247 Access to UCD Library Services via UCD Portal

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24/7 Access to UCD Library Services via UCD Portal
Presented by Samantha Drennan - Library IT
Manager Eoin Hanratty - Technical Systems
Specialist
UCD Library
Leabharlann UCD
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Overview

• UCD Portal
• Integration Projects at UCD
• Previous System
• Problems with the System
• Why Integrate?
• Business Goals
• Strategy Employed
• Technology Used
• Advantages/Challenges
• Usage Statistics
• Technical Overview of the Solution

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UCD Connect

• UCD Connect provides access to a wide range of
  University services and information.  Accessed
  via the Internet, UCD Connect is always available
  whether you're on or off campus.

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Integration Projects at UCD

• Two key areas
• Authentication for Electronic Resources
• Authentication For My Library Account
• Both functions now integrated into the University
  Portal (UCD Connect)
• September 2005
• E-Resources Integration LIVE
• February 2006
• My Library Account Integration LIVE

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Previous System

• Staff/Students had three sets of credentials
• Network Login
• (E-mail, Files etc)
• Athens Login
• (E-Resources Access)
• Borrower Number and PIN
• (My Library Account Access)

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Problems with the System

• Difficult for users to remember all three sets of
  credentials
• Confusion as to which set of credentials to use
  and when
• General lack of understanding of Athens Concept
• Increased administrative workload for Library and
  Computing Services

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Why Integrate?

• Changing Student Profile (Distance
  learners, Clinical Placements, Mature students,
  Life long learners)
• Increasing Demand for 24/7 Services
  (On and Off Campus)
• One Stop Shop Mentality
• Integration Imperative

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Business Goals

• To Enable All Users to
• Access E-mail, Network files etc
• Authenticate for E-Resources
• Access their library account
• By Logging into one central site,
• With one set of credentials,
• That only have to be entered once.

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Strategy Employed

• Create a Single Sign On (SSO) scenario for
  students and staff by integrating library
  functions into UCD Connect using available
  technology
• AthensDA (E-Resources)
• Talis Keystone (Library Account)

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Technology Used

• AthensDA (Devolved Authentication)By
  integrating with a local authentication
  system(s), AthensDA allows an organisation
  to maintain a single set of credentials for a
  user, and for that user to be authorised for
  access to online services depending
  on permissions defined by the organisation. 
• http//www.athensams.net/local_auth/athensda/
• Talis KeystoneA middleware solution that
  delivers systems integration between LMS and
  external systems (e.g. Portal, Student Registry
  etc) using XML and Web Services standards.
• http//www.talis.com/downloads/white_papers/Keysto
  neWhitePaper.pdf

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Advantages of AthensDA

• Ease of Use
• One set of credentials
• SSO to many resources
• Reduced administrative workload for both Library
  and Computing Services
• Account Management streamlined
• Library functions mainstreamed and promoted via
  portal integration

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Advantages of Talis Keystone

• No PIN required
• Modular Can purchase individual modules as
  required
• Based on widely accepted standards so easier to
  support, future proofed
• Customisable
• Proven compatibility with SCT Luminis

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Challenges AthensDA

• Lack of standardisation across publishers with
  AthensDA
• Not all resources are truly SSO
• Re-registration required in some cases (Science
  Direct, Beilstein Crossfire)
• Still maintaining two sets of URLs
• Extensive re-vamp of user education for
  Electronic resources required

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Challenges Talis Keystone

• User Accounts
• Error Message Handling
• Integration increases need for comprehensive
  procedures

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Usage Statistics

• Athens Usage
• Prior to and Following Implementation

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Usage Statistics

• Talis Keystone

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Technical overview of the solution
UCD Computing Services
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The solution components

• UCD Connect
• UCDs Web Portal solution
• Based on Sungard HES Luminis III.2
• Athens
• Access Management System
• Controls secure access to web based services
• Talis
• Library Management System

UCD Computing Services
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UCD Connect

• Web portal implementation
• Sungard HES Luminis III.2
• uPortal 2.0
• Fully-featured web server
• CGI
• Java Servlets
• LDAP database
• Identifiers and credentials for external
  systems
• Encrypted using portal password
• Software development kits
• Expose external system credentials
• Send to external systems as required

UCD Computing Services
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Athens

• Access management system
• Controls access to web-based resources
• Single sign-on system
• A user who has presented valid credentials to
  Athens need not present those credentials again
  each time a new protected resource is accessed
• Athens Devolved Authentication (Athens DA)
• Use a local authentication service as a trusted
  service for access to AthensSSO resources

UCD Computing Services
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Athens Devolved Authentication

• Local Authentication Service (LAS)
• Typically already in place UCD Connect LDAP
  directory
• iPlanet Directory Server 5.1
• eXtensible Authentication Point (XAP)
• Collects the user authentication credentials
• Sends these to the UAI
• Receives authorisation information from UAI
• Sends authorisation information to Athens via
  HTTPS
• User Authorisation Interface
• Receives credentials from the XAP
• Authenticates user
• Returns authorisation information to the XAP
• Identifier
• Permission set

UCD Computing Services
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Athens Devolved AuthenticationModes of Operation

• Home Domain Discovery (HDD)
• User attempts to access a protected resource
  without having first logged into the portal
• Athens will intercept the request and route the
  user to the XAP where they can provide
  credentials
• Once authenticated, user continues to the
  protected resource
• Local Authentication Assertion (LAA)
• User logs in to the portal
• An Athens session is pre-emptively established
• User seamlessly accesses protected resources from
  within the portal

UCD Computing Services
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Talis Keystone

• A middleware solution to support integration of
  the Library Management System with the portal
• Supports standards XML, Web Services, SOAP
• Components
• Talis Keystone installed on Talis server
• Client toolkit installed on portal server
• Java servlets developed using client toolkit
  and portal sdks

UCD Computing Services
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Luminis Targeted Content Manager

• An administrative interface that allows
  authorised portal users to develop and maintain
  portal content
• Used extensively by UCD Library staff
• Examples of channels developed using this tool
• Library News
• Library Focus
• How can we help you?
• Information and services

UCD Computing Services
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The Solution

• User logs into UCD Connect
• User credentials passed to UCD XAP/UAI
  implementation and, assuming the user is
  authenticated, an Athens session is now
  established maintained using a cookie for the
  browser session
• When the user navigates to any Athens protected
  resources from within the portal interface, they
  are passed seamlessly through
• User clicks on the My Library tab
• The My Library Account servlet sends a request
  to Talis Keystone and receives a response
  containing the users library account details.
  Including a single sign-on URL returned by
  Keystone
• This information including the SSO link is
  presented in the My Library Account channel
• Other Library content channels also rendered
  under the My Library tab

UCD Computing Services