Authored by Ben Betts on behalf of HT2, 2014. Version 1.0
Learning Locker is licensed under GPL 3.0 Terms and Conditions. Visit http://www.learninglocker.net for more information.
Learning Locker HT2 Enterprise Service Offering
Version 1.0 1 st July, 2014 Author Details: Ben Betts ben@ht2.co.uk For and on behalf of: HT2 Ltd (Oxford, UK) and HT2 Inc. (Chicago, USA) Telephone: +44 (0)1865 873862 or +1 (630) 355 6096 2 Authored by Ben Betts on behalf of HT2, 2014. Version 1.0 Learning Locker is licensed under GPL 3.0 Terms and Conditions. Visit http://www.learninglocker.net for more information. Document Outline
This document will explain some of the background to Learning Locker and brief readers on the Enterprise Solutions service from HT2.
Learning Locker is an open source Learning Record Store; a type of data repository designed to store learning activity statements generated by xAPI (Tin Can) compliant learning activities. Organisations use Learning Locker to store, sort and share learning data as generated by their learners. Using this data organisations can better understand the learning activities of their workforce, assess the impact of training and development and customise learning experiences based on learners past performance.
Initially, Learning Locker will be marketed towards organisations, enabling them to store data about learning activities using the xAPI standard. Organisations will be able to download, free of charge, our software, and deploy it to a server of their choice. Latterly, we will seek to support tools and services that enable individuals to claim data that is generated about their learning activities and stored in the xAPI format. HT2, the project sponsors, will offer hosted Learning Locker services as a commercial venture.
A note about xAPI / Tin Can API xAPI and Tin Can API are used interchangeably throughout this document. Both terms refer to the Experience API, as developed for the Advanced Distributed Learning group.
3 Authored by Ben Betts on behalf of HT2, 2014. Version 1.0 Learning Locker is licensed under GPL 3.0 Terms and Conditions. Visit http://www.learninglocker.net for more information. Vision Learning Locker exists to help store, sort and share the worlds learning data. We believe that each individual learner has the right to own and use data about their own performance. We also believe that knowing about a learners experiences will enable organisations to create future learning events that better fit individual needs. In our world of rapidly growing learning data, Learning Locker will bridge the gap between these individual rights and an organisations needs. Mission Our initial mission is to become the Moodle of the Learning Record Store world; the open source standard for LRS. By achieving this mission we will give organisations the opportunity to personalise learning experiences through data and to promote individual data ownership. We have adopted 3 broad strategic aims to complete our mission: Strategic Aim 1: Create a viable enterprise Learning Record Store. By adopting the xAPI standard and functioning as a Learning Record Store, we will create a key tool for our industry to use as a data store for learning activity. Creating a Learning Record Store that is fully conformant to the xAPI standard is not a trivial task. In addition to meeting the standard it is necessary to provide a suite of additional tools for use with our LRS. This includes, but is not limited to, RESTful APIs, data analytics, permission systems and a highly scalable data infrastructure that is easy to deploy and enterprise ready. Strategic Aim 2: Open Source our software in a like-minded and sustainable community environment. We will Open Source our software under GPL 3.0. This means that anyone has the right to use, copy, distribute, share, modify and change our software without paying licensing fees. The only restriction put upon users is that any modifications they make and distribute must also be made available under these same GPL terms. This approach is known as a strict copyleft. But simply giving our software away is not enough. In order to future proof the open source nature of this product it is necessary to create an active community of contributors dedicated to the upkeep, 4 Authored by Ben Betts on behalf of HT2, 2014. Version 1.0 Learning Locker is licensed under GPL 3.0 Terms and Conditions. Visit http://www.learninglocker.net for more information. documentation and improvement of our software. Only in this manner can we hope to become a viable, long-term solution to proprietary alternatives. Strategic Aim 3: Work to enable individual ownership of learning data.
