data Model
• Data Staged in Sakai
• Rosters Pulled in at Site CreaWon Time
CLE SIS
Batch
Staging Files
Tables
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7. Sakai SIS Integra6on
Course Management ‐ Site/Roster Mapping
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8. Sakora Builds on Course Management
• Site Creator Maps Rosters to Sites
• AddiWonal Import CapabiliWes
rSmart Partnership with Sungard to Incorporate
and Test LIS 2.0 with Sakora
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9. Banner Integra6on for eLearning
with LIS 2.0
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10. IMS Learning Information Services 2.0
• SunGard views the Learning Information Services 2.0
specification as a significant step forward in terms of delivering a
robust, comprehensive, and service-oriented industry standard
• SunGard Higher Education is committed to adopting LIS 2.0 and
has already completed coding and testing for the core functionality
• SunGard plans to start Beta testing LIS 2.0 compliant integration
capabilities in Q2, 2011
• eLearning 8.0.x (IMS 1.1) and eLearning 8.1+ (LIS 2.0) will
coexist, but ultimately customers will need to upgrade
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11. Learning Information Services 2.0 Specifications
• Person Management Service (PMS)
• Group Management Service (GMS)
• Membership Management Service (MMS)
• Course Management Service (CMS) - NEW
• Outcomes Management Service (OMS) - NEW
• Bulk Data Exchange Management Service (BDEMS) - NEW
• WSDL Bindings for all SOAP-based web services
• Higher Education Profile
• SunGard Higher Education Profile
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12. Bulk Data Exchange
• Provides export of data out of Banner in batch mode
• Process extracts data and formats data into LIS 2.0 compliant
XML objects
• Output into one or multiple files
• Two major administrative concepts:
— Filter Criteria
— Tasks
• Once the bulk data file is created in an LIS 2.0 compliant format it
is the responsibility of the partner system to import it
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13. Filter Criteria – 1 of 3
Allows user to select and filter the data extracted from the
Banner database and produced in the xml output file.
• Filter Name
• Filter Description
• Population Selection (use any existing Banner Population
Selection).
• Term Selection – All or Selected
• College Selection – All or Selected
• Department Selection - All or Selected
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14. Filter Criteria – 2 of 3
• Person Selection (capability to select persons who have a Logon
ID only)
• Filter based on person roles:
— Institution Roles:
• Student, Faculty, Learner, Instructor, Staff, Alumni,
ProspectiveStudent, Administrator, None
— Custom Roles (continue to publish existing custom roles):
• Friends, Finance, DevelopmentOfficer, Prospect, Applicant,
InstitutionAccept, ApplicantAccept, BannerINB, Finaid
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15. Filter Criteria – 3 of 3
• Partner Code Selection
— For one or more LMS (Learning Management System)
• Institution Codes
— For clients using Multi-Entity Processing - Pending
• Inactive Enrollments
• Faculty Department
• Course Data – All, Limited, Specific, Active or None
• Course Section Data – All, Limited, Specific or None
• Student Enrollment Data – All, Limited, Specific or None
• Cross List Data – All, Limited, Specific or None
• Faculty Assignment – All, Limited Specific or None
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16. Task Definitions
• Allows user to define, organize and schedule Bulk Data Extract
tasks
— Task Name
— Task Description
— File Location
— File Size Limit (in MB)
— Partner Name
• Works in conjunction with Filter Criteria
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17. Bulk Data Exchange – Service Operations
• announceBulkDataExchange – This operation is provided by the
target application (in LMS terminology the “Sync Agent” -
Luminis, rSmart, Blackboard etc.,). Once an extract file is
complete, we have the capability to call this operation.
• reportBulkDataExchange – Our solution exposes a web service
for the Sync Agent system to report the status of the bulk data
import.
