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UNIT-e Research & Development Microsoft Technology Day Stephen Cain (System Architect)

UNIT-e Research & Development Microsoft Technology Day Stephen Cain (System Architect). Disclaimer. This presentation shows a number of areas of Research and Development which are currently taking place or have recently been undertaken in Capita F&HE.

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UNIT-e Research & Development Microsoft Technology Day Stephen Cain (System Architect)

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  1. UNIT-e Research & DevelopmentMicrosoft Technology DayStephen Cain(System Architect)

  2. Disclaimer This presentation shows a number of areas of Research and Development which are currently taking place or have recently been undertaken in Capita F&HE. Some of the technologies demonstrated have already been embedded into UNIT-e solutions. Some may be included in future development plans whilst others will not make it past today!

  3. Key Principles - Platform • Database Independence • Security • Consistent across sites, platforms & applications • Above and beyond database level security • Configuration Driven • Pick lists & lookups • Reports • Labels • Layout • Search • Toolset Availability • Web publishing • Reporting Services & SharePoint etc • Information Interface

  4. Key Principles – Clients • Horses for Courses • SMS, Email in Windows Services • Workflow in SharePoint • Thick Client • Resource Manager, II, Student Manager etc • Reporting in Crystal (over MDBs) • Smart Client • Attendance Grid • Room Booking • Browser • Columbus • Online Services • Some parts of HR • Reporting Services • SharePoint

  5. Database Manager (Users) • Move some code to II • Significantly improved performance • Modernised layouts • Improved validation • Good platform for enhancements • e.g. Improved LDAP integration

  6. Database Manager (Users) Demo

  7. UNIT-e Technical Roadmap - History

  8. Key Principles - Evolution • 64 bit operating systems on client and server • Multi Core processors • Large scale implementations • NLB, Clusters, etc • Improvements in browser based UI technology • Ajax, Silverlight • Increased desire for browser based applications (inc mobile devices) • Increased complexity and rate of change for business rules • Increased demands on security and audit • More links between and within institutions • Capita aware of issues raised by new tools • Move to using tools for longer periods internally before release to customer • Reduce implementation & training overhead by looking at web access/hosting

  9. Report Generator Re-Write (PDP 2010) • Move code to .NET code base • Support new OS • inc 64 bit • Replace legacy COM components • IB.NET & Excel • Move towards support for UNICODE • Reduce upgrade overhead • DMST • Improve some aspects of application performance • Provide developers with appropriate platform for future development

  10. Add Validation and Defaulting • A rules engine was added to UNIT-e 4.11 built upon the .NET Framework 3.0 the Rules libraries. • Rules take a series of (usually) basic inputs, perform simple calculations on them and provide outputs. • This is in use in 2 UNIT-e applications in 2009 and will be rolled out elsewhere in 2010. • For example: • If (student.dob>1/1/1990) • ErrorCount++;

  11. Rules Engine – Examples This can be used to set error messages If (student.dob>1/1/1990 | student.dob<1/1/1980) setError(“Outside date range.”); or default information ModuleEnrolment.Reference=Module.Reference;

  12. Rules Engine – Designer Demo A 3rd party UI can sit over these rules and provide a friendly designer. Alternatively Capita may build one.

  13. Rules Engine – Potential Integration • Data access layer • validation and defaulting • Business controllers • user customisation of execution paths • Add to II • Condition Delete, Read Only, Create • Cascade Changes • UI validation • Replace hard coded functions like statutory validation • Easier testing • Easier to implement changes

  14. Mobile Devices • Ubiquitous mobile devices • Consumer driven • No standards • Multiple platforms • Expectation of availability • Student and Staff • Security Issues • Access to network • Personal data • Easily lost or stolen • Also bring benefits • Better access to information • Record changes as they happen • 3G and Wi-Fi mean good access

  15. Information Interface in the Browser • ASPX, AJAX & Silverlight under review • Important to address some issues with existing II • Need to rebuild II apps for each platform • Reach alternative client platforms • Improve options for “hosting” UNIT-e • Ensure pain free migration path • Match control set • Tabs, ListViews & TreeViews etc • Use for in house applications first

  16. II in the Browser Demo

  17. Deploying II to the Web – Cluster

  18. UNIT-e Technical Roadmap - Projected

  19. Questions

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