Transcript Document
SIF Basics - Building a Working
Knowledge and Vocabulary
of the Specification and
Projecting ROI
MIS 2009
Welcome
and
Introductions
Agenda
•Overview
•Software Components
•ZIS
•Agents
•Applications
•SIF Data Objects
•SIF Data Elements
•Other Concepts
•Examples
•Getting a bang for your buck – ROI and SIF
Traditional Data Systems
Cafeteria
?
SIS
• The situation in many
schools and school
systems is that there are
a series of software
applications which all
may require the same
data, but which have no
way to talk to each other.
• It may be possible for
one or two applications
to share data through
proprietary methods, but
open, dynamic and
synchronized data
sharing does not occur.
?
?
Network
Accounts
?
?
Library
Transportation
SIF Overview
SIS
DirXML
Network Account
Zone Integration Server
(ZIS)
SIF Agents
Applications
SIF Data Objects
Library
Automation
H.R. &
Finance
Data
Warehouse
Transportation
Grade
Book
Instructional
Services
Software Components of a SIF
Implementation
Zone Integration Server (ZIS) – The central
point of data exchange in a SIF implementation.
Provides queuing, security, and communication
services to Agents.
Software vs. Hardware
SIF Agents – Software which allows an individual
application to communicate via the SIF Infrastructure.
An agent can publish and/or subscribe data. It sits on
top of EACH application and is typically different from
application to application. Multiple agents (at least 2)
are needed in order to implement SIF.
Zone Integration Server
(ZIS)
Routes messages
Controls access – which agents are
allowed to see which messages and
request which information
Persists messages when agents are asleep
Configure HTTP or HTTPS transport
Health of Zone and Monitoring
Agents: The Universal
Translator
SIF Agents have
2 “faces”
Translate
between the
application and
the SIF data
model
Responsible for
generating and
processing SIF
objects
ZIS
SIF
Data
Model
Application
“Native”
Agent
Application
SIF Agents
Publisher and Subscriber Agents
• Publish – Events that may be published (currently)
include Add, Change, and Delete.
• Subscribe – The process of “listening” for and
processing SIF Events.
Integrated vs. Standalone
• Contains core business logic of Subscribing
application
Applications
Applications – Specific software for a particular
department or internal client. Typical SIF
applications include SIS, Directory, Transportation,
Food Service, Library Science, Assessment, etc.
Determining “SIFAbility” of Applications in your
network
SIF Certified vs. SIF “Compliant”
• SIF Certification – Part of SIF’s product standard that includes 3rd
party verification that the Application and Agent conform to the SIF
specification. Certification includes a legal component that guarantees
vendors will adapt their software to meet requirements, if needed.
• SIF Compliance – A general term used by software vendors that are
not Certified. Such agents may work with SIF, but lack third party and
vendor guarantees of interoperability.
Find your Application
• http://certification.sifinfo.org/cert_prodlist.tpl
• How to siphon what you need
SIF Data Objects
•SIF Data Objects – A logical grouping of fields (similar to a
database table) within an application that can be shared among
applications. SIF’s Data Model defines Data Objects using XML
Schema Definition language.
•The data exchanged using SIF standards
•Objects comprise the schemas that define information managed by the
applications
•Objects contain specific data elements that serve to characterize them.
•For example, the StudentPicture Object shown below is made up of three
data elements.
SIF Elements
Objects are expressed using standardized web-based
structured data formatting called eXtensible Markup Language
[XML]
XML allows the creation of customized data tags that enable
the definition, transmission, validation, and interpretation of
data between applications and between organizations
REFID’s
Examples
- <SchoolInfo RefId="48449997F1304423950763677A23DB05">
<LocalId>S31</LocalId>
<SchoolName>SMITH HIGH SCHOOL</SchoolName>
<SchoolType Code="HS" />
- <PrincipalInfo>
<ContactName>Dr. John Doe</ContactName>
</PrincipalInfo>
<PhoneNumber Format="NA" Type="18">(999) 9994227</PhoneNumber>
- <Address Type="04">
- <Street>
<Line1>999 STRAWBERRY HILL AVE.</Line1>
</Street>
<City>SMITHFORD</City>
<StatePr Code="CT" />
<PostalCode>06902</PostalCode>
</Address>
<IdentificationInfo Code="15">S31</IdentificationInfo>
</SchoolInfo>
Naperville Community
Unit District 203
District profile
18,000+ Students
1,000+ Teachers
Systems
SIS - Maximus SchoolMAX
Parental Communications - ParentLink
Human Resources - Carter-Pertain
Transportation – VersaTrans
Food Service – Comalex
Library - Alexandria
Data Warehouse - SPSS
Comalex
SchoolInfo
StudentPersonal
StudentSchoolEnrollment
Data
Warehouse
SchoolInfo
StudentPersonal
StudentSchoolEnrollment
SchoolCourseInfo
SectionInfo
StudentSectionEnrollment
TermInfo
RoomInfo
StudentDailyAttendance
AttendanceCodeInfo
Universal
Agent
CarterPertain
VersaTrans
Agent
Target System =
VersaTrans v9.3
District Zone
Zone Integration Server
Universal
Agent
SchoolMax
StaffPersonal
StaffAssignment
StudentPersonal
StudentSchoolEnrollment
Schoolnfo
StudentContact
SchoolInfo
StudentPersonal
StudentSchoolEnrollment
StudentContact
SchoolCourseInfo
SectionInfo
StudentSectionEnrollment
TermInfo
RoomInfo
StudentDailyAttendance
AttendanceCodeInfo
Other SIF Concepts
SIF Zone
Logical group of applications, their agents and the ZIS
services that manage them
Data for the SIF zone is private to the zone
Request/Response
SIF’s Request/Response protocol allows for data to be
requested in its entirety, or filtered via query mechanisms.
