K12 Open Technologies

The Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF) Specification is a "set of common definitions for school data and a set of rules for how the data can be shared". Data is broken up into zones that are managed by a central Zone Integration Server (ZIS).The ZIS then sends out and receives data from all of the different SIF-enabled applications Application Agents (see image). For example, let's say I have a Library Media Center System that manages all of the books in my library as well as the patrons who check in/out books in my library. I also have a separate system known as a Student Information System (SIS) that manages all of my school data (students, families, teachers, grades, etc.). With SIF data is interchanged seamlessly between the two systems based on a set of rules that govern the data flow. When the School Registrar enters a new student into the SIS System the Application Agent that is tied to the SIS System will then send the data concerning the new student to the ZIS assigned to that zone. The ZIS will then send out the data to all of the Application Agents that are set to receive this type of data. In our example here, this would be the Library Media Center System. So, without any user intervention a new student is created in the Library Media Center System. Pretty cool, huh?

Obviously, SIF is an important standard that will help K-12 schools bring in more disparate systems for unique applications without sacrificing data integrity or adding a bunch of people to manage them. But, in my opinion, SIFA (Schools Interoperability Framework Association) has made a major philosophical decision that is limiting its' potential.

As mentioned above, there are basically two critical architecture pieces to the SIF specification. First, the Application Agent. Application Agents should be developed and maintained by the same company that develops the application that the Application Agent talks to. Currently, there are 0 SIF 2 Enabled Application, 83 SIF-enabled Application 1.5, and 3 SIF-enabled Application 1.1 (according to SIFA's own Certification page). Next, the Zone Integration Server (ZIS). The ZIS is the most critical piece to the entire SIF puzzle. This is the traffic cop that controls all of the data between all of the Application Agents. Without a ZIS - there is no SIF. Currently, there are 0 SIF 1.1, 1.5, or 2 certified Zone Integration Servers (ZIS) (according to SIFA's own Certification page)! As far as I know, there are two ZIS servers on the market but neither of them are certified (they are referred to as "Compliant"). The two servers are: CPSI, Inc SIF-Connect Server and Edustructrues SIFWorks® Platform. These two products are known to work but they have not gone through the process to achieve SIF certification. According to the SIF Certification Policy (PDF), " The Schools Interoperability Framework Association (SIFA) has established the SIF Certification Program to help ensure that data is successfully transferred between applications and that the transferred data successfully resides in both sharing applications." So without certification - there is no guarantee that the data will be transferred successfully.

Huh? How can this be? How can anyone even adopt or use this standard? It blows my mind...

Well, the good news for SIF is that I have a simple solution. SIFA should maintain an Open Source ZIS Server project that is licensed under an Open Source license. There are a lot of talented developers out there working on various Open Source ZIS projects that SIFA could tap into. SIFA should control commits to the code much like Andrew Morton and Linus Torvalds does with the Linux kernel. This would ensure that the code and the standard and developed together.

Not to pat myself on the back... but, the advantages for SIFA, their members, and their clients are huge.

First, I believe this model will encourage more software publishers to create SIF Application Agents for their products. Why? Well, if the code is open and free to download the development and QA costs will plummet. Maybe Moodle will finally develop an Agent for their great product.

Second, SIFA can control the development of the ZIS project and time it to the release of the latest and greatest standard. Currently, when SIFA releases an updated standard everyone must wait until after the new standard is released to update their products (yes many of the key players sit at the table developing the standard, but why limit membership to the club just to the high and mighty?). Application Agent developers must wait until one of the two fore mentioned ZIS players release their products to really test their code. For some reason, just thinking about freezing both the standard and the ZIS code base prior to a new release gives me goose bumps (pretty sick, huh?).

Finally, how can schools be expected to invest the tax payers dollars if the current solutions do not even pass the grade with the standards body? Imagine the School Board meeting if the project were to fail and start hemorrhaging money...

I have already drank the SIF Kool-Aid. But, I have been unable to even get a project started in my own district. My district uses SIF certification as a metric when we evaluate all new software applications. The problem is, we are still waiting on all of them to achieve SIF 2.1 certification.

I have been fortunate to meet a few people in the SIFA organization. They are all great people. I just hope one of them reads this...