Open Knowledge Initiative Scott Thorne Jeff Kahn

Topics  Architectural Overview  Assumptions  Goals  Design  Benefits  Applying O.K.I.™

Assumptions  Things Change  New Services & Functions  Method of Accessing Services  More Central Software Services  Authorization, Calendaring, etc.  Evolving Systems  Definition

More Assumptions  All Enterprises won’t have the same Technologies  All Enterprise Systems won’t use the same Technology  The need for sharing will grow  Differing “connectedness”  Not Web only

Goals  Better Integration  Allow data to be exchanged  Allow software to be integrated  Predictable Evolution  Allow for changing functionality  Minimize the negative impacts  Expanding Market Possibilities

Possible Integration Goals  Allow enterprise systems to exchange & synchronize information  Allow different organizations to exchange & synchronize information  Allow systems to use enterprise services  Allow for modular software which plugs into a known framework  Single system responsible for information

Data and Functional Specification  Data standards serve two goals  Data exchange inter/intra enterprise  Both Data & Function needed for all Goals  Data duplication and propagation  data specifications can’t address all issues  Both Needed for Interoperability  And more!

Systems Exchanging Data System A System B 1 2

Systems Integrated Functionally System ASystem B 2

OSIDs  Definitions Example OSID

OSIDs  Definitions  Implementations Service OSID Implementation Infrastructure public class Factory implements org.okip.service.APIName.api.Factory { private static final blah blah bhal private static final yada yada yada } … Example

Service-Based Architecture public class Factory implements org.okip.service.Example.api.Factory { private static final blah blah bhal private static final yada yada yada } … Example OSID … org.okip.service.shared.api.Thing things = myFactory.getSomething(); if (null != thingss) { for (int i = 0; things.length != i; i++) { out.println(things[i]); System.err.println(types[i]); } } … Application Implementation Infrastructure Service

The OSID Approach  OSID are Interfaces only, not Implementations  Code Reuse  Could Achieve Real-time Integration  Clean Separation or Boundaries  Minimizes Impacts of Changes

A single application with a module of functionality Group

An application using an OSID internally, but with no real benefit Group

The module is outside the application, but still local Group

A client-side OSID and a remote service Group Remote Machine Data Store

Integration of two applications with a single service Group App 1App 2

Introduction of a common tool for Group management Group App 1App 2Group Mgmt Tool

Group maintenance can be removed from applications Group App 1App 2Group Mgmt Tool

Common Service Level OSIDs  Allows Integration with Enterprise Services  Adapts to Multiple Standards  Allows Several Sites to Share Services  Independence from Changing Technology

The OSIDs “Common Services”  Agent  Authentication  Authorization  Id  Scheduling  User Messaging  Workflow  Dictionary  Filing  Hierarchy  Logging  SQL “Educational Services”  Course Management  Digital Repository  Assessment  Grading

Kerb5 One Application Using Multiple Implementations of One API X509 AuthN App

Two Back End Systems – Single Access Method CourseMgmt Enrollment App. SIS System HR System

Group Integration Group Function Group Service System ASystem B

Implementation Supporting Multiple Protocols OSID X SRMISOAP Infrastructure Service Supporting both SRMI And SOAP

Same Application Using Different Implementations Service 1Service 2 Application A Service 1Service 2 Application A

Independent or Tightly Coupled Implementations AuthNAuthZAuthNAuthZ Application A

“LMS” Varying Granularity of Service Exposure Assess Application Y AuthNAuthZ C.M.Etc. AuthZ Assess Application Z C.M.Etc.

Overall Benefits  Stable and Well-Known Integration Points  Common Factoring of Domain  Code Reuse  Reduced Risk  Matched Expectations  Shorter Development Cycle / Lower Cost

Benefits of OSIDs for Enterprise IT  Provides enterprise integration strategy  Define responsibilities between application developers and enterprise infrastructure  Centralize a function or service  Enforce uniform business logic  Predictable technology migration  Costs, resources, process  Structures vendor delivrables (RFP)  Integrate two applications with overlapping functions

Benefits of OSIDs for the Developer and Development Manager  Allows tracking of progress  Does the application call the xyz OSID?  Who is working on the xyz implementation?  Is the xyz OSID implementation done?  Provides a context for project metrics  How’s the performance of the xyz implementation?  How many OSIDs / implementations are done?

