Integrating with EF’s Online school - Q&A

.

Last updated on May 23, 2012 1

Integrating with EF’s Online school – Q&A Integration with the Online school is done using Web services.

1. What are Web services?

Web services are a convention on how to use web techniques to allow one program to interact with another program over a network. The purpose of Web services is to allow one program to make use of another program on a different computer. Examples include

• Delegating a heavy calculation to a faster computer

• Making changes to a data base that resides on a another computer

• Getting readings from sensors that are attached to other computers A key aspect is that the remote program controls what functions the calling program can perform on the remote computer.

2. How does a standard Web service work?

Web services follow the HTTP client-server model. This means that a program on one computer acts as the server, and listens for incoming requests. This program can serve requests from many calling programs. This program is often referred to as the actual Web service. Other programs act as clients to the Web service. Client programs contact the server program whenever they have a reason to, for example when they want a calculation performed. The server will respond to each client request. However, it will only perform the requested action, like the calculation, if it the client stated the request correctly. If the server performed the requested action, it will send the result back with the response.

Figure 1. Illustration of a Web service

Integrating with EF’s Online school - Q&A

.

Last updated on May 23, 2012 2

3. How are Web services used when integrating with the Online school?

EF offers two Web services, the CorpAccount Web service and the Progress Report Web service.

• The CorpAccount Web service provides functionality such as registering students and logging in without a password.

• The Progress Report Web service reports on students’ progress in the Online school. All EF Web services work the following way:

1. The customer chooses to request something of EF. 2. If it is a valid request, EF performs the relevant actions. 3. EF sends a response to the customer. 4. The customer chooses what to do with the response information.

An example:

1. The customer system requests that a student account should be created. Included in the request is all the relevant information, such as name, email address etc.

2. EF checks that all the necessary information is present, and that the customer system can identify itself as a valid Web service user. If all is OK, EF creates the student account.

3. EF sends back a response to customer system, stating that the account has been created and including a link that can be used to login to the school.

4. The customer system is free to note down that this is now a registered student. It may also use the link to log the student into the school.

4. Are EF’s Web services secure?

Yes, for the following reasons:

1. The customer, who writes the client program, is in complete control on how the customer’s own system is used. Interaction with EF will only happen when the client program requests it. EF can never affect the customer’s system directly. Any changes are performed by the client program.

2. EF’s Web services use tried and true technology, such as XML for managing data and

encrypted HTTP (HTTPS) for transportation security.

5. Is there a quick technical rundown available?

Yes. EF’s Web services are APIs for interaction with the Online school.

1. They use IP and HTTP to navigate the network and for platform independency. 2. They use SSL/TLS encryption to ensure traffic cannot be wiretapped. 3. They use XML to handle data. 4. They use SOAP to manage messaging. 5. They use WSDL to describe the service.

A client can easily be generated from the WSDL file. Authorization relies on a Web service user name with an associated password.