We believe that everybody has the fundamental right to own data that is about themselves. Luckily, this ambition works well with our vision. When an individual gets to own their learning data that person can go on to use that data to personalise future experiences. We will work to provide personal Learning Record Stores for individuals, and to provide classes and libraries of code to 3rd party organisations to enable them to share their data with learners. Project Governance Learning Lockers development and growth is directed by a community of like- minded learning technology experts, drawn from around the world. As an Open Source Software (OSS) project, the overall wellbeing and success of the Learning Locker project is the responsibility of two boards, a community board and a technical board. These boards meet once a month to set the roadmap for product development, to oversee development timelines and to help structure the evangelisation of our product. Decision-making is democratic where possible. However, the project is ultimately the responsibility of a single benevolent dictator, Ben Betts, the Project Sponsor. Wherever possible the BD will follow the decision of the respective boards, but should a decision come to a vote the BD has the casting vote. An Open Source community cannot work without broad consensus and so this role is a light-touch wherever possible. Board membership is under constant review; board members must stay remain active participants in order to maintain their position, no one is entitled to board membership. The Project Sponsor recommends new board members and their membership is subject to a vote of the sitting board. At this early stage in Learning Lockers development both boards are being finalised. Please see Appendix for more details on current board members. 5 Authored by Ben Betts on behalf of HT2, 2014. Version 1.0 Learning Locker is licensed under GPL 3.0 Terms and Conditions. Visit http://www.learninglocker.net for more information. Community Board
The Community Board is responsible for the overall direction of product development at Learning Locker. By listening to the needs of organisations and individuals, the board influences the product roadmap and development priorities as well as overseeing the user experience and usability of the end product. The community board also acts as a driver of wider community action; evangelising the concept through social and conventional media, convening community events and facilitating partnerships with likeminded third parties. Technical Board
The Technical Board sets the schedule for the programming development of the Learning Locker project. Taking into account the community boards priorities and roadmap requests, the Technical Board allocates resources to tasks, develops new code, refactors existing code and overseas the development of the Learning Locker, including the allocation of commiting rights. Whilst we welcome code contributions from anyone interested in the Learning Locker, initially it is thought that the majority of core code will be contributed by the team at HT2 (under the Project Sponsor) in a Cathedral style model of contribution. The BD, as the Project Sponsor, has the right to ask HT2 employees to work on specific technical projects without the oversight of the respective boards. Project Sponsor
Initially the Learning Locker project has been sponsored by HT2, a for-profit learning technology developer. Learning Locker will always be free to download, install and run for everyone. To compliment this, HT2 offers services such as hosting, support and consultancy in a commercial capacity. In addition, HT2 holds copyright over certain Learning Locker trademarks, including the name Learning Locker and the squirrel logo. This ownership is necessary to prevent 3rd parties passing off Learning Locker as their own work, instead of the community effort it really is. ! 6 Authored by Ben Betts on behalf of HT2, 2014. Version 1.0 Learning Locker is licensed under GPL 3.0 Terms and Conditions. Visit http://www.learninglocker.net for more information. About HT2
HT2s vision is to enable continuous learning as a fundamental part of working life. To help realise this vision, we invest our expertise in creating technology products and services that change peoples lives for the better, even if thats just in a small way. Established in 2000, HT2 encompasses both HT2 Ltd (UK) and HT2 Inc (USA). We are widely respected in the industry for our innovative approach to game-based and social learning, having won numerous awards in the last two years for our work in the UK and USA. At the E-learning Awards 2012 we were awarded Gold for Best E-learning Project for our game-based learning project, PonyPrep. HT2 is ISO27001:2005 accredited and we are committed to upholding best practice in data security at all times. HT2 has significant experience in delivering game-based learning solutions for a wide range of companies throughout the UK, USA and the wider world. Our recent clients include Duke CE, NHS, BP, Google, Accenture, KPMG, Grant Thornton, PCUK, QBE, Sharp, Barclays, RBS, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University of San Diego, University of Warwick and many more. 7 Authored by Ben Betts on behalf of HT2, 2014. Version 1.0 Learning Locker is licensed under GPL 3.0 Terms and Conditions. Visit http://www.learninglocker.net for more information. What is a Learning Record Store?
