Session # T5

FSA Gateway and Portal Strategies

Balu BalasubramanyamTerry Woods

U.S. Department of Education

Enterprise Service Bus and Federal Student Aid

Gateway Strategy

Balu Balasubramanyam

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• To review the vision and high-level requirements of Federal Student Aid's TSV Gateway solution

• Provide information on the TSV Gateway's role in the target state and how customers can leverage its capabilities

Objectives

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Agenda•Gateway•TSV Gateway Requirements Overview•Interface Infrastructure•TSV Gateway Integration

– TSV Application Architecture– TSV Integration Points

•TSV Gateway Conceptual Design•Open Discussion

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What Is A Gateway?– A gateway is part of an organization's technical

architecture that facilitates the communication between internal applications and external systems

– A gateway provides separation and security between the outside world and an internal network

– A gateway acts as a proxy to broker requests between external partners and Federal Student Aid systems

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Relationship to TSVGateway provides a communication channel between

Federal Student Aid and external partners

IntegratedTechnical Architecture

Target State Vision

Customers &Partners

Integrated Technical Architecture

Portal / Gateway / Call Center

Students, Borrowers, Applicants

Schools

Financial Partners

Department of Education

Federal Agencies

State Agencies

Service Providers

Security Architecture

Security Architecture

Security Architecture

Enterprise Service Bus

Enterprise Service Bus

Integrated Partner Managem

ent

Application

Comm

on Services forBorrowers

eCampus Based

Financial Management

System

Information Fram

ework

Enterprise Applications/Services

Person Record Management

Service

Origination and Disbursement

®

Gateway is an access point for

external partners

Gateway is an access point for

external partners

Gateway (cont’d)

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What is Gateway’s role in TSV?• TSV Gateway will be a key enabler for external

partners doing business with Federal Student Aid

• TSV Gateway will provide Federal Student Aid TSV enterprise business applications with a secure and reliable solution to communicate with external partners

Gateway (cont’d)

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What are the benefits and impacts?

• Creates an enterprise view of all external interface information exchanged with Federal Student Aid

• Provides a layer of security between Federal Student Aid and external partners

• Creates well defined procedures for integrating with Federal Student Aid services

• External interfaces can be centrally managed

Gateway (cont’d)

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Agenda• Gateway

• TSV Gateway Requirements Overview

• Interface Infrastructure

• TSV Gateway Integration

– TSV Application Architecture

– TSV Integration Points

• TSV Gateway Conceptual Design

• Open Discussion

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High-level functional capabilities identified:

Support batch-file transfer– External partner sends batch files to Gateway– External partner receives batch files from Gateway

Support right-time data transfer– External partner sends right-time update to Gateway– External partner receives right-time update from Gateway

Support shared services use– External partner invokes Federal Student Aid shared

service via Gateway– Internal application invokes external shared service via

Gateway

Gateway Requirements Overview

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• Gateway

• TSV Gateway Requirements Overview

• Interface Infrastructure

• TSV Gateway Integration

– TSV Application Architecture

– TSV Integration Points

• TSV Gateway Conceptual Design

• Open Discussion

Agenda

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Interface Infrastructure The current Federal Student Aid external interface concerns are:

"What problem needs to be solved?"

EAI FSA Systems (NSLDS, COD,

CPS, etc…)

Gateway(SAIG)

Some External Partners

School

Guaranty Agency, etc

Lender

Federal Student Aid

Other External Partners

Federal Agency

Guaranty Agency, etc.

State Agency

Sends and receives batch files via SAIG

Sends and receives data via other communication channels, e.g. FTP, Computer Tape

• Multiple communication channels and entry points into Federal

Student Aid are not centrally tracked or managed

• No right-time data interchanges

• Security architecture is not being leveraged

“What problem needs to be

solved?”

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TSV Gateway solution will be the single communication channel between Federal Student Aid, external partners, and external service providers.

Interface Infrastructure (cont’d)

ApplicationsGateway Communication Layer

Enterprise Service Bus (ESB)

Shared Service

Shared Service

External Partners

School

Guaranty Agency

Lender

External Service Providers

IRS, SSA, etc...

Other

Federal Student Aid

WS

Inte

rface

Serv

ice

WS

Inte

rface

Serv

ice

Security Architecture

External partners can send batch and right-time data transmissions.

External partners can invoke exposed Federal Student Aid shared services via the gateway.

Internal Federal Student Aid applications and services can invoke external web services via the gateway.

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•Gateway

•TSV Gateway Requirements Overview

• Interface Infrastructure

•TSV Gateway Integration

– TSV Application Architecture

– TSV Integration Points

•TSV Gateway Conceptual Design

•Open Discussion

Agenda

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TSV Technical Architecture

Gateway, Portal, ESB and internal applications are integrated within the enterprise target state vision

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TSV Gateway solution will integrate with: – Federal Student Aid's critical enablers

• TSV Enterprise Service Bus (ESB)

• Security Architecture

• Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG)

• TSV Portal solution

– Federal Student Aid's business applications (e.g., COD, NSLDS, IPM, Information Framework, etc…)

– *Network Storage

TSV Integration Points

* Integrating with Network Storage is an alternative technical architecture to support the processing of batch files.

