Hi,
We want to integrate PeopleSoft Campus Solution 9.0 with BlackBoard. We have successfully configured Student Administration and Integration Pack SAIP for IMS LIS v1.0, WSDL for snapshot integration are ready, now we want to call these web services from BlackBoard.
Please can anyone addvise or provide document of it.
We are using BlackBoard 9.1 sp8.
Regards
Zubair Ali
University of Dammam, KSA
Zubair Ali,
I'm afraid there is not a lot of documentation available for the new data integration tools, aside from what's available through the Administrator Help links.
However, I've just been informed about two webinars that Blackboard's doing which may be of interest to you:
Moving Forward with Data Integration (for Snapshot users)Date: Tuesday, May 1 2012Time: 10:00 a.m. (EST)Description: This webinar will show you the best strategies for integrating your Student Information System with Blackboard Learn. If you are currently using command-line Snapshot for your data integration, this webinar will introduce techniques on how to transition to the new Student Information System Integration Framework for your integration.Registration URL: https://blackboard.webex.com/blackboard/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=659239382 The Student Information System Integration Framework RevealedDate: Wednesday, May 2 2012Time: 12:00 p.m. (EST)Description: Blackboard Learn technical experts will explain the best strategies for integrating your Student Information System with Blackboard Learn using the new SIS Integration Framework.Registration URL: https://blackboard.webex.com/blackboard/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=655013965
Your mentioned links are not working,
Anyway, can you just provide how to import XML IMS 1.0 into BB and how to schedule it.
Zubair,
The links are working for me. You can also see them if you go to the general Blackboard Webex site (http://blackboard.webex.com) and look for "Blackboard Learn - Release 9.1" in the Events by Program screen.
You can import individual XML feed files by setting up a student information systems integration with type "IMS Enterprise 1.1", "IMS Enterprise 1.1 Vista", "IMS Learning Information Services" (LIS) or "Snapshot XML", depending on which matches your feed format, then selecting "Upload Feed File" from the pulldown item menu.
Have a look at the blog at http://john-cummings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/ims-enterprise-11-vista-xml-integration.html, particularly section 4, for information about scheduling/automating the process.
Mike
Hi Michael,
Thanks for your valued response, can i have script script to post the contents of feed XML to the endpoint like curl/python or any other script. this is mentioned in blog as well.
Zubair
curl is a utlility comes on Linux systems. It's not something that's provided by Blackboard.
OK.
We have BlacBOard 9.1 on WindowsServer2003, so in which language we can write script to invoke services priodically. If script is available please provide me.
Thanks
Just a warning--Blackboard 9.1 SP8 is not supported on Windows Server 2003, so you really should consider upgrading it to Server 2008. See the SP8 Release Notes (http://library.blackboard.com/d/?=27627407-0469-4917-8d74-15a34ef66ded), the installation guide, or the list of supported technologies (http://kb.blackboard.com/x/X4AJBg) for a list of the compatible server platforms.
But you do not need to "invoke services periodically" on the Blackboard server the way you did with snapshots. The curl script that is mentioned in the blog is run on the Banner server to send the XML feed file to the Blackboard server. It's then processed immediately on the Blackboard server, just as if you had uploaded it through the GUI.
Hi Mike
I've read all the replies regarding this issue, but note that there is no live Integration between PeopleSoft/BB, this is all about running this process every period of time (1 Hour,2 Hours)...etc, and you know there is no special data type you can get from this kind of integration, all of these data you can get using the regular snapshot model by using its old or new way, so i think there is no point of using this if you can generate the regular Feed Files for BB, data is data regardless its format , and there is no added value of using XML format or whatever if you finally getting the same data by using Feed Files or IMS XML Standards,and you are schedule this process to run every period of time whether using CURL script or SNAPSHOT!!!
I'm afraid I don't understand what you're trying to ask Do you mean that because the new process can handle files with snapshot flat fileand snapshot XML formats, that there's no benefit to to using the new data integration framework?
