Version 3.2 Release Note V3.2 Release Note
Welcome to v3.2 of RM Unify We are pleased to detail the release of RM Unify v3.2. This release brings with it Chromebook single sign-on, allowing users with a school managed Google Apps for Education account to get single sign-on to RM Unify and their associated apps when they log in to a Chromebook device, or the Chrome browser from their Laptop. This Release Note outlines the necessary setup tasks for RM Unify Administrators to follow in order to enable these features. Also released in v3.2 of RM Unify is the RM Unify Graph API. A rich database feed containing user group information such as registration and teaching groups, parent information, for 3 rd party applications and web services to retrieve on demand. For schools, this means seamless provisioning of school groups information from your MIS into RM Unify and onward to the applications you might be using. This feature is available for RM Unify App providers to begin using, but does not yet apply to Office 365 and Google Apps. Release Headlines for v3.2 1. Chromebook single sign-on Page 3 to 6 Log in to a Chromebook using your email address and RM Unify password for single sign-on to RM Unify and your associated apps, including Office 365. This is also achieved when a user logs into the Chrome browser directly. 2. Release of RM Unify Graph API Page 7 The RM Unify Graph API allows third party applications and web services that federated to RM Unify to retrieve rich data sets including registration and teaching groups, and user relationships on demand by querying the RM Unify database. RM Education 2015 Page 2 of 7
1. Introducing Chromebook single sign-on What does Chromebook single sign-on provide? Chromebook single sign-on is a feature that allows a Chromebook user with an RM Unify account to get automatic sign-on to RM Unify when they log in to a Chromebook device. This is achieved by syncing their RM Unify password with their Google Apps password together (once), and then visiting a bespoke URL provided to them by their school: (schoolname.rmunify.com/ssogafe). Before this feature was available, users on Chromebooks wishing to access RM Unify and their associated apps would need to visit the RM Unify login page and authenticate with RM Unify from their (two steps for login). To achieve Chromebook single sign-on (SSO) for RM Unify, you must first have a Google Apps for Education account federated to RM Unify and sync your Google Apps password with RM Unify. Who is Chromebook single sign-on available to? Chromebook single sign-on is only available to schools with an RM Unify Premium license, that also have a Google Apps for Education account. All RM Unify users roles can use Chromebook single sign-on. Chromebook single sign-on is available to Glow users who have connected a domain to Google Apps for Education and chosen to federate this domain to Glow. Chromebook single sign-on can be used anywhere, so long as the Chrome device is online (i.e. can be used at home and at school) Users may also login to the Chrome browser or an app on ios or android device using their Google Apps for Education account, and RM Unify password in order to achieve single sign-on to RM Unify. How to setup Google Apps provisioning and access through RM Unify There are some Google Apps for Education setup tasks required for RM Unify Administrators users to follow before they configure Chromebook single sign-on. These include registering your Google Apps for Education account, and federating your chosen domain with RM Unify. 1. Federate your Google Apps for Education registered domain to your RM Unify Establishment. Details on how to do this can be found here (process includes option for brownfield setup if you already have an existing Google Apps for Education domain with existing Google Apps for Education users): http://support.rm.com/technicalarticle.asp?cref=tec3306517 If you are a Local Authority or Multi-Academy Trust looking to setup Google Apps for Education provisioning across multiple RM Unify Establishments, a shortened setup process has been created for you. That process is outlined here: RM Education 2015 Page 3 of 7
http://d6vsczyu1rky0.cloudfront.net/25324_b/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/10/rm-unifyv3.0-release-notenewlink.pdf 2. Once you have federated your Google Apps for Education domain to RM Unify, add the Google Apps for Education App Tiles in RM Unify for selected user roles in your Establishment this creates the Google Apps for Education account for them through RM Unify. Details on how to do this can be found here: http://support.rm.com/technicalarticle.asp?cref=tec3306517 How to prepare your RM Unify account for Chromebook single sign-on 1. Establish a password Sync with Google Apps Google Apps for Education requires users to log in to Google services via a Google registered email address (can be existing school email), and a password. RM Unify allows users to sync their RM Unify password with their Google Apps password. This means when Google Apps users log in directly to a Google Apps for Education ios or android app (or Chromebook), then they can enter a password they are already familiar with. Note: When a user is already logged in to RM Unify and clicks the Google Apps for Education tile on their Launch Pad, they are automatically signed in to Google Apps for Education. To sync your Google Apps for Education password with your RM Unify password, follow the steps below. Individual users (that are not AD synced): When logged into RM Unify as any type of user, click on the name of the user in the top right hand side of the screen. Select Change password from the dropdown menu. Enter your current RM Unify password Enter a new password (this password will apply to your RM Unify account, and will become your new Google Apps password). Re-enter the same password and click change password Staff users wishing to sync passwords for an entire group of (non AD-synced) students: Go to the RM Unify Management Console via the link at the top of the RM Unify screen Find an individual user in the RM Unify Management Console, or a group of users via the Groups page, and then select change password from the actions dropdown. Enter a new password for the user or group of users (this password will apply to the RM Unify account, and will become the new Google Apps password). If your RM Unify account is synced to your school network (AD Sync), you must change your password on the network in order for RM Unify to sync your password with Google Apps. Google Apps password sync is only applicable to schools on AD Sync v3. 2. Configure Chromebook SSO settings As an RM Unify Administrator, go to the RM Unify Management Console and click on the SSO Settings tab on the left. In order for Chromebook users in your school to benefit from automatic sign-on to RM Unify (and associated apps) at log in stage, you must set RM Unify as the default landing page on managed devices. Your school s specific Chromebook SSO URL is displayed in RM Education 2015 Page 4 of 7
the SSO from Chromebooks section. An example is shown below. Fig 1.1: Go to - Management Console > SSO settings Once passwords are synced, and users are provided with the Chromebook SSO link, the setup tasks are complete. How do school staff and students use Chromebook SSO once its set up? When an RM Unify user opens a managed Chromebook, they should enter their email address and RM Unify password into the sign-in page, as below. Enter email address Enter RM Unify password Then, when the user opens the Chrome browser, (if you have set your school specific Chromebook RM Education 2015 Page 5 of 7
SSO URL as the landing page), they will be automatically logged in to their RM Unify Launch Pad (see example below). Fig 1.2: When a user visits your school s Chromebook SSO URL on the Chromebook, they are automatically logged into their RM Unify Launch Pad. Using your RM Unify password to access Google Apps for Education applications on your ios or Andriod device, e.g. the Google Classroom App on ipad When a user clicks on one of the Google Apps for Education Apps on their tablet or phone, they will be prompted for an email address and password. They should enter their Google Apps email address and RM Unify password. Sign in, and they will be automatically logged into the app without being redirected to RM Unify. Technical Support for Chromebook single sign-on For help in configuring RM Unify Chromebook single sign-on, contact our support Helpdesk. www.rm.com/support 08450 700300 (08:00-18:00, weekdays) RM Education 2015 Page 6 of 7
3. Release of the RM Unify Graph API The RM Unify Graph API is a rich database feed containing school user group information such as registration and teaching groups and parent information, for 3 rd party applications and web services to retrieve on demand. For schools, this means seamless provisioning of school groups information from your MIS into RM Unify and onward to the applications you might be using. If you are an application provider who wishes to make use of the RM Unify Graph API for your service, contact the team at rmunifypartners@rm.com RM Education 2015 Page 7 of 7