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• Gateway

• TSV Gateway Requirements Overview

• Interface Infrastructure

• TSV Gateway Integration

– TSV Application Architecture

– TSV Integration Points

• TSV Gateway Conceptual Design

• Open Discussion

Agenda

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TSV Gateway Conceptual Design

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TSV Gateway Conceptual Design (cont’d)

TSV Gateway Component Descriptions:

Interfaces: Interfaces provide a way to establish systems-to-system communication. Interfaces specify the appropriate method of communicating with a system, such as messaging and transport protocols.

Messaging/Transport Protocols: Support the actual system-to-system communication. The messaging protocol specifies the communication language understood by the receiving system or service, e.g. SOAP. The transport protocol specifies the type transmission protocol supported for the system-to-system communication, e.g. HTTP or JMS.

Service Registry: A directory that contains information about available services, including web services and batch file transfer interfaces.

*Network Storage: Serves as a staging area to store all inbound and outbound batch files. Using Network Storage prevents the need to send batch files over the network and ESB, therefore reducing network overhead.

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TSV Gateway Component Descriptions: The following capabilities are used to support the Gateway’s processing of batch files.

Data Validation: Validates the schema and/or file format is in a readable and correct format.Note: Data Validation does not validate the actual data content, such as SSN has no dashes.

Data Transformation: Transforms data structure to necessary schema or file format between systems with different data structures.Note: Data Transformation does not change the data content. Data Transformation is not business rule driven.

XML Standardization: Validates and enforces the use of a standard data schema between systems. Using a standard data format with a common data definition enables data consistency throughout data exchange process. This service should leverage the use of Federal Student Aid's XML repository.

TSV Gateway Conceptual Designs (cont’d)

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TSV Gateway Conceptual Design (cont’d)

TSV Gateway Component Descriptions: End User GUI Components describe the functionality provided to gateway*end users.

Upload/Download Batch File: Provide the capability for an external partner to upload and download a file to the TSV Gateway.

Check Status of Batch File: Provide the capability to check the status of sent and received batch files.

Mailbox Management: Provide external partner’s administrators with the capability to manage the mailboxes for their organization.

Administrator Management Console: Provide gateway administrators with administrative capabilities, such as reporting and operating the TSV Gateway.

Reference Center Documentation & FSA Download: Provide the capability to download any necessary client software and supporting gateway documentation.

*TSV Gateway end users include external partners’ end users and administrators, Federal Student Aid employees, and TSV Gateway administrators.

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What are some key differences between a Gateway and Portal?Gateway vs.• Used for system to system

communication• Capable of batch-file and

right-time data transmission• Acts as a proxy between

external partners and Federal Student Aid

Portal• Used by end users to access

information• Capable of real-time data

transmission• Customizable graphical user

interface (GUI)

Gateway & Portal Comparison

Both Gateway and Portal are applications to communicate between external partners and Federal Student Aid

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• Gateway

• TSV Gateway Requirements Overview

• Interface Infrastructure

• TSV Gateway Integration

– TSV Application Architecture

– TSV Integration Points

• TSV Gateway Conceptual Design

• Open Discussion

Agenda

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– What problems do you anticipate with this approach?

– What problems continue to be unresolved if Federal Student Aid implements this solution?

– How should Federal Student Aid solve them?– Are any supplemental requirements necessary?– Is Gateway the right place to solve them?– How soon will this solution be useful? – How are you benefited by using this solution?

Open Discussion

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Questions?

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Balu BalasubramanyamPhone: (202) 377-3730

Email:Balu.balasubramanyam@ed.gov

Federal Student AidEnterprise Portal

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Target State Vision (TSV)

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TSV Technical Architecture

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What is A Portal An Enterprise Portal is a Framework for Integrating Information,

Applications, and Processes Across Organizational Boundaries – Wikipedia

Portals Provide:

• Simplified sign-on to back office applications and systems

• Personalized information to deliver what users need when they need it

• Streamlined and seamless access to information through a single user experience reducing the need to go from website to website

• Continuous look and feel throughout allows for the appearance of integration before reengineering back end systems takes place

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Enterprise Portal Infrastructure

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Design Principles• Zero impact to current Web site styles• Fully support current FSA web design

guidelines• Maximize user flexibility and personalization• Leverage built-in portal capabilities• Formalize concepts of a view• Support clear development contract

boundaries

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Enterprise Portal Layers

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What is a View? Delivery of services and content from the perspective of a

targeted user population

Views Provide:

• A broad spectrum of services to address a user population not just a particular function

• Allows for seamless integration of information across functions

• Leverages common reusable functionality enabling project teams to focus on business function unique to the user population

• Provides one location to go to and one sign on

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How Views Relate to Each Other

FSA.ED.GOV

Students View Employee View Trading Partner View

Students and ParentsEmployees and

ContractorsSchools and

Third Party Processors

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Views Are Fully Customizable

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View Style - ThemeQuick Launch

Bar View Level

Search

Logo

Menu Bar

View Footer

Themes Control the overall look and feel.

Themes:• Include header, footer,

menu bar, side navigation

• Define the page level items that repeat on all pages in the site

• Define the color palette for the site

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Page Content - Portlet Portlets are pluggable user interface component that

represent a piece of functionality on a page.

Portlets:• Pages are collections of

portlets• Reusable content area

of page• Support

personalization• Support customization

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Reusable Portlets• Alerts portlet• Survey• Features portlet• News portlet• Featured links portlet• Add a gadget portlet• My book marks portlet• My news• Weather portlet• Employee finder• My to do’s

Questions?

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Terry Woods

Chief Application Architect

Terry.Woods@ed.gov