CampusConnect Administration

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CampusConnect Administration

• JAM 2003
• Sessions T07 and T31
• David R. Tilton
• Indianapolis
• [phone]
• Andrew C. Stoffel
• Knoxville
• [phone]

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Agenda

• System Environment
• SIS and FAS systems
• New Terms and Data Maintenance
• Special Logicals
• Optional Fields
• Defining Faculty Access with Identifiers
• Holds
• SSL information
• New Online Billing Calculations

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Not on the agenda

• ADMweb
• Presented yesterday by Mike Womack and Pete
  Sciarrotta
• Credit Card procedures
• Presented this afternoon by Tom Borchart

4
Environment

• CampusConnect needs a happy home
• Alpha OpenVMS
• TCP/IP
• Compaq Secure Web Server (CSWS) (Apache) soon to
  be hpSWS?
• CampusConnect Software
• Optional Interface JICS
• Web Browser
• And Patches, Patches, Patches (a.k.a. ECOs)

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Environment - OpenVMS

• OpenVMS version 7.2-2
• Minimum supported version for current Apache
• Released Fall 2001
• OpenVMS version 7.3
• Released Summer 2001
• OpenVMS version 7.3-1
• Released Summer 2002
• Strongly preferred version

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Environment OpenVMS patches

• Patches/ECOs to VMS are important.
• Every version has patches.
• Lots of VMS patches which should you choose?
• DecThreads patches in particular
• How does engineering test patches?

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Environment TCP/IP

• Compaq TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS
• Minimum version now stated as 5.1ECO4
• TCP/IP 5.3 ECO2 highly recommended
• 5.3 requires VMS 7.2-2 or later
• Multinet from Process Software has never been
  officially supported.

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Multinet has never been officially supported!

• What was that about Multinet?

9
Environment TCP/IP patches

• Compaq TCP/IP ECOs are replacement versions
• V5.1 ECO 4 (5.1-154)
• V5.1 ECO 5 (5.1-155)
• V5.3 ECO 1 (5.3-181)
• V5.3 ECO 2 (5.3-182)
• Three sites have known cases of chronic system
  crashing related to TCP/IP w/versions prior to
  v5.1ECO4
• Suggest use of 5.1ECO5 or 5.3 ECO2
• Upgrade cautiously if using LPD print Queues

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Environment ApacheWeb Server

• CSWS 1.3 Update 2 Latest version
• Update 2 can be applied without (and includes)
  Update 1
• CSWS 1.2 Update 6 suggested for VMS7.2-1 systems
• Requires SYSGEN CHANNELCNT at least 1024 (all
  versions)
• Various SYSUAF requirements

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CampusConnect Software

• Good News! Product remains in very active
  development.
• Bad News! Active development means there are many
  version variants.
• Working to standardize versions better.
• CampusConnect is comprised of many more
  individual file components than any of our other
  products.

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Environment Client Web Browser

• Recommended, and typical use is MS Internet
  Explorer Versions 5.5 and 6.0
• Also expect success with IE v5.0 and Netscape
  4.73-4.76
• Note - Netscape versions 4.7x all report as v4.7
• Macintosh IE 5.1 should be compatible
• Many, many version variants with patches

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Environment cont.

• Proper environment has been a moving target
• Many combinations of versions are possible and
  many will work to some extent
• UCX (TCP/IP name prior to v5.0) has special
  feature that breaks quickly under Apache use
• Same feature emulated by Multinet through v4.3

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New Terms and Data Maintenance

• SIS_Terms file contains 1 record per term which
  may display in termcode drop down box
• Contains 4 dates in each record
• Frequently the source of user problems
• Pseudo Terms can also be created with filters

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SIS_Terms Date Fields

• Beginning/First Schedule Date
• Last Add Date
• Last Drop Date
• Last Schedule Date
• Date 1 must be earlier than Date 2
• Date 3 almost always same as Date 2
• Date 4 must be in the future to see term

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Last Drop Date

• Probably not your actual last day to drop courses
• It is the last day that the computer will allow
  students to drop via the web.
• Typically set to the last day of a free
  drop/add period, and therefore usually equals the
  last add date

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Add and Drop dates

• In most recent versions, both dates can be
  overridden by optional date fields in the COURSE
  file.
• If COURSE file date fields are present, and
  contents are non-blank, its value is used,
  otherwise value from SIS_Terms is used.

