IMS Enterprise Services

We have recently made a few changes and enhancements to how it's learning can be integrated with external applications and services. Allthough we have more than sixty userdata integrations (think: users, groups, courses, etc) behind us, all of these integrations are batch-based. This means that all the chances happening to your user-data is only imported into it's learning once a day. With the support of IMS Enterprise Services v.1.0 (SOAP based) it is now possible to build integrations that allows for on-the-fly updates of userdata within it's learning.

Q: Does this then mean that we can now offer all of our customers IMS ES?

A: Nah. It takes two to tango. An integration between learning and and external student administrative system involves two parties - the "sender" of userdata (the administrative system) and the receiver (us). Not that many administrative systems yet support IMS ES. There are some honorable exeptions. Capita's SIMS in the UK supports it (if you allow for a slightly loose interpretation) and several customers are currently implementing support for their own homebrewn systems.

Q: Is it possible to customise the IMS ES solution?

A: Even though IMS ES is a pretty clear and precise specification, it allows for extentions. The way we have implemented the IMS ES specification we have taken into account the need of customisations. This means that we can allow for extentions and different interpretations of the IMS ES spesification.

Q: Is it free?

No. In addition to mabye needing the help of one of our consultants you will need a maintenance and support agreement. But investments in integrations usually pays off pretty quickly - the manual labor required to maintain it manually is usually not free...

Q: What technology is is build upon?

The interface (and also the specification) is purely SOAP based, so support with a wide range of platforms and technologies should be guaranteed. To move messages around, transform data and add customisation capabilities we use MS Biztalk 2006.