uPortal.Cornell Using uPortal to integrate disparate campus systems Jon Atherton, Cornell Information Technologies

Outline Infrastructure Where we started The Vision Implementation goals A New Face Where we are heading

The Infrastructure Authentication (Kerberos) Kclient SideCar CUWebAuth Authorization (Permit server) Software Distribution (Project Salsa) Directory (LDAP)

Where we started Bear Access CUinfo Dozens of web sites Legacy applications Single Sign-on in place PeopleSoft 8 Blackboard

Roles Maintain Framework (CIT) Bear Access uPortal Content Publisher (CIT) Packaging & Delivery group Content/Service Providers (Campus wide) Library- Campus Store Registrar- CIT

The Vision Improve access to current & relevant information Create the next generation enterprise point of entry Bear Access CUinfo Maintain current roles

Implementation goals Leverage existing infrastructure Authentication (Kerberos single sign on) Authorization (permit service) Software distribution (Project Salsa) Directory (LDAP) Deliver Existing Services Minimal modifications to uPortal source

uPortal.Cornell Single Enterprise point of entry Integrate existing services Window into larger applications Aggregate resources Pull in external resources Personalized & Customizable

Putting on a new face

Bear Access First released in 1992 Deployed to all staff, students & faculty Provides software distribution Access to licensed software Limited customizability

Bear Access channel Jsp based CWebProxy channel Can display content based on group (permit) membership Provides software distribution capability User customizable

CUinfo Originally a terminal based mainframe app Then became a gopher site Currently is an Index to web sites Also contains Web apps

CUinfo Browser channel CWebProxy channel Hierarchical menu of CUinfo content

Student Jobs Web application written in REXX accessing mainframe content using proprietary protocol

Student job listings channel Jsp based CWebProxy channel New interface to existing back-end application

Permit maintenance page Web pages used to maintain permit groups Difficult to use

Group maintenance channel New interface, allowed non-techies to maintain permit groups Contains most of the functionality of web pages

Administrative Services channel Provides access to PeopleSoft 8 Based on LaunchPad channel

Library Gateway channel Hosted by Library Provides same access as “Library Gateway” web site.

CERT Advisories channel.rss channel provided by CERT

Employee Essentials Currently exists as a web app Reads from database Updates to Peoplesoft via WebMethods and PS8 component interface

More about … Employee Essentials Collaborative effort between CIT and HR CIT built data access components as jsp’s HR built web app using jsp’s Components have been reused in other apps webMethods Integration broker Enables disparate systems to share information in a common manner Central control and storage point that mediates events to and from applications

New EE channel See demo Currently prototyping Will be joint effort again This time CIT will write Web Services (SOAP) to access appropriate data HR is developing using Cold Fusion

Where we are going

Roles Maintain Framework (CIT) Bear Access uPortal Content Publisher (CIT) Packaging & Delivery group Content/Service Providers (Campus wide) Library- Campus Store Registrar- CIT

Evolving Roles Maintain Framework (CIT/Infrastructure) uPortal upgrades Develop new infrastructure channels Content Publisher (CIT/Packaging & Delivery) Coordinate between content/service providers and infrastructure group Content/Service Providers (Campus wide) Content Working Group

Demo Bear Access uPortal.Cornell Bear Access CUinfo Browser Student Jobs Group Maintenance Library Gateway CERT Advisories Administrative Services

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