MLS.net Hosted

[kevin_lane]

i would like to know if any other schools are using the hosted version of microlib, and how you manage the logins etc,

 

when i uploaded our DB to them my concern was that because our AD was linked in when a user changes there password, how are they going to honor that new password within the new hosted microlib, when speaking to the support staff whom have been very helpful i must say and patient with me because of i have given them some stick on what they think is acceptable and what isn't e.g librarians are given access to reset pupils passwords within the cloud system, but what they fail to understand when you have 15 or more kids wanting or return books and take books out along with general queries, you cant expect a librarian to reset passwords as-well at least i don't think they should anyway -

 

mls have mentioned that some schools use a front facing server i'm guessing has to be a domain controller (to be confirmed) which has an SSL certificated installed and to accept incoming and out going communication to and from MLS, and also using a feature called AD live link

 

i don't really want to have to have to expose more of my network than i have to, and I'm considering on putting a read only DC in a DMZ - i don't know if this will work or I'm just grabbing for a solution, i dont know but any advise on what other schools have done would be grateful

 

thanks

[FN-GM]

I have the exact same gripe. But I am don't domain controllers like that, I don't think it justifies the risk.

 

MLS should be using token based authentication / SAML authentication (something like ADFS) as that is what its designed for. Its much more secure.

[kevin_lane]

i agree i really think its a shamble that they can't use something like azure or ADFS or something, i really don't think they have thought about this part and like you i don't know what to do.

[pete]

I'm also nagging them about Azure AD integration.

[kevin_lane]

from MLS - The ADFS on Azure is something that we are already looking but will require several weeks of development and testing before we can send it out to any staged released area that we could move you to.

 

so i either wait or open ports

[FN-GM]

They told me they are looking into it 12 months ago. I wouldn't hold your breath.

[kevin_lane]

Do you have any evidence of them telling you this as I'm in talks with there MD and Software development Manager and I will put this towards them

[FN-GM]

Actually it was Feb 2015. Didn't think it was that long!

 

They put a change request in for it. - ref: CR-5885

Edited November 16, 2016 by FN-GM

[kevin_lane]

I think also ad azure ad sync came out last June 2015 I think maybe even before.

[win]

Rather than AD live link you can use CSV imports instead. More work but doesn't expose your network

[FN-GM]

Rather than AD live link you can use CSV imports instead. More work but doesn't expose your network

 

Doesn't support any kind of AD authentication though. Might as well use the MIS link instead.

[synaesthesia]

People wouldn't even be fussed about Azure if MLS got their head of out the dark ages and started to realise that AD/LDAP integration is *easy* regardless of where the content is hosted. But instead, there's some dodgy AD tool and a plethora of IE plugins no good to man nor beast!

[win]

It supports AD auth if you add the usernames and tick the AD link button for each user. Not ideal if you have a huge student base though

[FN-GM]

But instead, there's some dodgy AD tool and a plethora of IE plugins no good to man nor beast!

 

I think they are harder to develop aren't they?

[synaesthesia]

Quite probably; especially with the newer operating systems dumping on plugins from a great height Half of the free stuff we use in schools does it far better than MLS seem to manage from helpdesks to VLEs. No idea why they can't do it half sharp!

[FN-GM]

Quite probably; especially with the newer operating systems dumping on plugins from a great height

 

Its also assuming you have Windows. We have a large number of Chromebooks so it wouldn't work on those. Im thankful they have got some kind of HTML 5 service, even if it does suck.

[Manny-Tech]

Has anyone got this running with Azure AD? I have both my staff and student domains in Azure but on the MLS configuration page you can only set one domain which means I'm having to choose between the staff or students who can access. MLS are so backwards in their technology.

[localzuk]

Has anyone got this running with Azure AD? I have both my staff and student domains in Azure but on the MLS configuration page you can only set one domain which means I'm having to choose between the staff or students who can access. MLS are so backwards in their technology.

I'd have to say having 2 different domains in one school is a bit backwards now to be honest!

 

To answer your question - not yet. We can't migrate the school that uses MLS hosted over until we migrate their domain to something we can have as a public domain (the current domain is a subdomain of a gov domain).

[Manny-Tech]

On my local AD structure it is one domain with different UPNs. In terms of Azure it is classed as two domains.

[victory2015]

had a huge row with them over the phone about their software.. fed up with it moved to hosted as i thought it would be better.. what a disaster..

 

first linked with AD and then they showed me this crap AD tool that syncs.. it only matches first name surname.. thats not very reliable.. why not use the sims Id?? terrible

 

finally moved it to Azure AD integration and its better, yet to know if kids can login ok but we will see..

 

im sorry but i do find the support dreadful as every answer to my issues recently have been met with "its your network" "its your system" "we dont support printing thats a hardware issue" ?????.. librarian couldn't print and we found out it was because we have popups blocked? i have white listed the site now but honestly why is it opening a popup to download a PDF!! the popup flashes open then closes and the PDF downloads..

 

sorry rant over..

[victory2015]

had a huge row with them over the phone about their software.. fed up with it moved to hosted as i thought it would be better.. what a disaster..

 

first linked with AD and then they showed me this crap AD tool that syncs.. it only matches first name surname.. thats not very reliable.. why not use the sims Id?? terrible

 

finally moved it to Azure AD integration and its better, yet to know if kids can login ok but we will see..

 

im sorry but i do find the support dreadful as every answer to my issues recently have been met with "its your network" "its your system" "we dont support printing thats a hardware issue" ?????.. librarian couldn't print and we found out it was because we have popups blocked? i have white listed the site now but honestly why is it opening a popup to download a PDF!! the popup flashes open then closes and the PDF downloads..

 

sorry rant over..

[Manny-Tech]

I've just had a response back from the tech team to say they don't support a domain with multiple UPNs but they can see the benefit and will add it as a customer request feature. They seriously need to look into token based authentication it will solve all the problems in one go.

[Manny-Tech]

I've just had a response back from the tech team to say they don't support a domain with multiple UPNs but they can see the benefit and will add it as a customer request feature. They seriously need to look into token based authentication it will solve all the problems in one go.