A Learning Record Store (or LRS for short) is the name given to a web-based software platform that stores data in accordance with the ADLs Experience API (xAPI or Tin Can API for short). It is a technical standard; software which wishes to be known as an LRS must adhere strictly to the standards set forth in the xAPI specification. The LRS serves as the central repository of data within a xAPI eco-system. Activity Providers, such as courses, webpages, simulations and apps, create snippets of data known as Statements pertaining to individual user or groups of users activity within that system. Almost any type of web-enabled software can be modified to create xAPI statements, not just learning systems. "#$% $&'()*+,$(& $% -(**.&$-+,/0 .%$&1 2/3 4/)5$-/%6 +.,#/&,$-+,/0 /$,#/) 37 8+%$- 9"":;%< +.,#/&,$-+,$(& () =>.,#? Data stored in the LRS can be accessed by other software platforms using an API provided by the LRS. Parts of this API are standard to xAPI, but Learning Locker also provides an extended API to aid reporting and querying. Typically, software such as Management Information Systems, Learning Management Systems or even other Learning Record Stores act as the target endpoints for this stored data. The xAPI standard makes clear the need (and the method) for interoperability between LRS systems as a part of the compliance process. As such, it is entirely feasible to deploy a tactical solution for specific product requirements without imposing on long-term portability of data. A tactical LRS can act as a stop-gap between the immediate need and the long-term solution of a single, enterprise-wide, LRS.
8 Authored by Ben Betts on behalf of HT2, 2014. Version 1.0 Learning Locker is licensed under GPL 3.0 Terms and Conditions. Visit http://www.learninglocker.net for more information. Learning Locker Technical Architecture
The Learning Locker LRS uses the Laravel framework for PHP and MongoDB for highly scalable data storage. The presentation layer is a responsive design (suitable across devices and compatible with browsers back to Internet Explorer 8) comprised of HTML/CSS, utilising the bootstrap framework and Angular.js. Our servers typically run Linux and Apache, but Windows and IIS servers are equally able to be deployed.
Dependancies Presuming a standard Linux/Apache installation, Learning Locker requires the following: PHP 5.4+ with MongoDB extension MongoDB MySQL Composer
Installation Please refer to our online documentation website, http://docs.learninglocker.net/docs/installation, for full information on installing Learning Locker.
Recommended Hosting Infrastructure Availability of the LRS is of paramount importance. As such, our minimum recommended hosting solution is quite robust. Typically we would look to deploy a minimum of five servers (can be virtual hosts, does not always require dedicated resource) for Learning Locker. Two server instances (recommend 8GB) should act as application hosts, with users served to either access point via a Load Balancer. We recommend this application layer is virtualised, allowing for rapid scalability. MongoDB is then deployed across three shards (recommend dedicated machines with at least quad core processer and 8GB RAM). This data layer should only be accessible beyond a hardware firewall. Where oAuth is deployed, MySQL is also required. For redundancy, SQL data should be stored in SAN for deployment in a clustered configuration. The data servers may be patitioned into separate LUNS to provide access to Mongo and MySQL using the same hardware. This configuration 9 Authored by Ben Betts on behalf of HT2, 2014. Version 1.0 Learning Locker is licensed under GPL 3.0 Terms and Conditions. Visit http://www.learninglocker.net for more information. is often not recommended by hosting providers, who prefer complete separation, but in practical terms this solution is more affordable than deploying another cluster of dedicated servers for MySQL. Finally, media content (such as documents or statement attachments) may be stored elsewhere in a CDN.
