Some users may remember that we tried to release an updated version of Find UPI last year but withdrew the new version because of some other pending changes to ISD server infrastructure. We’ve now had the chance to revisit this new version and you can start using it immediately. For more information, click More…

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On 4th February 2013, the IDINA team will be releasing various changes to our applications. A summary of the changes follows:

• UPI: The final part of the work we’ve called “Main Source” will be put live. This code is used to determine which Primary System record[1] will be used as the origin of the person data UPI makes available. At the moment, this is based on a hierarchy of systems but doesn’t take into account how current or active a record is (and therefore how up-to-date it may be). The change will mean UPI always presents the most appropriate active record.
• UPI: We’re introducing a set of Archive tables. These will store information from the legacy UPI system and allow us to improve the quality of data by excluding incomplete records and making more information available to search functions within UPI.
• Computer Reps Tool: A new version of the tool is being released. This will add new features to allow Computer Reps to see role accounts for their departments and to query membership of permission groups; and allow users to contact reps in a more secure way (rather than just have a published list of e-mail addresses).
• Interfaces: a new interface to the Research Publications Service will allow UPI data to be combined with important additional information for REF2014.
• Interfaces: changes to the interface to CMIS will allow more consistent display of names on the Online Timetable and Room Bookings systems.

How the data will change:

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Here are links to the slides from the presentation we gave on 8th January where we outlined what we’ve been doing, what’s in our next release, and what we have planned for the start of 2013.

• Ye Olde PowerPoint 2003

• New fangled PowerPoint 2007/10

A pertinent question:

One question that came out of the session was regarding how the IAM Project and the introduction of FIM will impact on the future of UPI. The answer is that, although UPI will be adapted to work alongside FIM, it will not be replaced by it and the reasons for this come down to the different meanings of “Identity” in the contexts of the two systems.

• For UPI, “Identity” refers to a person and the UPI code is the unique identifier assigned to a person so that an individual can be, well, identified.
• For IAM, the word refers to a digital identity – i.e. a user account – and IAM processes are to do with the generation of accounts, granting and maintaining the correct permissions, and the revocation of access when no longer appropriate.

Obviously, the two are closely linked: digital identities need to store information about the people who hold them and UPI, as the source of information about people, needs to provide details of their digital identities.

Welcome to the blog for the Identity & Infrastructure Applications team. We’re part of the Application Services department in UCL’s Information Services Division.

What we do:

The IDINA team are mainly concerned with “identity” data. That is data related to people, their associations to UCL and their access to services and resources.

Our main services are:

• The UPI system: Creating a unique identifier for UCL People. You’ll find your UPI printed on your UCL ID card. It’s the code used ‘behind the scenes’, allowing the UPI system to act like a clearing house for data about UCL people. UPI combines information from UCL corporate systems (like the HR system or Portico, or the Telecoms Switchboard system) and passes this information to other UCL systems that, for example, populate the UCL Directory, e-mail system, Research systems, or control access to resources.
• The Services System: This has two key roles – firstly as the place for departments to record their visitors (i.e. people who are neither formally staff nor students at UCL); and secondly to allow departments to monitor and request access to services. This mainly applies to visitors but also to some types of service that aren’t otherwise provided automatically to staff or students.
• Find UPI: This is a tool specifically for support staff (in ISD and a few other central administrative or support departments). It allows for searching against all UPIs and is potentially useful for resolving systems problems where there is confusion over who a person is or what they may be entitled to access.

More information about UPI and our related services can be found on the UPI section of the ISD website.