Product availability, features, and data processing for SaaS Learn deployment in South Africa
Date Published: Sep 27,2023 Category: Product:Learn_Administration_Learn; Version:SaaS Article No.: 000077978
Date Published: Sep 27,2023 Category: Product:Learn_Administration_Learn; Version:SaaS Article No.: 000077978
Product: Blackboard Learn
Information: Blackboard (now a part of Anthology) is pleased to work with institutions in Cape Town, South Africa, to deploy SaaS-based options for Blackboard Learn. SaaS offers Learn customers and prospects a choice of Blackboard Learn Ultra and Blackboard Learn Original course options, as well as Learn Ultra Base Navigation.
This document provides information and support regarding how data is handled for South African institutions, as well as what SaaS features are available for instances located in South Africa. This page is up to date as of 25 April 2023. We aim to update this page regularly. Due to the continuous deployment and enhancement of our products, this page may not reflect all the changes since the page was last updated.
If you have any questions, please contact your Account Executive, or open a case with Blackboard Client Support on Behind the Blackboard.
PLATFORM SERVICES – South Africa
Related Links and Resources: For additional information, please see the following page on Blackboard Help: Learn SaaS Plus and Advantage Options
This document provides information and support regarding how data is handled for South African institutions, as well as what SaaS features are available for instances located in South Africa. This page is up to date as of 25 April 2023. We aim to update this page regularly. Due to the continuous deployment and enhancement of our products, this page may not reflect all the changes since the page was last updated.
- SafeAssign is available in region and Anthology covers costs related to transfer of file to SafeAssign and processing the data. SafeAssign is hosted and served from the US. Client incurs the cost of retrieving and downloading an Originality Report only. Downloading original file still comes from the Learn server or BbAnnotate service, both in South Africa.
- There is no user interface or backend telemetry sent by default. If Ally is requested, the backend telemetry will be sent to Frankfurt. If Blackboard Data is implemented, then UI telemetry will need to be routed there. There are no costs to the institution for the international data transfer.
- MS Teams data flows as events from the Learn instance to Foundations/Glue Services running in Frankfurt. MS Teams will pull data as needed from those services to enable the integration. Extra costs are incurred for moving bits across the globe. AWS has a slight increased cost for cross region data transfer.
- Cloud Storage is available in South Africa.
- BbAnnotate is available in South Africa and data is held in Cape Town.
- Learn Data Pipeline (LDP) is sent from AWS Cape Town to Frankfurt. LDP (Learn Data Pipeline) is a set of tables from the Learn transactional database that are loaded into Blackboard Data. Many of the most useful tables and columns are included, but it isn’t comprehensive. There are no additional charges for this international data transfer.
- Blackboard Data is sent from AWS Cape Town to Frankfurt. There are no additional charges for this international data transfer. However, regarding runtime reports or data queries, the client will incur international transfer costs specific to the retrieval of report data from Blackboard Data.
If you have any questions, please contact your Account Executive, or open a case with Blackboard Client Support on Behind the Blackboard.
PLATFORM SERVICES – South Africa
✓ | Service is available and hosted in region |
Δ | Service is available, but not hosted in region |
⍉ | Service is not available |
SERVICE NAME | SERVICE DESCRIPTION | SERVICE AVAILABILITY | NOTES |
---|---|---|---|
Blackboard Learn Application | The primary Learn application and database | ✓ | Inclusive of the primary Learn application code, primary database, and core data objects abstracted into in-region microservices. |
Blackboard Learn – Core Authentication Services | Handles various authentication methods for the Learn application | ✓ | |
Blackboard Learn – Institution Pages | Hosts the Institution Pages feature and content added to modules | ✓ | Institution pages are running in South Africa and all data is hosted in region. |
Blackboard Learn – Attendance | Hosts the Attendance feature and stores attendance records | ✓ | |
Blackboard Learn – Document Rendering | Renders files in Learn so users can view them without downloading them | ✓ | |
Blackboard Learn – Document Annotation | Allows users to view, annotate, and commented on files directly in their browser | ✓ | |
Blackboard Learn – Discussion Board Analysis Service | Provides analytical information and score recommendations on discussion engagement and semantics | ✓ | |
Blackboard Learn – Cloud File Picker | Allows users to easily copy files into Learn from various cloud providers such as Microsoft, Google, Dropbox, and Box | ✓ | |
Blackboard Learn – Cloud Provider Integrator | Cloud Document LTI in Learn Ultra outline that permits choosing an item from One Drive. | ✓ | Services will also soon include Google. |
Blackboard Learn – Ultra Early Adoption Manager | Gives administrators options to adopt certain features in Ultra before they are made more broadly available (feature flags) | ✓ | |
Blackboard Learn – Mobile Services | Processes push notifications to Blackboard mobile app users | ✓ | |
Caliper Service Transforms | Learn event data into events compliant with the Caliper standard from 1EdTech | Δ | This service can be enabled by request and will route via the EU. It is available, but it is not hosted in region |
Cloud Connector | Registers the unique Learn instance and its location for accessing services in the correct region | ✓ | Routes connections to services in-region when available and to external regions when those services reside elsewhere. |
Direct Data Access | An optional service that grants clients access to a near real-time clone of their Learn production database | ✓ | |
Learn Data Pipeline and Telemetry | Services that handle the transfer of data from the Learn application to Blackboard Data | ✓ | Telemetry flows from South Africa to Europe for consumption in Blackboard Data |
Blackboard Data | A reporting platform for Learn clients | Δ | Data is transferred out of region to Frankfurt in Europe for processing and access. |
Blackboard Learn – SafeAssign | Processes student submissions for potential academic integrity concerns | Δ | Submissions are processed in the United States. Personal information is not transferred as part of the procedure, but personal information included in a submission is transferred out of region. |
Blackboard Learn – Ultra UI | Serves the Ultra Experience graphic user interface | ✓ | Anthology utilizes a CDN for Ultra UI components and icons which are then served from the nearest “point of presence.” These locations would be Cape Town, Johannesburg, or Durban. No personal information is transferred as part of its use. |
Blackboard Learn – Media Capture | Records video and audio assessment feedback | Δ | Media recordings are routed to the European Union (EU). |
Blackboard Learn – Locale Service | Manages and hosts the text that appears in Learn’s Ultra Experience for all languages | Δ | Text string edits made by administrators for their Learn environment are stored in the United States. No personal information is stored in the service. |
Blackboard Learn – Blackboard Assist | Hosts the feature and the service profiles created by clients | Δ | Institutional service profiles for Blackboard Assist are stored in United States. Clients shouldn’t add personally identifying information to service profiles. |
Blackboard Learn – Blackboard Home | Reports to administrators on Learn environment utilization metrics such as storage | Δ | Reports on system usage transfer from the United States. No personal information is transferred. |
Blackboard Learn – In-product Survey Service | Presents users with in-product surveys; collects and aggregates responses | Δ | Survey responses are collected and aggregated in the United States, but no personal information is collected. |
API and LTI Gateway | Handles authorization of add-on tools using REST, LTI, and Ultra Extension Framework | Δ | Secures three-legged OAuth connections between Learn and a third-party application. Processes tool security key rotations. Registered 3rd-party tool providers can see the names of institutions that have installed their applications. Personal information is not stored. |
Platform Extensions Services | Hosts add-on tools provided by Anthology Professional Services team that clients can opt into | Δ | Optional add-on extension generally hosted in United States. |
Chatbot | Service for adding a chatbot help assistant in Learn | ⍉ | Not available in region. |
Related Links and Resources: For additional information, please see the following page on Blackboard Help: Learn SaaS Plus and Advantage Options