[sims] Anyone using SIMS Options?

[fiza]

We are looking at deploying SIMS Options https://www.capita-sims.co.uk/products-and-services/sims-options

 

Anyone using it?

[pete]

We're looking into it, but probably just going to poke and prod it about this year and (depending on how it performs) maybe use it next year.

 

There's a couple of problems with it from my (data protection / security) point of view.

 

1. It doesn't have a means to automatically honour the restraining order / removal of parental responsibility in SIMS. SLG did (does?). Parents who should no longer have access to information about a child still do until someone manually intervenes.
   
2. Removing a student in SIMS local (or making them a leaver) doesn't automatically remove them from Options Online. Requires manual intervention.
   
3. I had a ticket open to see if I can restrict staff/student logins to just our Office365 tenancy so access is removed when someone leaves. This thread has prompted me to check and the answer is "No, it's a whole-platform setting", which I've pushed back on.
   

 

I think it's a step backwards in security from SLG and if we're choosing to make people's personal data available via an online service, we should have visibility into how it's being accessed and some insight into authentication failures. Social networking accounts should not (IME) be used as a source of authentication for pupil data that we're responsible for when there's a better auditable source of truth (our Office365 tenancy) already in place.

Edited December 6, 2017 by pete

[bobsmith]

Just started the onboarding process.

 

I'm hoping it transforms the process (currently Excel )

Edited December 7, 2017 by bobsmith

[fiza]

Just started the onboarding process.

 

I'm hoping it transforms the process (currently Excel )

 

We have found that we are seeing contacts in Options that we cant find in SIMS!!! We will be looking at it again next week but its not a good start.

[PrettyWoman]

Hey, we went onboard this week and I find it good. Easy to build the pathways/lists and allocate students etc. Having some minor issues with student log-ins but otherwise looking good.

[kennysarmy]

I've been asked to look in to pricing for SIMS Options Online - but the Data Manager does n't want the students to use it !

[fiza]

I've been asked to look in to pricing for SIMS Options Online - but the Data Manager does n't want the students to use it !

 

As far as I know SIMS Options Online comes at no additional cost to SIMS Schools.

[PhilNeal]

Correct

[BKGarry]

Too late for us to setup for this year's process but we will need to get it in for next year.

 

Must make a note of that.

[fiza]

Correct

@PhilNeal, as you're on here, can you tell me why SIMS Options gives the ability for students to register with Social Media accounts? Do Schools have the ability to remove these as options?

[PhilNeal]

I can’t answer the whole question but we believe that this has the advantage of being more secure than anything else that’s available and takes away the overhead of managing passwords from schools.

 

I’ll stand back and wait the backlash!!

[deano3693]

I can’t answer the whole question but we believe that this has the advantage of being more secure than anything else that’s available and takes away the overhead of managing passwords from schools.

 

I’ll stand back and wait the backlash!!

 

How can they login in school to look at Options Online where social media is blocked? I'm assuming it needs access to Facebook/Twitter to authenticate etc.

[PhilNeal]

Other options are available for in school

[kennysarmy]

I've just been reading the setup document, when I visit https://www.sims-options.co.uk it has numerous sign in methods.

 

SIMS ID = is this only if you have a hosted SIMS?

 

We don't have Office 365 here nor Google accounts for all staff.

Facebook and Twitter are blocked for staff in school.

 

Confused as to our best route to allow the Data Manager some SMT members and the Heads of Department access...

[fiza]

I've just been reading the setup document, when I visit https://www.sims-options.co.uk it has numerous sign in methods.

 

SIMS ID = is this only if you have a hosted SIMS?

 

We don't have Office 365 here nor Google accounts for all staff.

Facebook and Twitter are blocked for staff in school.

 

Confused as to our best route to allow the Data Manager some SMT members and the Heads of Department access...

 

I think you can register an email address as a Microsoft Account and get in that way.

[kennysarmy]

Stupid question but how do I get my Data Manager on SIMS Options Online once she has setup a Google Email Account?

 

How do I setup an Options Administrator?

[Esteban_Child_of_the_Sun]

From the Options Online User Guide (MyAccount login required)

 

The following permissions can be assigned in School Administration (https://admin.sims.co.uk) via Options | Permissions:

Administrator - has read/write access to the entire system, i.e. they can set up the plan, select choices on behalf of the students, use the Solution Editor, etc.Reviewer - allocated read-only access to the Student Choices page only. This is recommended for use by Heads of Department, Heads of Faculty, etc.Choices - allocated read/write access to all student choices on the Student Choices page only.Student - allocated read/write access to their own choices on the Student Choices page only.

