Advanced System Reporting (ASR)

Overview

Blackboard Consulting

Advanced System Reporting Overview

Overview of Advanced System Reporting
Function
Data
Installation and Setup
Advanced System Reporting: Sample Templates
Advanced System Reporting Database Attributes
Auto-Reporting Options
Send System Statistics to Blackboard
How to allow Clients access to Stats Database
How to verify access to Stats Database
How to pull stats without Crystal Reports

Advanced System Reporting

Robust reporting to understand how their system is
being used
Data from predefined fields in the bb_bb60_stats
database is used to create and tailor reports to meet
specific institutional needs
These reports assist in understanding and analyzing
use of the system and can report information such as:
when different types of users access the system
how they use the system
if the system improves Student performance.

Function
Where does the data come from?
Data is transferred nightly into a separate reporting database.
Nightly job executed from the bb-task.xml file

From the bb_bb60 schema to the bb_bb60_stats

Function (cont.)
Data from the bb_bb60 schema is transferred into the
bb_bb60_stats to handle the Advanced System Reporting tool.
The following are the tables from the bb_bb60 Schema that is then
transferred nightly to the bb_bb60_stats schema:

Function (cont.)
By default the scheduling of the data transfer occurs at
1am which is typically where low load is seen on the
app1 server.
System Administrators have access to the stats
database to use the Crystal Reports template that
Blackboard provides to develop reports to suit their
Institutional needs.

Data
Data transferred to statistics database is a sub-set of
data from production database.
The bb_bb60 is the main database also referred to as the
Production Database
The bb_bb60_stats is the statistical database where the a subset of the tables below get transferred into nightly:

bb_bb60_stats

bb_bb60

SID

Data (cont.)
How to verify Purge of data:
View the update-tool-log.txt located in the
/usr/local/blackboard/logs/update-tools directory

Installation and Setup

Advanced System Reporting is set up automatically
when the Blackboard Academic Suite is installed.
The Enable Event Tracking option must be set to Yes
on the Auto-Reporting Options page before Statistics
will be recorded. (default it is on.)

Purging data in the databases

Every day automatic process runs that synchronizes the
sub-set of data in the stats database with the data in the
main database.
Once the synchronization is complete the statistical data is
deleted from the main database that is more than 180 days old.

Purging data in the databases (cont.)

The synchronization process only occurs for Enterprise
licenses. For Basic clients any data older than 180
(default setting) simply gets deleted.
The synchronization process can be run at any time
using the PurgeAccumulator tool.
- Location> /usr/local/blackboard/tools/admin
- Cmd> ./PurgeAccumulator.sh <command>
<Virtual_Installation> <days_or_date>

Purging data in the databases (cont.)

Advanced System Reporting: Sample Templates

Bb Academic Suite includes a set of ASR templates for
use with Crystal Reports
Template use requires license for Crystal reports from
Crystal Decisions Inc.

Advanced System Reporting Database Attributes

The following excerpts diagrams details the shared
rows in the reporting database tables.
The relationship between the tables is used to define
and return customized data reports.

Advanced System Reporting Database Attributes

(cont.)
ADVANCED SYSTEM REPORTING
Blackboard Learning SystemTM (Release 6)

PK1
SYSTEM_ROLE
NAME
DEFAULT_NAME

INSTITUTION_ROLES
PK1
ROLE_NAME

COURSE_ROLES

APPLICATION

PK1
COURSE_ROLE
NAME
DEFAULT_NAME
ORG_NAME
ORG_DEFAULT_NAME

PK1
APPLICATION
LARGE_ICON
PLUGINS_PK1
ENABLED_MASK
SSL_IND
RELABEL_IND
LABEL
SMALL_ICON
TYPE
DESCRIPTION
ALLOW_GUEST_MASK
ALLOW_OBSERVER_MASK
NAME
CAN_RELABEL_IND
CAN_ALLOW_GUEST_IND
CAN_ALLOW_OBSERVER_IND
CAN_CONFIGURE_IND
CONFIGURE_URL

COURSE_USERS
PK1
CRSMAIN_PK1
DATA_SRC_PK1
ROLE
LINK_NAME_1
LINK_URL_1
LINK_DESC_1
LINK_NAME_2
LINK_URL_2
LINK_DESC_2
LINK_NAME_3
LINK_URL_3
LINK_DESC_3
USERS_PK1
PHOTO_LINK
INTRO
NOTE
PINFO
CARTRIDGE_IND
AVAILABLE_IND
SOS_ID_PK2
ROW_STATUS
ENROLLMENT_DATE
CRSMAIN_SOS_ID_PK2
USERS_SOS_ID_PK2
DTMODIFIED