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18. Bulk Data Exchange – Person data extract use case
1. User configures filter criteria for bulk Person data extract
2. Bulk Data Extract process is executed and produces Bulk
Data Transaction File(s) constrained by configuration
— Maximum file size can be specified resulting in multiple Transaction
Files depending on volume of data
3. Once the process is complete a ‘bulkBlockManifest’ object is created to
inform the consuming system regarding the Transaction File(s) to be
picked up and processed
4. The ‘bulkBlockManifest’ is incorporated into an
announceBulkDataExchange SOAP Request which is transmitted to the
service endpoint exposed by the consuming system (the Learning
Management System (LMS))
5. announceBulkDataExchange response is received by Integration for
eLearning
6. Data transfer is initiated either via FTP or directly via HTTPS
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19. Bulk Data Exchange Interaction Diagram – Banner Initiated
(Banner SIS) (Sakai CLE)
announceBulkDataExchange
reportBulkDataExchange
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20. Integration for e-Learning 8.1 Real-time Integration
Architecture
Luminis LIS 2.0
Service Layer Banner
Luminis
Banner Event
Publisher (BEP)
Network / Internet
Integration for eLearning
Single
sign-on
Sakai CLE LIS 2.0
Service Layer
Sakai
20
24
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21. Integration for e-Learning 8.1 Real-time Integration
Architecture
Luminis LIS 2.0
Service Layer Banner
Luminis
Banner Event
Publisher (BEP)
Network / Internet
Integration for eLearning
Single
sign-on
Sakai CLE LIS 2.0 Allows disparate systems to
Service Layer communicate via service calls
Sakai
20
24
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22. SAKORA LIS 2.0 EXTENSION
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23. • Sakora Developed by Unicon
• LIS 2.0 Extension by rSmart
• Tested with Sakai 2.7 and 2.8
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24. Architecture
Parses individual
XML methods
(eg. replacePerson,
replaceCourse, ...)
into calls to CM
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25. Real‐6me Service Calls
LIS SOAP Method Affects CM Object
replacePerson Person
replaceGroup Term, College
replaceCourseTemplate Course
replaceCourseOffering Course SecWon
replaceSecWon Course SecWon
replaceMembership Enrollment
replaceSecWonAssociaWon Cross‐LisWng
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26. LIS ‐ Banner ‐ Sakai Data Mapping
LIS 2.0 Banner Sakai
Person Person User
Group Term Term
Course Course Canonical
Template
Course Section Course Section Course
Section
Course Offering Course Section Course Offering
Group College Course Set
Group Department Course Set
Membership Student Membership
Membership Enrollment
Faculty Membership
Section Assignment
Cross Listing Section
Association Association
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27. Bulk Data Exchange
• IniWal and Periodic SynchronizaWon
• Triggers Batch Process
• Sakora Fetches Batch Via FTP
• Bulk Data Format Parsed to Real‐Wme Calls
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28. Bulk Data Message Format
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29. Features
Message Queueing
• “Fire and Forget”
• Large OperaWons Broken Up
• Work Can Occur Simultaneously Across a
Cluster
• Fault Tolerance
*Uses MessageService with AcWveMQ
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30. Features
Web Services
• Implemented via Spring Web Services
• Flexible Logging
• Flexible Marshalling/RouWng
• Security: Basic HTTP Auth over SSL
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31. Features
Configurable ExtracWon of Data
• LIS 2.0 Provides Flexibility (eg. Person
Akributes)
• InsWtuWon or SIS May Label Data Differently
• Parsing of XML Messages Controlled by
Configurable XPath
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32. Features
Person ID Mapping
• Common Use Case ‐ Sakai EID not in SIS
• Pluggable Mapping Service can Consult any
Resource Necessary
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33. Features
AudiWng
• Primarily Important for Bulk Data Exchange
• Pluggable
• Ideal is Asynchronous Response to Data Exchange
Call
• Email to Admin
• Results Available in Database
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34. 12th Sakai Conference – Los Angeles, California – June 14‐16 33

35. CONFIGURATION
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36. Configura6on
Sakora Source
hkps://source.sakaiproject.org/contrib/unicon/sakora
MessageService Source
hkps://source.sakaiproject.org/contrib/messageservice/
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37. Configura6on
Basic
Base for WS URLs:
sakora.saipEndpoint=http://localhost:8080/sakai-sakora-tool/services
Configuration for FTP Connection:
hostName@net.unicon.sakora.api.handler.url.URLHandlingTemplate.sungard=
homeDirectory@net.unicon.sakora.api.handler.url.URLHandlingTemplate.sungard=
userId@net.unicon.sakora.api.handler.url.URLHandlingTemplate.sungard=
password@net.unicon.sakora.api.handler.url.URLHandlingTemplate.sungard=
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38. Configura6on
Advanced
• Extensive configuraWon in components.xml
• DocumentaWon to be updated by rSmart for
(most significantly) AudiWng features
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