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Last Schedule Date

• Last date that term is displayed in term
  selection list in any option.
• Should be set later than end of term to allow for
  Report Cards to be viewed.
• Should be set to a date earlier than when
  corresponding Type 1 records are removed from
  REGDAT

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SIS_Terms File

• Errors in setting dates a frequent support call
  issue. Misunderstood usage or inadvertent year
  errors overlooked.
• SIS_Terms used to generate .DAT files which
  directly control the system.
• DAT files are rebuilt upon first use after
  midnight.
• Delete the .DAT files to cause data changes to be
  effective immediately.

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RegCode File DPT records

• REGCODE records with keys starting with DPT are
  used to build the drop down list to select
  departments. The Field 2 contents of these
  records appear in the display.
• Therefore, any COURSE file records containing a
  .DEPARTMENT data that will not translate via
  REGCODE will be inaccessible to web registration.

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RegCode File DPT records (2)

• If using the Portal API, any DEPARTMENT value
  MUST be properly represented in REGCODE.
• Although RegCode DPT records were always supposed
  to have been entered routinely, some clients have
  used the registration system without keeping this
  data current.

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RegCode File DPT records (3)

• This department data is also stored in a DAT file
  as described previously. To have any REGCODE DPT
  changes or additions to take effect immediately,
  delete the DAT file otherwise changes will not
  appear until after midnight.

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Course File .COURSECODE field

• Records add to the COURSE file must have a unique
  value in the .COURSECODE field to be properly
  recognized by CampusConnect.
• Another frequent support call problem

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ApacheRootConfHttpd.conf

• Text file which controls options and parameters
  for the Apache web server.
• Actual parameter settings are interspersed
  between comments something like a DCL procedure.
• Make changes with extreme caution!
• Change take effect on next startup of Apache.

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ApacheRootConfHttpd.conf

• Parameters effect the number of processes Apache
  can run, so you may wish to change values
  seasonally. For version 1.3 Update 2
• MinSpareServers
• A small number 3-5
• MaxSpareServers
• Approximately 3x expected concurrent users if
  doing drop/add
• Approximately 1x expected concurrent users if not
• StartServers
• Equal to MaxSpareServers
• MaxClients
• try 3 times of concurrent users

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Special Logical Names

• Logical names used to control many CampusConnect
  features
• Logical names usually defined in
  Campus_ConnectV2Login.com, or they may be in an
  SIS_Config.com file or FAS_Config.com file called
  by Login.com.
• CC may use logical names which can be created
  system-wide or per process.

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Special Logical Names

• System-wide logicals make for easy, on the fly
  control of CampusConnect.
• Note timing of changing a logical name value in
  LOGIN.COM on a process logical It is executed
  when an Apache thread is initiated.and the
  thread may process many transactions before
  regenerating itself.

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Special Logical Names

• CCSIS_Timeout controls when an automatic logout
  should be performed based upon user idle time of
  a student user logging into CampusConnect with an
  ID number and PIN. The timeout allow will be
  equal to 30seconds times the value of this
  logical.

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Special Logical Names

• CCCourse_Filter may be defined to a value that
  matches a field name found in both the Student
  and Course files. Students flagged with a
  particular piece of data in this field will only
  be allowed to select from courses flagged with
  the same value (such as a campus code).

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Special Logical Names

• CCDept_SortField controls which RegCode field is
  used to sort the list of departments appearing in
  the department drop-down boxes.
• CCDEPT_LIST may be defined as a text file to
  override the list of Departments that
  CampusConnect would automatically build. If used,
  strongly suggest that the file is not a .DAT file
  type.
• CCALLOW_AUDIT to activate allowing students to
  select a class for Audit

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Special Logical Names

• There are CCfunction_ENABLED logicals defined
  system wide to a value of either TRUE or FALSE to
  enable or disable a function button throughout
  the system for all users.
• Similar CCADV_function_ENABLED for faculty users.

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Special Logical Names

• CCWeb_Depts may be defined to indicate the
  maximum number of crosslistings a course could
  have into various other departments. A field
  should be created in COURSE for each of these
  with a fieldname of .WEBDEPT1, .WEBDEPT2, etc.
  Default is zero.

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Optional Fields

• Student File .OKWebReg
• Requires logical CCUse_OKFlag to activate
• Students with a Y can use drop/add
• Consider the options to populate and/or clear
  this value via batch for various groups of
  students.