NAVIGATION_ITEM
PK1
APPLICATION
INTERNAL_HANDLE
ENTITLEMENT_UID
FAMILY
HREF
ENABLED_MASK
COMPONENT_TYPE
NAVIGATION_TYPE
SRC
LABEL
DESCRIPTION
SUB_GROUP
POSITION
LAUNCH_IND
REDIRECT_URL
USER_LABEL
VISIBLE_IND

NOTE: Fields in gray are database control fields

2003 Blackboard Inc. Proprietary and Confidential

USERS

COURSES

ORGANIZATIONS

SYSTEM_TRACKING

PK1
CITY
DATA_SRC_PK1
SYSTEM_ROLE
SOS_ID_PK2
DTCREATED
DTMODIFIED
ROW_STATUS
BATCH_UID
USER_ID
PASSWD
FIRSTNAME
MIDDLENAME
LASTNAME
GENDER
EDUC_LEVEL
BIRTHDATE
TITLE
STUDENT_ID
EMAIL
JOB_TITLE
DEPARTMENT
COMPANY
STREET_1
INSTITUTION_ROLES_PK1
STREET_2
STATE
ZIP_CODE
COUNTRY
B_PHONE_1
B_PHONE_2
H_PHONE_1
H_PHONE_2
M_PHONE
B_FAX
H_FAX
WEBPAGE
SETTINGS
COMMERCE_ROLE
CDROMDRIVE_PC
CDROMDRIVE_MAC
PUBLIC_IND
ADDRESS_IND
PHONE_IND
WORK_IND
EMAIL_IND
AVAILABLE_IND
LAST_LOGIN_DATE
IM_TYPE
IM_ACCOUNT

PK1
BUTTONSTYLES_PK1
CARTRIDGE_PK1
CLASSIFICATIONS_PK1
DATA_SRC_PK1
SOS_ID_PK2
DTCREATED
DTMODIFIED
COURSE_NAME
COURSE_ID
COURSE_DESC
ROW_STATUS
BATCH_UID
ENROLL_OPTION
DURATION
PACE
SERVICE_LEVEL
ABS_LIMIT
SOFT_LIMIT
UPLOAD_LIMIT
START_DATE
END_DATE
ENROLL_START_DATE
ENROLL_END_DATE
DAYS_OF_USE
FEE
ENROLL_ACCESS_CODE
BANNER_URL
INSTITUTION_NAME
REG_LEVEL_IND
NAVIGATION_STYLE
TEXTCOLOR
BACKGROUND_COLOR
COLLAPSIBLE_IND
CATALOG_IND
LOCKOUT_IND
DESC_PAGE_IND
AVAILABLE_IND
ALLOW_OBSERVER_IND
LOWER_COURSE_ID

PK1
BUTTONSTYLES_PK1
CARTRIDGE_PK1
CLASSIFICATIONS_PK1
DATA_SRC_PK1
SOS_ID_PK2
DTCREATED
DTMODIFIED
COURSE_NAME
COURSE_ID
COURSE_DESC
ROW_STATUS
BATCH_UID
ENROLL_OPTION
DURATION
PACE
SERVICE_LEVEL
ABS_LIMIT
SOFT_LIMIT
UPLOAD_LIMIT
START_DATE
END_DATE
ENROLL_START_DATE
ENROLL_END_DATE
DAYS_OF_USE
FEE
ENROLL_ACCESS_CODE
BANNER_URL
INSTITUTION_NAME
REG_LEVEL_IND
NAVIGATION_STYLE
TEXTCOLOR
BACKGROUND_COLOR
COLLAPSIBLE_IND
CATALOG_IND
LOCKOUT_IND
DESC_PAGE_IND
AVAILABLE_IND
ALLOW_OBSERVER_IND
LOWER_COURSE_ID

PK1
TIMESTAMP
COURSES
ACTIVECOURSES
CARTRIDGES
ORGANIZATIONS
ACTIVEORGANIZATIONS
USERSACTIVE
USERS
USERS_Z
USERS_A
USERS_C
USERS_H
USERS_N
USERS_O
USERS_R
USERS_U
ACTIVE_COURSE_USERS
COURSE_USERS_B
COURSE_USERS_G
COURSE_USERS_P
COURSE_USERS_S
COURSE_USERS_T
COURSE_USERS_U
INST_USERS_1
INST_USERS_2
INST_USERS_3
INST_USERS_4
INST_USERS_5
INST_USERS_6
INST_USERS_7
INST_USERS_8
INST_USERS_9
INST_USERS_10
INST_USERS_11
INST_USERS_12
INST_USERS_13
INST_USERS_14
INST_USERS_15
INST_USERS_16
INST_USERS_17
INST_USERS_18
INST_USERS_19
INST_USERS_20
PAGE_VIEWS
SESSIONS
COURSE_PAGE_VIEWS
SYSTEMEXTENSIONS
LOGIN_ATTEMPTS_SUCCESS
LOGIN_ATTEMPTS_FAILURE

