DIY SIS Integration

An Overview and Explanation of the

Missouri Baptist University Snapshot System

Copyright © 2010, All Rights Reserved

MBU Blackboard Environment

Original Environment

• Blackboard 6.3• Windows 2003• SQL Server 2000• SIS is CAMS Enterprise• SnapshotGenerator 1.0

Current Environment

• Blackboard 9.0 SP3• Windows 2003• SQL Server 2005• SIS is CAMS Enterprise• SnapshotGenerator 4.0

All SnapshotGenerator updates from 1.0 to 3.2 were to add functionality, not because updating Bb broke anything.Version 4.0 was developed to fix flaws inherent in the original Database Views on the SIS side, again nothing broke when we updated Bb.

How we got here• 2000 offered first online classes using WebCT 3

• 2004 moved to Blackboard 6.3 Basic

• December 2005, I took over as Technical Director (Blackboard Administrator)

– Everything was manual up to this point

• 2006 moved to Bb 6.3 Enterprise

– Snapshot was the main factor

• Summer 2006, developed SnapshotGenerator 1.0

• January 2007, updated to Bb 7.1

• March 2007, SnapshotGenerator 2.0

– --help option, multiple terms

How we got here• November 2007, SnapshotGenerator 3.0

– 8-week scheduling, automated course availability

• December 2007, updated to Bb 7.3

• June 2009, SnapshotGenerator 3.1

– Re-configured to use properties file to load config settings– Developed installer for SnapshotGenerator– Developed Snapshot Controller

• Prior to this, integration had been accomplished by Windows shell scripts that were scheduled, but had to be updated every semester

• August 2009, updated to Bb 9.0

• December 2009, SnapshotGenerator 3.2

– Removed limitation on number of concurrent terms to process

Today

• SnapshotGenerator 4.0 put into production June 18

– Nearly complete rewrite of system– Original system made use of recursive SQL functions

• The presenter did not write these, our former DBA did

– New views were developed in the SIS database• The presenter did develop these

– All processing of data now takes place in SnapshotGenerator

– Typical runtime for snapshot generation went from 5-7 minutes to a matter of seconds (always less than 1 minute)

Components of the Snapshot Process

• The MBU Snapshot System

– CAMS Enterprise Database Views• SQL Server 2008

– Snapshot Generator• Java application

– Snapshot Controller• C# application + Windows Command Script

– Blackboard™ Snapshot Tool

Copyright © 2010, All Rights Reserved

Snapshot System Components

Snapshot Generator

• Java application– Developed with NetBeans

• Run by Snapshot Controller– Can be run manually– Generates snapshot files

for each term currently identified in SIS database as “current”

– Term active now, +30 days, +60 days

Snapshot Controller

• C# application• Run every 15 minutes by

Windows scheduler– Launches Snapshot

Generator– Launches snapshot tool for

each snapshot file generated

MBU Snapshot System Architecture

Snapshot Controller

Snapshot GeneratorCAMSSnapshot

Command Script

Feed FilesBb Snapshot

Tool

Blackboard Server

Query

Result

Launch Launch

Launch

Read

Write

“We’ve never heard of CAMS”

• We use CAMS Enterprise from Three Rivers Systems, inc.

• Three Rivers Systems, inc. is 25-years old, and is based in Saint Louis, MO

• The important factors

– SQL Server database (SQL Server 2008)– Access to the database allows us to create custom views

• These principles should apply to any SIS running on an accessible SQL database

Copyright © 2010, All Rights Reserved

Features of the MBU Snapshot System

• Changes to SIS appear in Blackboard within 15 minutes

• Cross-listed courses are automatically combined into a single Blackboard shell

– This will require us to develop a custom application for importing grades from Bb to our SIS

• This is in the planning stage now• It will make use of Bb 9.x Web Services• It will reside within our Faculty/Staff Portal, which is part of

our SIS

• Students who add a class are automatically enrolled in Blackboard

Features of the MBU Snapshot System

• Students who drop a class are automatically disabled in the course on Blackboard

• Courses are made available to faculty 60-days before the start of the term

• Courses are made available to students on Friday before the course starts

Understanding Snapshot

• Snapshot is Blackboard’s method for importing and updating data within the Blackboard LMS

• Requirements

– Blackboard Enterprise– Snapshot Files

• Students, Faculty, Courses, Assignments, Enrollments

– Data Source Keys• SIS.FACULTY, SIS.STUDENTS• For each term: COURSES, ASSIGNMENTS,

ENROLLMENTS

Understanding Snapshot

• The key to understanding the Snapshot process is understanding data sources

• A data source is a batch of data which will be manipulated collectively within Blackboard

• You can have any number of data sources, we use two permanent data sources: Faculty and Students

• We also use three additional data sources per term: Courses, Assignments, and Enrollments

• Each data source is identified by a unique data source key

The MBU Snapshot System

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DIY SIS Integration