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Optional Fields

• Student File .HOLDn
• Additional hold fields may be defined discussed
  later.
• Course File .WebExclude
• A Y value suppresses this record from appearing
  in CampusConnect Drop/Add

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Optional Fields

• Course File .CCAvailDate
• Overrides default value from SIS_Terms for this
  class section.
• Course File .CCDropDate
• Overrides default value from SIS_Terms for this
  class section.
• Course File .CCAddDate
• Overrides default value from SIS_Terms for this
  class section.

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Optional Fields

• Course File .WebDeptn
• Contains crosslisted department code.
• RegCode File .WebExclude
• Causes a DPT record in Regcode to be excluded
  from the department list if the field contains a
  Y.

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Defining Faculty Access

• Typical setup for a faculty member
• Authorize a Username with
• a unique UIC number
• /ACCOUNT to be a valid value for FAS, typically
  ADVISOR.
• Create a unique GENERAL identifier, usually
  comprised of a standard prefix followed by the
  username.
• GRANT/ID idname username

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Defining Faculty Access (2)

• 4. Add a diskquota record for the new UIC if
  diskquotas are used on the home drive.
• 5. Create a unique directory owned by the UIC,
  typically named the same as the username.
• 6. Define a mail forwarding command to route any
  mail sent to this new username to an appropriate
  mailbox.

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Defining Faculty Access (3)

• 7.Optionally create or copy a login.com file for
  the user. If Telnet is not intended to be
  utilized by this user, the login.com may contain
  LOGOUT or perhaps allow the user to change their
  password and then force them to logout.
• 8.Place Identifier in the .OWNERID field of
  COURSE records taught by this person to allow
  grading and roster access to these class
  sections. (Default is no access.)

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Defining Faculty Access (4)

• 9.Place Identifier in .AdvRegID field of any
  STUDENT record which needs to be restricted for
  only this person to advise. (Default is blank
  meaning all authorized FAS users may access
  student record.)

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Defining Faculty Access notes

• Identifiers are created through Authorize Add/ID
  command.
• Identifiers may be UIC-based or GENERAL
  (without a UIC value mapped to it).
• A UIC-based Identifier is usually automatically
  created when adding a new username with a value
  equal to the username.

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Defining Faculty Access notes (2)

• Therefore, when we must add a general identifier
  for this user, the username is already in use as
  a UIC-based identifier, so it is unavailable for
  assignment as a general identifier. We suggest
  you append a prefix onto the front of the
  username using the same prefix for ALL of your
  FAS users.

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Defining Faculty Access notes (3)

• This then allows you to add a code prefix of this
  value to the COURSE .OWNERID field and the
  STUDENT .ADVREGID fields. Then the data entered
  into these fields may now be simply the username.

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Holds based upon Student Data

• Holds are used to block a student from certain
  functions. For instance, we could tell the system
  to not allow a student that is on Financial Hold
  to access his or her transcript.
• First select a field in the Student File which
  will be used to control a specific kind of hold.
  Typically this will be an existing data element.

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Holds based upon Student Data (2)

• 2.Add a fieldname to Student pointing to this
  field number, and name the field Hold and a
  digit, such as Hold1, Hold2, Hold3, etc. Normal
  installation will have predefined Hold1 to point
  to the Academic Hold Field and Hold2 to point to
  the Financial Hold field. Use the next sequential
  Hold number.

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Holds based upon Student Data (3)

• 3. Consider adding a code prefix to this field if
  one does not already exist.
• 4. Create (if needed) translation records in
  RegCode for each unique data value found in this
  new .HOLDx field.

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Holds based upon Student Data (4)

• 5. Update these translation records, flagging the
  appropriate DISOPTIONx fields with a Y for any
  CampusConnect menu button which you wish to
  disable for a student that has this value in
  their record in their Hold field.

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Holds based upon Student Data (5)

• For example, if a student has an A in field
  .HOLD1, and .HOLD1 has a code prefix of ABC,
  CampusConnect will search the RegCode file for a
  record with a key value of ABCA. If it finds
  the record, it will scan all of the .DISOPTION
  fields. Any field found marked will disable the
  corresponding CampusConnect Menu items.

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Overrides to registration problems

• STUDENTDFLT_ACCESS is bit encoded logical which
  allows a student to automatically override
  selected problems, such as time conflict.
• ADVISORDFLT_ACCESS allows an advisor to do the
  override.

