1 Overview Single Sign-On Authentication Appendix Blackboard s authentication technology has been identified as a dynamic, adaptable factor to supporting elearning Systems Integration strategy and implementation. Leveraging the feedback of our clients and recognizing market trends, Blackboard has developed customizable interfaces which allow the navigation across the Academic Suite and with other local systems in a secure, seamless environment while increasing ease-of-use by removing the need to re-authenticate at each junction. Blackboard Consulting has developed a proven approach to this by facilitating business requirements, identifying system and user stakeholders, and with a thorough understanding of the leading authentication technology are able to bring this solution to our clients. A key factor in this strategy is the adaptability of the Blackboard Academic Suite, or its components, with the existing technology at our clients, and with as many of our clients systems as possible. While the Blackboard Academic Suite provides for seamless transition between products upon installation, additional Single Sign-On developments have included integration with the following products: uportal SCT Luminus Microsoft Outlook Web Client Citrix Custom-developed local portals and school websites and many more! 1.1 Objectives Simplify current practices and position your institution for future growth and scalability. More specifically, Single Sign-On Authentication is expected to provide the following: Secure method of navigating to external systems using proven technologies. Identify opportunities for institutions to create a personalized single point-of-access regardless of user privileges Minimize potential points of authentication failure by reducing how many times a user has to reenter his/her credentials Transition your institution from a web-enabled center of learning into an innovative learning community transparent across departments, systems, and initiatives Centralize the networked security management into one office using one authoritative system such as LDAP, Kerberos, Shibboleth, etc. 2005 Page 1 of 9
1.2 Authentication Development Approach Through years of experience, Blackboard Consulting has adopted and further enhanced industry-wide software development practices that are utilized for engagements such as this. The methodology is focused on the delivery of a clear scope of work, within a reasonable timeframe, and compliance with universally accepted coding standards. Throughout this development lifecycle, Blackboard Consulting maintains the high quality of project responsibility and client involvement. The approach can be distinguished by five distinct phases outlined below: Requirements Definition Solution Design Development and Testing Certification Deployment Maintenance 1.3 Benefits Blackboard expects its approach to provide several critical benefits. From administrative activities to improving the end-user experience, Single Sign-On Authentication creates opportunities for process improvement, enhanced and centralized network security, and mitigates risk of multiple resource management needs. Examples of our technological benefits include: Increased acceptance through seamless integration and navigation between systems. Blackboard s inherent ease of use then encourages usage promotion by the stakeholders. Minimize manual processes required to support Blackboard system. This reduces the likelihood of security breaches and increases confidence among current and future users. Develop an interest in product and process evolution. Create a paradigm of what if thinking, including: o What if we were able to channel all users through a single gateway into our community? o o What if we are able to reduce system maintenance costs by half because we only need to manage one LDAP? What if we are able to develop new, exciting initiatives that will have higher visibility because we can broadcast its purpose via a single Portal site accessible from a Learning website? 1.4 Qualifications Blackboard Consulting is 120 people strong across the world. In fact, Blackboard Consulting has the ability to truly work around the clock to support your elearning rollout if time is of an essence. As Blackboard Consulting has been implementing and integrating clients around the world since 1996. Several key trends have emerged: 1) Blackboard customers that utilized Single Sign-On saw a direct response in instructor and student satisfaction based on enterprise-level usage. 2005 Page 2 of 9
2) Countless initiatives have emerged as a result based upon ease-of-use that focus on enhancing the student and instructor experience due to the ability to centralize the learning and community of the institution into one 3) The Blackboard Academic Suite customers enjoy this service upon installation however the majority has chosen to implement additional Single Sign-On services to streamline their enterprise-level systems on-site into one holistic gateway for all users utilizing our technology and expertise. 2005 Page 3 of 9
2 Conceptual Single Sign-On Work Flow The figure above highlights the Blackboard Consulting solution developed to facilitate a seamless and secure integration with a client s enterprise technical framework. 2005 Page 4 of 9
The implementation plan below describes the activities that the Blackboard Consulting Team and Client project team will participate in to complete the proposed solution. Activities performed have a specific outcome that align with the project for production purposes while also providing knowledge transfer for a level client self sufficiency. 3 Implementation Plan The following activities describe the services engagement in which your organization and the assigned Blackboard team will participate. 3.1 Project Preparation and Initiation Blackboard Consulting team members assigned to your organization s engagement. o Familiarization with your technical and process-based requirements, including the final Statement of Work and knowledge transfer from the Blackboard Sales team o Setup of client centralized communication plan for tracking project activities, progress, issues, and risk o Preparation of materials for the project kick off conference call Conference call kick off with the client team conducted by Blackboard Consulting o Introduction of Blackboard and your team members o Review scope of the engagement as defined in the Statement of Work o Review the project plan at a high level o Describe the various client participants required for each stage of the project engagement, including technical stakeholders and end-users o Determine the project schedule, including scheduling of the onsite sessions After the kick off call, the Blackboard Consulting team prepares and delivers to the client a detailed agenda and supporting documentation for the project s onsite activities. 3.2 Project Management Throughout the engagement, the Blackboard Project Manager will provide expert management of all Blackboard performed activities. He/she will: - Act as the primary point of contact between the client project manager and the Blackboard team for all project-related topics - Define, document and update comprehensive project plans and project schedules - Track and report on progress against the project schedule - Coordinate activities such as testing, deployment, follow-up, and documentation with the client-side project manager - Coordinate team meetings and provide regular updates via conference calls for both Blackboard and client constituents. - Provide regular status reports and bi-monthly budget tracking and project plan updates. - Track and report on any project issues 2005 Page 5 of 9