[kennysarmy]

From the Options Online User Guide (MyAccount login required)

 

Thanks, I found this:

https://myaccount.capita-cs.co.uk/Notifications/SIMS-Options-Online-is-now-available-for-everyone/

 

So I've emailed them as suggested.

 

Cheers

[dapaulio]

As we have o365 account I went down this route, however if you don’t have either google or o365 I would encourage staff to sign in with a sims Id. Forward thinking It may integrate better if you chose to go sims hosted route. It be easier to manage also if there is a change in personel doing the role. Note (Options online does not disable the users account if you were to disable an account in sims self hosted). I assume it would if you already had sims online .

In my case I’m hoping that disabling a user in ad would result in the o365 account being disable therefore options online would also become disabled.

Parents would probably be ok using fb or twitter if that’s the route they want to take but feel social media for staff logins is a bit wrong.

[ITGURU]

How can they login in school to look at Options Online where social media is blocked? I'm assuming it needs access to Facebook/Twitter to authenticate etc.

 

Office 365 or Gmail accounts are an option too. We have google accounts for classroom so they can only use Google Drive, but email part is blocked.

[kennysarmy]

We don't use Office 365 or Gmail so if I got the Data Manager to use one of those, she'd have to create her own personal one just for Options Online, which seems a bit...unprofessional.

 

I don't know anything about the SIMS ID route - we have an onsite SIMS server so create our own usernames for staff use.

 

How would I setup a SIMS ID for the data manager?

[ITGURU]

We don't use Office 365 or Gmail so if I got the Data Manager to use one of those, she'd have to create her own personal one just for Options Online, which seems a bit...unprofessional.

 

I don't know anything about the SIMS ID route - we have an onsite SIMS server so create our own usernames for staff use.

 

How would I setup a SIMS ID for the data manager?

 

We don't use Office 365 in the repect for email or storage, but you can still use your school email address as a 365 login for services.

 

All i have is the Azure AD connector which creates o365 accounts based on AD users , so you can use your school email address and AD password to login to any 365 service online.

 

It's all free and means you can then use your email address and AD password for any logins that will work with 365 accounts.

[kennysarmy]

I now have the email from SIMS with the link to proceed to setup SIMS Online.

 

I phoned our local LEA SIMS Support Office to ask how I get a SIMS ID - they did n't know!!!!!!!

[kennysarmy]

OK so I have got a bit further...

 

But the SIMS Services Manager states:

 

No Available Packages To Install.... There are no new or updated packages that are licensed at any of your schools.

 

 

Also in SIMS Services Manager:

SIMS Online Services Client is at a STOPPED state and won't start!

 

When I try and start it, Error performing operation .... There was an error performing this operation please check the logs.

 

Which state:

2018-01-11 10:58:13 ERROR [25] - Error starting service capita.simslabs.clients.management.

System.IO.FileNotFoundException: Could not find file 'C:\ProgramData\SIMS\SIMS Services Manager\capita.simslabs.clients.management.Configuration.json'.

File name: 'C:\ProgramData\SIMS\SIMS Services Manager\capita.simslabs.clients.management.Configuration.json'

at System.IO.__Error.WinIOError(Int32 errorCode, String maybeFullPath)

at System.IO.FileStream.Init(String path, FileMode mode, FileAccess access, Int32 rights, Boolean useRights, FileShare share, Int32 bufferSize, FileOptions options, SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES secAttrs, String msgPath, Boolean bFromProxy, Boolean useLongPath, Boolean checkHost)

at System.IO.FileStream..ctor(String path, FileMode mode, FileAccess access, FileShare share, Int32 bufferSize, FileOptions options, String msgPath, Boolean bFromProxy, Boolean useLongPath, Boolean checkHost)

at System.IO.StreamReader..ctor(String path, Encoding encoding, Boolean detectEncodingFromByteOrderMarks, Int32 bufferSize, Boolean checkHost)

at System.IO.File.InternalReadAllText(String path, Encoding encoding, Boolean checkHost)

at SimsServiceHost.Packages.Executers.SimsServicePackageExecuter.GetConfiguration(IEnumerable`1 simsInstallations)

at SimsServiceHost.Packages.Executers.SimsServicePackageExecuter.b__b()

at SimsServiceHost.Packages.Executers.SimsServicePackageExecuter.ChangeOperation(String operationName, Func`1 operation, SubServiceStatus beforeStatus)

[kennysarmy]

On checking the server there is no file: capita.simslabs.clients.management.Configuration.json

 

in C:\ProgramData\SIMS\SIMS Services Manager

 

There is however a "capita.teacherapp.clients.Configuration.json" file.

 

Where do I get the "capita.simslabs.clients.management.Configuration.json" file from?