Used in Synchronizations
Event Processing
SIF’s Event protocol enables an application to notify other
applications in the Zone when something changes.
Daily transactional processing for adds, changes, deletes,
etc
Be Informed, Get Involved!
Working Groups
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Assessment
Data Warehouse
Data Model Task Force
Food Services
Grade Book
Human Resources &
Financials
• Infrastructure
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Instructional Services
Library Automation
Professional Development
Special Programs
Student Information
Systems
• Student Record Exchange
• Transportation
• Vertical Reporting
Contact Information
Jeremy Davidson
SIF Services Program Manager
816 S. Eldorado Rd. | Bloomington, IL 61704
Toll free: 888-764-8126 ext. 190 | Fax: 309-662-6421
[email protected] | Cell:224-639-2468
Visit our new website at www.integrityschools.com
Getting the most bang for your
buck with SIF - - Projecting ROI
MIS 2009
“Pains” Addressed by SIF
Situational
Fast growth
Legacy systems
Large student enrollment
Small staff size
Data
Redundant data entry
Data accuracy
Data integrity
Data latency
Benefits of SIF
• Data is entered only once, into the authoritative
source system, and is shared seamlessly &
immediately with other applications
• Data is exchanged automatically and thus more
effectively, without manual import and export
processes
• Near real-time access to important information
for better data analysis and information
dissemination
• Ease the burden of vertical reporting to the
State
Cost-Benefit Example
Network Account Creation and Management
SIF capability
• Student directory accounts created at
registration into SIS
Example
• SIF is used to create and manage user
accounts and home directories, eliminating
the additional manual step as the student is
enrolled
Benefit
• Huge time savings to I.T. department
Does your I.T. staff have more valuable
ways to spend its time?
Cost-Benefit Example
Transportation
SIF capability
• Data accuracy & Saved data entry time
Example
• SIF is used to update the transportation
system data from the student information
system as the student is enrolled in school
Benefit
• Real time communication of bus stop
information is possible for every student
• Potential liability issues are avoided
How many phone calls could be saved?
How much bad publicity could be
avoided?
Cost-Benefit Example
Food Services
SIF capability
• Data accuracy
Example
• SIF is used to update the student
management system with meal status
information that is stored in the food
services system
Benefit
• Accurate free/reduced lunch count
possible.
How much additional funding
could be generated?
Cost-Benefit Example
Assessment Reporting
SIF capability
• Data integrity and accuracy
Example
• SIF is used to intersect demographic data
stored in the student management system
with state and local assessment results
Benefit
• Administrators, principals and teachers can
run reports that utilize the most accurate set
of demographics for students
How accurate are your current reports?
How much time does it take to generate
reports?
Cost-Benefit Example
Library
SIF capability
• Near real time information dissemination
Example
• SIF is used to update the library system
with up to date student information from
the SIS
Benefit
• The media specialist who used to spend 4
hrs a week updating student information
and class lists on the computer can
reallocate that time towards students
• (ROI can be seen in better utilization of
resources as well as bottom line numbers)
SIF Benefits
Students & Parents
Improved teaching and
learning processes
Availability of school and
student data
Reduced support costs
Reduced time needed to
manage multiple data sources
Save money using existing
systems and infrastructure
Increased efficiency
Teachers
IT Departments
Real-time access to critical
information
Better data analysis
Teachers time better spent
Administrators
Increased efficiency
Reduced redundancy & errors
Reduced compatibility issues
ROI Calculator