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Intermission

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Compaq Secure Web Server (CSWS) Configuration
considerations

• SSL
• Managing log files
• Starting enough processes

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CSWS and SSL (Secure Sockets Layer)

• SSL
• A protocol designed by Netscape Communications to
  enable encrypted, authenticated communications
  across the Internet.
• SSL provides 3 important things Privacy,
  Authentication, and Message Integrity.
• SSL used mostly (but not exclusively) in
  communications between web browsers and web
  servers. URLs that begin with https indicate
  that an SSL connection will be used.
• SSL is enabled by default in CSWS

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CSWS and SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) (2)

• Certificate Authority
• An issuer of Security Certificates used in SSL
  connections.
• Companies offering security certificates
  supported by CSWS includes Verisign. CSWS also
  contains the necessary routines to be a
  certificate authority.

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CSWS and SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) (3)

• Security Certificates
• Contains information about who it belongs to, who
  it was issued by, a unique serial number or other
  unique identification, valid dates, and an
  encrypted "fingerprint" that can be used to
  verify the contents of the certificate.
• Certificate authorities such as Verisign charge
  yearly fees for their security certificates.
  Prices change regularly. See http//www.verisign.
  com/products/site/

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Enabling SSL on CSWS

• Configured by default with test certificate
• Must get valid certificate to use
• Generate a certificate request and send to
  Verisign
• Enter certificate
• SSL Performance considerations

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Managing CSWS Log files

• Log files grow during use
• Can be found in
• APACHEROOTLOGS
• Error log
• Access log
• Should be rotated occasionally
• Use to gather usage statistics (in addition to
  CampusConnect usage counters)

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Changing CampusConnect Configuration

• CampusConnect is configured through three DCL
  procedures that set a number of DCL logicals in
  CCROOT000000
• General logicals LOGIN.COM
• SIS specific logicals SIS_CONFIG.COM
• FAS specific logicals FAS_CONFIG.COM

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Department Definitions

• The departments listed in CampusConnect system
  are based on entries in REGCODE.
• When updating departments for CampusConnect
  please ensure that your departments are defined
  in REGCODE with a DPT prefix and the
  appropriate description which will be displayed
  in drop-down lists on the browser. The
  department dat file is rebuilt daily just like
  the termcodes.
• REGCODE records marked with a value other than
  or N in the .WEBEXCLUDE field will not be
  included in the department listing.
• To customize the department list independently of
  REGCODE locate the following section in
  SIS_CONFIG.COM and after uncommenting it, define
  your custom department listing
• !DEFINE CCDEPT_LIST SIS_SCRIPTSsite_dept_list
  .datX
• Note This prevents automatic daily rebuilding of
  the department listing file.

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Excluding departments from the department listing

• You may now add a field to REGCODE, .WEBEXCLUDE,
  which will allow you to exclude DPT records from
  the departmental listing.
• Do this by placing a value other than "N" in the
  .WEBEXCLUDE field for the DPT records you don't
  want included in the listing.

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Cross-listing courses between departments

• In order to list courses under several different
  departments when a user requests a list of
  available courses
• Add fields to COURSE which would be alternate
  keys allowing duplicates
• Name them .WEBDEPT1, .WEBDEPT2, etc.
• Edit CCROOT000000SIS_CONFIG.COM
• Update the CCWEB_DEPTS logical definition to a
  value equal to the number of ".WEBDEPT" keys.

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Course Cross listing example

• Listing courses under their home department and
  one alternate
• Edit CCROOT000000LOGIN.COM and update the
  logical definition line to read
• DEFINE CCWEB_DEPTS 1
• Add a new field, .WEBDEPT1, to COURSE
• Define the .WEBDEPT1 as a key field allowing
  duplicates
• Rekey the COURSE file
• Update the COURSE record for the COURSE you want
  cross-listed and set the WEBDEPT1 field to have
  the department code for the alternate department.
  This course would then be listed whether the
  student chose a listing for either department.

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CampusConnect Account Status Option

• Two configuration options
• Generating an estimated statement using STATEMENT
  in detached mode
• Requirements for Knoxville installed
  CampusConnect site
• SBR 4.0 or SBR 5.0
• Current version of CampusConnect (V2.3)
• Patch currently being tested
• Pre-requisite for upcoming STATEMENT patches for
  Credit Card processing
• Must run STATEMENT in detached mode
• Original Account Status configuration using the
  STRANS file
• SBR 3.6 sites require modifications during
  installation to work with a non-keyed STRANS file.

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Questions and Answers