If so, here are some reasons to look at the new framework:
1) The old snapshot process has been deprecated in SP8, and is eventually going away.
2) The new framework allows you to send data in standardized IMS Enterprise 1.1and IMS LIS formats, which is not available in snapshot. It also handles the old snapshot flatfile and XML formats, as well.
3) The new process will allow you to pass data which implements the new Term, Course Merge, and Institutional Hierarchy features as part of your data integration. You can't include those things in snapshot feeds.
4) The new data integration framework can be managed entirely from the administator GUI, at least on the Blackboard side, with no need for command-line server access and no need to modify properties files to change the way data files are processed.
5) The new framework is implemented with web services, so there's no need to run FTP or anything like that on the Blackboard server allow the feed files to be transferred, and no need to schedule the processes on the Blackboard side because the data is processed as soon as it's received.
HI Mike
You didn't get my point , I didn't mean the new SNAPSHOT Integration Framework which i already tested,what i meant that whether you are using Snapshot Feed Files(Using The New SNAPSHOT Integration Framework ,Not The Snapshot App) or IMS LIS,IMS Enterprise 1.1 , you can get the same data (Terms, Hierarchy Nodes,Course, Organizations) Am I Right?, if so then what i was talking about that there is no Live/Integration (updates ate the same moment in BB/SIS)between BB/PeopleSoft , if you can generate the Snapshot Feed files from DB, so it will be a waste of time to go to XML format with any format, two concepts here (Snapshot Process with its supported feed files, and snapshot feed files for the new Snapshot Integration Framework(Web Services with CURL))
Regards...
No, I'm afraid I didn't get what you were saying, and I'm still not sure that I do. Perhaps we are just using different terminology?
There is no such thing as "Snapshot Integration Framework". "Snapshot" is the older command-line utility. The new "Data Integration Framework" can be set up to take files in the same format is the old snapshot process used, or it can take IMS Enterprise 1.1 or LIS formats, which I believe PeopleSoft SAIP can generate directly. You do not have to switch to IMS formats if you're already generating "snapshot" formats, though.
I think you can also do event-driven (i.e. live) integration with the new Data Integration Framework. You just need to use web services to pass the data, not the message queue that was used before. PeopleSoft SAIP may even already know how to do this. It's not something I've ever worked with, though.
Its different names for the same concept, as example you have here "Manual Mode" in the old name, and now you have "Store", also you have now "Complete Refresh" and in the past you had "Snapshot Mode", also let's come to headers as Example you still have the previous headers for Persons,Courses, Enrollments,..etc, as default ,nothing changed , they just added a new Feed Files to support new data types as "Terms,Nodes,....etc", let's come to the way it works , in the past you have to execute command line "Snapshot_Override ......etc", and now it is better for any admin to Use CURL tool than uploading these files via GUI, from my point of view , nothing changed , it is minor issues, so for me i will use SNAPSHOT to refer to what you they called "SIS Integration"
Well, when trying to explain things, it's usually helpful to refer to the terms as they appear in the documentation. That's why I don't describe it as "Snapshot Integration Framework" just because I'm using feed files with the snapshot flat file format. It's still the same "Data Integration Framework" no matter what feed format I'm using. Otherwise, you simply wind up confusing the people you're trying to help.
Hi All,
well it is interesting to see that how people are keen to share experiences and guide people to overcome their problems, nice discussion. but Mike your suggestion is right, actually i am little confused now. anyway
I repeat;
I have generated full snapshot LIS v1.0 XML files from Peoplesoft SAIP product, now i want to import these XML files into BlackBoard and schedule it for next Incremental Snapshot import. In Peoplesoft there are two types of SNAPSHOT 1. Full Snapshot 2. Incremental Snapshot.
For the first time We will give Full Snapshot to BB Team and then for the next time we will generate Incremental Snapshot from the Peoplesoft SAIP module.
Mike: please re-explain the strategy and workout in BB 9 sp8.