Table of Contents
Overview
Direct Database
Ellucian Ethos APIs
Choosing Between Banner Direct & Banner Ethos
Related Articles
Overview
Coursedog supports a real-time integration with Banner for both scheduling and curriculum data.
Coursedog is an Ellucian Partner and supports a validated integration. There are two integration pathways: Direct Database (Oracle) and Ellucian Ethos APIs.
Coursedog has successfully deployed this integration with Banner On Premise deployments as well as Ellucian Hosted and Ellucian Cloud deployments. All solutions are built to follow Ellucian designation best practice standards around architecture and security.
Solutions are compatible with Banner 9.x and backwards compatible for 8.x.
Direct Database
Overview | Technical Architecture | Supported Fields & Objects | Institution Type
Benefits | Additional Consideration | Requirements & Assumptions | Installation Guide
Overview
Coursedog has a pre-built package of SQL for bidirectional integration ready to deploy to your environment.
Direct database queries are the backbone of most integrations to Banner and allow controlled direct access to data regardless of the level of customization.
Coursedog will handle the Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) data mapping work once the data is pulled from Banner.
Technical Architecture
Firewall Configuration: To enable direct communication, the school must configure its network firewall to allow access from Coursedog public IP addresses. This step ensures that data transmission channels are established securely while maintaining network integrity.
Access/Jump Server: The school will implement an access server, also known as a jump server, within its network infrastructure. This server will serve as a secure gateway for Coursedog to connect to the school's network via Secure Shell (SSH) without opening the database server directly to the internet.
Access Server Role: It's imperative to note that the access server will solely function as an access point to the database. It will not host any middleware or intermediary components that could compromise security or introduce vulnerabilities into the integration framework.
Encryption: All communication channels, including SSH connections and data transmissions, will be encrypted to safeguard against unauthorized access and data breaches.
Port Forwarding: Utilizing the access server, port forwarding configurations will be established to facilitate secure connections to the database within the school's network. This mechanism ensures that data transmission occurs through encrypted channels, minimizing the risk of unauthorized access or data interception.
Execution of PL/SQL: As part of the integration process, Coursedog will execute PL/SQL (Procedural Language/Structured Query Language) directly on the school's database. This approach streamlines data processing while adhering to security best practices by minimizing additional layers of interaction.
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Access to database resources and execution of PL/SQL functions are governed by specific user accounts and security objects tailored to the requirements of our integration activities.
Supported Fields & Objects
See Banner Direct Integration Specifications for a list of fields and objects that are currently supported for Banner Direct.
If a field or object is in the spreadsheet linked above, that means the integration can support it. If you wish to do less, you can. However, if you want to do something beyond what is documented, then that would be considered a custom integration and will require a change request and scoping.
Institution Type
Direct Database Query is the best fit for institutions that are Banner on-premises or Banner hosted.
Benefits
Simplicity – Does not require an upgrade (Ethos).
Security – You have full control of who has access to each table and run the client scripts.
Comprehensive – Field-level support extends beyond out-of-the-box API limitations.
Additional Consideration
Might not be the long-term vision of your IT staff if you’re moving to Banner SaaS (See Ethos).
Requirements & Assumptions
Coursedog assumes you meet the following minimum requirements:
Banner 9.
Institution is using corresponding baseline Banner processes and data structures (e.g. Course Scheduling, Course and Program inventory). The Institution is responsible for meeting the needs of their specific environment.
Ability to whitelist IPs as needed for Test and Production. Coursedog supports an industry standard transfer protocol for both approaches.
Installation Guide
Reach out to your Coursedog contact.
Ellucian Ethos APIs
Overview | Supported Fields & Objects | Institution Type | Benefits
Considerations | Requirements & Assumptions | Installation Guide
Overview
Ellucian Ethos is another integration pathway for Banner. It offers a unified data model across all platforms built on Open standards (REST, JSON).
Coursedog is a trusted Ellucian Partner and boasts an Ethos validated solution.
Supported Fields & Objects
See Banner Ethos Integration Specifications for a list of fields and objects that are currently supported for Banner Ethos.
If a field or object is in the spreadsheet linked above (anywhere other than the “Not Supported” tab), that means the integration can support it. If you wish to do less, you can. However, if you want to do something beyond what is documented, then that would be considered a custom integration and will require scoping.
Institution Type
Ethos is the best fit for institutions who are currently on Banner SaaS, or plan to move to Banner SaaS.
Benefits
Modern standards based (REST, JSON) approach to expose your data.
Ellucian-supported solution that is under active development.
Security is consistent with Ellucian and industry standards.
Considerations
Requires that your institution already has Ethos deployed.
IT staff are required to have expertise/resources to perform upgrades.
Ethos extensions may be required.
IT staff must have expertise or availability to install extensions (if necessary).
Requirements & Assumptions
Coursedog assumes you meet the following minimum requirements:
Banner 9.
Institution is using corresponding baseline Banner processes and data structures (e.g. Course Scheduling, Course and Program inventory). The Institution is responsible for meeting the needs of their specific environment.
Ethos Integration fully integrated and configured for connection with Coursedog.
Installation Guide
Reach out to your Coursedog contact.
Choosing Between Banner Direct & Banner Ethos
Direct Database access has improved field-by-field capability and is the recommended integration method for all non-Banner SaaS schools.
For schools planning to move to Banner SaaS, Ethos Integration is the required method.