Peter Pratt/Lee Stobie/Defeng
Ma/Morag Iannetta/Chris Giles/Frank
Bergeret
22/04/2013

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ColdFusion
Current Architecture for Personal Tutor System
SITS eVision
Staff
Inline
Frame
Inline
Frame eVision
DATABASE (STAR)
Student SITS
STUDSUP
Web proxy
Read/Write
Read only
MyEd

• Data: two sets of data:
– SITS schema: existing SITS data
– STUDSUP schema: any other personal tutor data not from existing SITS
• eVision: developed within eVision using SITS technology/processes; read/write to SITS schema, and read data only from STUDSUP
• ColdFusion Application: Two interfaces with similar structure/components. User can access directly via URL.
Read access to SITS, read/write access to STUDSUP.
– Staff interface: for staff user. eVision page via inline frame
– Student interface: for student user. eVision page via inline frame
• MyEd
– Student channel: web proxy for the student

• It works now
• But
– Two applications (SITS, and ColdFusion App) put together via Inline-Frame.
– No directly integration between them, and no interaction?
– Number of support issues related to the layout (scrollbar etc.)
– Difficult to expand for include further application/system/new function?
– Need coordinate between the development work in two applications from two teams (SSP, SW DevTeam)
– Using both applications require two skillsets for project/maintainance
– Notification (email to PT) and done in CF. This could be advantage to do it outside eVision as they could be added into MyEd notification in the future.
– Need more tests between two applications
– Difficult for automated tests
• The current architecture was based on the requirements, what our experience/knowledge with SITS/ColdFusion, and the resources available from IS Apps

• Using bootstrap framework to developer “facebook” like web applications with ColdFusion application
• Bootstrap is adopted in the eVision (e.g. paperless admission)
• Fix the issue with conflict between jQuery/Bootstrap within eVision
• Student self service project working for the integration between eVision and MyEd
• Deeplink into Task and SRL in eVision
• SITS StuTalk funcationality and interface API for integrating with other systems

• Given what we have developed until now, and what we have learned so far, will we do it in the same way?
• Assumption:
– Resource is available
– We have time to develop it properly
– We can throw the current version away, and build from scratch, thus no migration
• The answer is NO, and a better architecture would be like the following

eVision
Suggested Architecture for Personal Tutor System
SITS eVision
DATABASE (STAR)
Staff
StuTalk
SITS
Web proxy
Student
STUDSUP
Read/Write
Read/Write via StuTalk
MyEd

• Data storage: no changes, SITS data in SITS, other data in STUDSUP.
• Web proxy into MyEd for eVision (similar as before, but direct to eVision)
• Build one application instead two, one design for the personal tutor application
• SITS is preferred option (use of SITS data and access/reuse existing processes within SITS)
• Use bootstrap framework to build the self contained application within eVision, and access the SITS data and STUDSUP data directly
• Potential to use StuTalk within eVision to retrieve/store the data to develop re-usable function/component
• Easy integration with other system/application via SOA/StuTalk
• Can be extended for future requirements/development

• Need spend more time to look at using StuTalk to improve the eVision functionality. A project is required.
• Need look at what are planned for the future development for the personal tutor and decide whether it is now time to switch to new architecture
• Need look at the resource impact on the time, and get people working together
• Anything else?