Leaving realsmart?

[howartp]

We will be leaving Realsmart this summer, so I'm starting to look at the physical process as regards Google.

 

Has anyone already left them yet, and have you any pointers?

 

I've no problem with getting GADS and GAPS up and running, and we'll be using Salamander to get the data from SIMS etc, but I'm conscious of not ending up with duplicate accounts or accounts disappearing as/when we switch off Realsmart.

 

Anyone?

 

(If not, I know a number are looking at it, so can we use this post to collate hints and tips?)

 

Peter

[FN-GM]

I have done the exact same recently. I only had duplicate accounts if the usernames in AD didn't match realsmart. Any accounts not found in AD where put into a suspended state. They can be easy restored. If you have a duplicate its more likely that the old RSC account will be suspended and a new created based on AD details. When this happened I deleted the new account, renamed the RSC and performed a resync and this sorted it all out.

 

Delete all your old groups first before you sync with Salamander. I suggest you use GAM to do this. Also When you sync all these groups again they will take a while for them to appear for the end user.

[howartp]

Thanks for that.

 

Do you use classroom? Does deleting groups impact on membership of the classrooms, and/or accidently delete the classrooms, or...?

 

I'd not really come across GAM so I've just watched 20 minutes of a setup video; I'll come back to it later but as a programmer I will certainly make use of it.

 

Is turning off Realsmart just a case of disabling their admin account?

 

What do you do with SSO now? GADS or SAML SSO? ADFS?

 

Peter

[FN-GM]

We do use Classroom and everything worked just fine.

 

When you are ready, contact realsmart, they will disconnect the Google Apps from RealSmart and send a you a copy of the Wordpress installation. Then go into the Google Apps system and disable the admin accounts they own. Google Apps sync should also get rid of these accounts.

 

SSO - we use ADFS. We also use it for Office 365 so the the 2 products work seamlessly together.

[howartp]

Excellent, I'm glad you're on ADFS!

 

Am I right in the following:

 

1) Install ADFS on a non-public-facing server

2) Install ADFS Proxy on a public-facing IIS server

3) Point Google SSO at something.myschool.com

 

Are you on ADFS 2.x or 3.x? 2008/2012?

 

ADFS on (FR)DC or member server?

 

TIA

 

Peter

[FN-GM]

3.0 Server 2012 R2 here.

 

All ADFS servers are on member servers. The ADFS proxy is in the DMZ and only contact the ADFS on the production network via TCP 443. The proxy is not on the domain.

 

This might be handy for you as well - Office 365 with ADFS 3.0 - Login with username instead of email address - Blogs - EduGeek.net

[howartp]

Cheers, I'll have a play.

 

Peter

[mthomas08]

Glad others have faced this, we too are looking at pulling the plug on Realsmart. Unsure if it will happen this year or next though. Something previous management signed up to with no real testing.

 

I won't miss them, nor the company rep who spent far too much time telling me how crap Microsoft is and how wonderful Google/Apple/Cloud is.