SIF Agent

[LCPSWolf]

Hello,

Our school district currently has SIF (school interop framework) running between our student info system and various other databases. I want to know if it's possible to write one for our library automation system, as to purchase one would cost us thousands initially.

Looking on the web, I found this:
uva-core - Google Code
Uva Software

And plan to play around with it; however, I'm wondering if anyone else uses SIF or has had any experience doing what I'm trying to do.

Thanks!

[GrumbleDook]

The SIF standard from the US has actually been adapted for us in UK so it is not quite the same, however it is a standard that published http://www.sifinfo.org/us/sif-specification.asp and so you should be able to build things for it.

There are some open source SIF and ZIS options out there too.

SIFA(UK) are still working on things but the latest standard is at http://www.sifinfo.org/uk/index.asp

[penfold_99]

I belive there is OpenSADK. It's available on launchpad.

Grumbledock, continuing our conversation yesterday, am i right in staying to get infomration from sims via SIF/ZIS the setup would need to be

SIMS.net <-> SIMS.net ZIS Agent <-> ZIS Server <-> Moodle ZIS Agent <-> Moodle?

All i would need to right is the Moodle ZIS Agent?

[GrumbleDook]

MIS (or other data source) <-> Specific SIF agent 1 <-> Zone Integration Server(ZIS) <-> Specific SIF agent 2 <-> VLE

On the SIFA(UK) site there is an implementation toolkit. It is also worth mentioning that the standard has recently been updated but to get access to some of the information you need to be a member of SIFA UK. I would approach of them and Becta about membership.

[NickBarron]

Hi Grumble
The implementation toolkit is primarily used for the project management side of implementing SIF. So I am not sure it’s what you are after.
Cheers
Nick

[GrumbleDook]

Hi Nick

I mention the toolkit to make people realise that it is not just a case of writing a bit of code ... there is a heck of a lot more that goes into it all.

[A5Ben]

I'm wanting to write a SIF agent to tie into my SIS as well. I would appreciate any input on this as I have no idea what it would take. I can handle the core code but I know it's not that simple.

[openZIS]

I'm wanting to write a SIF agent to tie into my SIS as well. I would appreciate any input on this as I have no idea what it would take. I can handle the core code but I know it's not that simple.

Agents are not that difficult to construct. Many of the districts/companies using OpenZIS have created there own Agents. Your first task would be to determine your specification level. In the UK you have 1.0, 1.1 and soon 1.2. Prior to just picking one of these these three i would inventory your application that reside outside of your SIS. Find out if they are moving towards SIF and which version. If they say 1.2 - chances are good that they have not started to do any real development. If you find that your vertical application are not SIF capable - you could look for competing SIS projects that are. SIS application are moving the US market and dictate the SPEC levels since they are the source of most of the data.

C

[A5Ben]

Agents are not that difficult to construct. Many of the districts/companies using OpenZIS have created there own Agents. Your first task would be to determine your specification level. In the UK you have 1.0, 1.1 and soon 1.2. Prior to just picking one of these these three i would inventory your application that reside outside of your SIS. Find out if they are moving towards SIF and which version. If they say 1.2 - chances are good that they have not started to do any real development. If you find that your vertical application are not SIF capable - you could look for competing SIS projects that are. SIS application are moving the US market and dictate the SPEC levels since they are the source of most of the data.

C

I can program in VB but I have no idea where to start. We have a ZIS here that our SIS (PowerSchool) is authoritative to.

Ben

[openZIS]

Ben

I may have something that you can use - let me contact a developer out in California that i know that created a simple agent in VB i beleive. My feeling is that he was moving data from an HR application.

Q: Powerschool has a SIF agent - are they charging you for it and if so what is the cost of the agent. I am working with the Department of Education in Mass and they have a few schools that use PowerSchool. By the way the Persons SIF Agent works great with OpenZIS.

OpenZIS

[A5Ben]

Sorry to hijack this thread!!!

Our PowerSchool implementation is state mandated so they are footing the bill for the software but not hardware. We got the PS SIF agent as part of the package so I just need to get tied into the ZIS for my account creation.

For right now I've written a trigger on the Oracle STUDENTS table to call a little sockets client that then sends the record id to a server for record processing. I would obviously love to have this incorporated into the ZIS instead of going around it. The AD agent from EduStructures is ridiculously expensive!


I appreciate any help that you can provide.

Ben

[openZIS]

Ben,

Can you send me your contact information so we can discuss this in more details. You can use our comment page located at

ZIT - Zone Integration Terminal

Christopher