DATA_SOURCE
PK1
DTMODIFIED
ROW_STATUS
BATCH_UID
DESCRIPTION

This is a view of Course_Main

PK1
EVENT_TYPE
USER_PK1
COURSE_PK1
GROUP_PK1
FORUM_PK1
INTERNAL_HANDLE
CONTENT_PK1
DATA
TIMESTAMP
STATUS
MESSAGES
SESSION_ID

SYSTEM_ROLES

This is a view of Course_Main

ACTIVITY_ACCUMULATOR

Advanced System Reporting Database Attributes

(cont.)
Attribute Definitions
The tables below detail the attributes in each database table.
Each of the tables below includes the following columns:
Attribute: The name of the attribute as it appears in the database.
Data Type: The format of the information stored in the attribute
(date, varchar, etc.)
Null? Indicated whether or not null values are allowed. Y indicates
that null values are allowed for the attribute, N indicates that null
values are not allowed for the attribute.
Description: Explains the information stored in the attribute and its
importance.

Advanced System Reporting Database Attributes

(cont.)
Attribute: The name of the attribute as it appears in the database.

Advanced System Reporting Database Attributes

(cont.)
Data Type: The format of the information stored in the attribute
(date, varchar, etc.)

Advanced System Reporting Database Attributes

(cont.)
Null? Indicated whether or not null values are allowed. Y indicates
that null values are allowed for the attribute, N indicates that null
values are not allowed for the attribute.

Advanced System Reporting Database Attributes

(cont.)
Description: Explains the information stored in the attribute and its
importance.

Advanced System Reporting Database Attributes

(cont.)
Event Types (Only for AA Table):
The following table lists the possible event types stored in the
ACTIVITY_ACCUMULATOR table.
The Page View column shows whether or not the activity counts as a
page view when generating statistics.

Advanced System Reporting Database Attributes

(cont.)
Tables:
ACTIVITY_ACCUMULATOR
COURSE_ROLES
COURSE_USERS
SYSTEM_ROLES
INSTITUTION_ROLES
USER_ROLES
APPLICATION
NAVIGATION_ITEM
USERS
COURSE_MAIN
DATA_SOURCE
SYSTEM_TRACKING

Auto-Reporting Options
Auto-reporting sends system updates to a secure Blackboard
server automatically.
Blackboard Support uses this information to assist the
Administrator in maintaining Blackboard Academic Suite

Auto-Reporting Options (cont.)

Benefits of auto-reporting
Assist in capacity planning with Blackboard
Academic Suite for future growth
Notification from Blackboard Learning System when
a patch or upgrade is available
Assist system maintenance with the help of
Blackboard Support staff

Send System Statistics to Blackboard

Email system statistics to Blackboard from the Send
System Statistics to Blackboard page.
Blackboard Support staff use system statistics to help
troubleshoot problems.

How to allow Clients access to Stats Database

Client to provide you with a STATIC IP where the ASR tool will be
kicked off from.
Create a CR with OPS to send to Infra to open up firewall via port
1521
Create a CR with OPS to create a asr_user for the database.
Capture the following to provide to the client:
Hostname: 192.xxx.xxx.xxx (hosted database IP address)
Port Number: 1521
SID: Univ6
Username (typically): asr_user
Password: Univ6asrpass

How to verify access to Stats Database

1. From the Windows desktop click Start, Run.
2. In the resulting Run dialogue box, type "cmd" and click the OK
button.
3. In the resulting command window, type telnet (hosted database
IP) 172.25.1.112 1521 and press Enter on your keyboard.

How to verify access to Stats Database (cont.)

4. You will see Connecting To 172.25.1.112
5. After a few minutes if there is a connection problem the
message above will be amended with Could not open
connection to the host. This means the connection is
blocked by a firewall. Arrangements must be made for
the workstation to have firewall access to the database.
This may involve setting up a static IP for the
workstation by your IT staff and communicating this
information to the institution where your database is
housed.

How to pull stats without Crystal Reports

Questions and Answers

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