Benefits of OSIDs for the Vendor  Create a product that can adapt to many customers’ environments  Separate application issues from enterprise infrastructure  Create an integration point  Create means for integration with other vendor’s products

Applying O.K.I.™

Topics Covered  Organizing for Applications and Implementations  Legacy Migration  Testing  Debugging  Performance and Scalability  Configuration  Software Development Training  Release Management - When OSIDs Change  Build vs Reuse  Technical Issues  Support Resources

User-Facing Application Back-End Systems Integration Single Team

User-Facing Application Back-End Systems Integration Applications Team Implementations Team OSID

Legacy Migration

Course Management System (Single Purpose Communication) Course Catalog Authorization Authentication SQL Authenticate Authorize Course Management End User Application

Communication Through OSIDs Course Catalog Authorization Authentication SQL Authenticate Authorize Course Management End User Application CourseMgmt

Stand-Alone OSID Implementations Course Catalog Authorization Authentication SQL Authenticate Authorize Course Management End User Application CourseMgmt Course Management

System Migration Course Catalog Authorization Authentication SQL Authenticate Authorize Course Management End User Application New Course Management CourseMgmt

Series (A) Infrastructure Course Catalog Authorization Authentication SQL (A) Authentication (A) Authorization (A) Course Management End User Application CourseMgmt (A)

Series (A) and (B) Course Catalog Authorization Authentication SQL (B) Authentication (B) Authorization (A) Course Management End User Application CourseMgmt (A)

Testing  Reuse tests since OSIDs are stable  Complete test plan before development is complete  no interface feature creep  Tests with sample values can help developers  Reuse tests within and across institutions  Good tests lower risks in reusing implementation

Debugging  Problem determination can be a significant challenge in complex systems  New code is a source of bugs  Reuse of validate components reduces supply of bugs  OSIDs compartmentalized functionality and limit scope in search for bugs

Performance and Scalability  Architecture envisions relatively few implementations and relatively many applications  Reuse spreads investment in well performing, scalable implementations across more deployments  All dependant applications benefit from enhancements

Configuration  Selection of implementation to use  Implementation configuration  Sharable context  Adapters

User-Facing Application XxxManager.propertiesYyyManager.properties Xxx OSID Implementation Yyy OSID Implementation Owner Context Configuration Mechanisms

User-Facing Application OSID “A” Implementation Adapter Back-End Services OSID “B” ImplementationOSID “A” Implementation Configuration Using Adapters

Software Development Training  Keeping current is a continuing challenge  Stable abstractions and factoring across technology cycles  OSID implementations deal with back-end systems; generally the longest shelf-life  Consistent approach across OSIDs results in higher reuse of skills

Release Management When OSIDs Change

Version 1.0 Version 1.1 OSID “A” New Versions are Supersets

User-Facing Application Assessment OSID v1.0 (Implementation “A”) Repository OSID v1.0 (Implementation “A”) Back-End Services Typical Layered Solution

User-Facing Application Assessment OSID v1.0 (Implementation “A”) Repository OSID v1.0 (Implementation “B”) Back-End Services Substituting Implementations of the Same OSID Version

User-Facing Application Assessment OSID v1.0 (Implementation “A”) Repository OSID v1.1 (Implementation “A”) Back-End Services Impact of an Implementation of a Newer OSID Version on a Low Layer

User-Facing Application Repository OSID v1.0 (Implementation “A”) Assessment OSID v1.1 (Implementation “A”) Back-End Services Impact of an Implementation of a Newer OSID Version at a High Layer

User-Facing Application Assessment OSID v1.1 (Implementation “A”) Adapter Repository OSID v1.0 (Implementation “A”) Back-End Services Combination of a New OSID Version Implementations and an Adapter

Build vs Reuse  Inventory of reusable applications and implementations  Institutional context  Team’s skills and priorities  Architectural design issues

Development Team and Context  Requisite expertise  Best use of limited resources  Will reuse foster adoption  Is reuse mandated  Is reuse faster  Can new implementation be tested and supported

Design Questions  Which OSIDs and other interfaces  Which methods  Which Types  What Ids  Which language  Local implementation?  Layering

Technical Topics  Object Lifecycle  OsidManager, Persistence, Managing Objects, Static and Dynamic Binding  Integrating Objects and Approaches  Ids, Types, Properties, Owner Context, Out-of-Band Agreements  Iterators  Exceptions  Solution Organization and Configuration  Transactions  Serialization

Support Resources    OSIDs  Documentation  Implementations  Discussion 

Questions