- Summarize and coordinate project planning across all activities and Blackboard groups Consulting, Training, ASP, Quality Assurance, and Product Development. 3.3 Authentication Process Definition Workshops led by Blackboard Consulting at the client s site: o Identification, diagramming, and review of the conceptual solution, designed to isolate specific business processes, workflow rules and processes, specific user roles and privileges, and proper deployment practices Determine the external systems affected by the Blackboard Single Sign-On Solution Align our design with the central authentication system to be used Diagram the stakeholders and the impact the solution will have on each Develop a conceptual flowchart highlighting business-critical processes and dependancies Specify technical specifications passed into and from the Blackboard Single Sign-On Solution o Technical Training specific to the custom solution developed by Blackboard Consulting to achieve the integrated and seamless authentication path requested by the client. Development of installation and maintenance documentation focused on the development effort Scenario-based resolution workshop that instructs administrators on best practices and recommended processes 3.4 Development and Implementation Using the results of the requirements and process workshop, Blackboard consultants define, document and perform the necessary development and configuration activities. Develop the required authentication utilities, including the following: o Identification and customization, if necessary, of the target access point/website o Contingency planning and development of redirection to account for failed authentication into Blackboard or other access points o Development, if necessary, of non-public access for failed authentications into the Central Authentication Server for retrieval of credentials o Flow diagrams and corresponding navigation paths using the Blackboard Single Sign On into external educational or non-academic institutional systems pending valid login o Development of specific channels to deliver/accept valid authentication tokens within the Blackboard Academic Suite and other external systems with the Authentication Server o Identify and create valid log out schematics o Successful exchange of valid URLs and query strings containing authentications, courses, system ID s, etc in a private manner between the institutional network of systems 2005 Page 6 of 9
3.5 QA and Functional Testing The Blackboard Consulting team will: Utilize proven test plans for the activities described in the Development and Implementation section above. Coordinate test scripts with the client team Leverage functional testing use cases and storyboards. Execute the steps in the test plan with client system administrators in the client test environment in accordance with the project plan. Provide consulting support for system tests conducted by the client team prior to launch, covering: Points of Failure and remedy Best practices for management of the solution pointing forward Prior experience developing the solution with similar systems and objectives Project Documentation Blackboard Consulting will: Develop and deliver technical documentation and update procedures for each item described in the Development and Implementation section above. Develop and deliver the Project Final Report at the conclusion of the project. This report documents the deployed system 3.6 Project Closure At the conclusion of the project, Blackboard will furnish final documentation to the customer in the form of a project control binder. The activities that Blackboard Consulting will perform to accomplish this are: Business process requirements as expressed during the scope and requirements definition System configuration documentation as affected by the Single Sign-On Solution Network and Security Administrator Certification results reference material Production launch schedule Detailed production launch steps Project Final Report The documentation will include all materials developed throughout the project as well as suggested next steps for your organization. 2005 Page 7 of 9
The schedule below reflects the necessary timelines required to fulfill the appropriate project milestones. Key to staying on schedule is making sure we have the correct client participants. Our objective is to follow the project schedule as closely as possible providing there are no significant scheduling challenges or changes in project scope. 4 Schedule During the term of the project the Blackboard project team will guide the client team through a series of exercises focused on defining, designing and implementing a robust authentication solution specific to your institutions application. The engagement begins with a workshop that outlines the process and captures applicable business rules for Single Sign-On Authentication, including the stakeholders of affected systems. Next, the Blackboard consultants are available to design and develop the necessary authentication components. Finally, they prepare the client team for self sufficiency. 4.1 Project Timeline [Figure1. Solution Project Plan - rough timeline] The project is estimated upon definition of requirements. As with any development lifecycle, it is prudent to estimate a delivery upon measurement of several factors including the resource(s) assigned, complexity of the solution, number of systems affected, usage of the Blackboard Academic Suite, and comprehensiveness of the testing phases. A projected activity flow is diagrammed above. The timeline was designed with the assumption that the development cycle should take place onsite, dedicated entirely to the requirements, design, development, testing, and deployment local on the institution s Blackboard Test Server. A key client responsibility will be to own a Test environment that is reflective of the current Blackboard Production environment. The first week allows for the collection of technical requirements and design, interviews with external system administrators, network administrators, and security administrators. The second week is focused 2005 Page 8 of 9
entirely on the development and testing of the solution to prepare the client for production-level deployment following completion. 4.2 Scheduling Requirements Blackboard Consulting s development methodology assumes a certain level of effort from the customer team. For example, those individuals with direct responsibility for the existing tools and processes must be committed during the development lifecycle. Blackboard has found that this participation is necessary to prepare customers for the ongoing demands of an integrated Blackboard system. The following table is intended to aid you in planning for this project: Please note: Blackboard consulting resources are available on a 1 st come first served basis and will be assigned immediately after agreement on proposed work and signature of a Statement of Work 4.3 Client Participants Project Task Roles Required Executive Sponsor System Administrator Process Definition Project Manager Network Administrator IT Representative Academic Computing Network Administrator Solution Implementation Project Manager Security Manager Bb Project Manager Blackboard AS Administrator Certification Workshop Bb Integration Manager System, Network, and/or Security Administrator Production Preparation Client Project Manager Network Administrator Bb Project Manager Security Manager System-level Administrator 5 Conclusion and Blackboard Consulting appreciate your interest in working with our skilled team of technology experts. We believe the aforementioned proposal and estimate will meet the needs of the client by providing the necessary insight and training towards developing systems integration between the Blackboard Academic Suite and your existing systems. 2005 Page 9 of 9