Figure 1: Recommended Hosting Schema
10 Authored by Ben Betts on behalf of HT2, 2014. Version 1.0 Learning Locker is licensed under GPL 3.0 Terms and Conditions. Visit http://www.learninglocker.net for more information. HT2 Service Offering
As the creators of Learning Locker, HT2 are uniquely placed to offer service and support for organisations looking to deploy the Learning Locker. We do this primarily in three ways:
Hosting we offer high availability, scalable hosting for your Learning Locker. Support we can offer expedited support for Learning Locker, whether you host with us or not. Customisation we can offer our design and development team to extend Learning Locker or to build 3 rd party add-ons to the system. This is outside the scope of this document and should be enquired about with your HT2 contact.
Hosting HT2 exclusively host with Rackspace, where we are authorised partners and resellers. All production data is held within the LON3 data centre, in the UK. We operate a highly scalable hybrid cloud model our application layer sits in a private cloud infastructure, with data stored on physical devices behind a private firewall based in the Rackspace Data Centre.
Rackspace offer unrivalled Service Level Metrics: Network Connectivity will be 100% available, excluding maintenance. Data Centre will be 100% available including power and cooling, excluding maintenance. Hardware Problems with servers, firewalls, load balancers, and switches will be fixed within 1 hour of fault diagnosis. Hardware problems with SAN equipment will be fixed within 4 hours of problem identification. High availability network devices will be 100% available.
In addition, HT2 runs Managed Daily Backup with 2 weeks retention, plus 1 weekly backup, stored off-site.
11 Authored by Ben Betts on behalf of HT2, 2014. Version 1.0 Learning Locker is licensed under GPL 3.0 Terms and Conditions. Visit http://www.learninglocker.net for more information.
Service HT2 can ensure the continued operation of Learning Locker with its expedited service offering. Where hosting has been procured, this service offering makes HT2 the sole point of contact for the customer; any dealings with Rackspace are taken care of by HT2. Where hosting is taken care of by the customer, this service agreement covers issues occurring with the Learning Locker software.
Service Process In the event of an issue being discovered: the customers named representatives in the 2 nd Line will raise the issue using the specified Service Desk contact. Following the receipt of this ticket, a formal acknowledgment will be given within specified SLA requirements. This initial response will detail the timescale for a fix / workaround to the issue in line with SLA requirements. The issue resolution will be deployed to all relevant server locations and a ticket resolution will be issued, detailing the remedial action taken.
Priority Response Time Incident Service Restoration Problem Resolution Time Primary Target Secondary Target Primary Target Secondary Target P1 1 hrs 90% within 5 hrs 100% within 48 hrs 90% within 2 bdays 100% within 5 bdays P2 2 hrs 90% within 10 hrs 100% within 72 hrs 90% within 10 bdays 100% within 20 bdays P3 4 hrs 90% within 48 hrs 100% within 72 hrs 90% within 10 bdays 100% within 20 bdays 12 Authored by Ben Betts on behalf of HT2, 2014. Version 1.0 Learning Locker is licensed under GPL 3.0 Terms and Conditions. Visit http://www.learninglocker.net for more information.
Business Continuity Management HT2 operates a completely virtual infrastructure, allowing us to operate our services from any location. This includes cloud-based applications, file storage and communications (VOIP and Google hosted email). HT2 is an ISO27001:2005 registered company, recognising our commitment to the highest standards of business continuity, data protection and security.
Priority Qualifying Criteria P1 An incident that impairs the users ability to maintain business operation causing a severe loss of service or resulting in some important functionality being unavailable. There is no acceptable workaround for the business, however operation can continue in a restricted fashion. P2 An Incident that has an impact on the business, less than for Priority 1, or there is a feasible short-term workaround to resolve the Incident, which is known to the user and is deemed reasonable to both parties (i.e. the business and the support team). Minor loss of service where the impact on the business is an inconvenience, minimal degradation in system performance. P3 An Incident that has little or no significant impact on the business. Low impact & low urgency. 13 Authored by Ben Betts on behalf of HT2, 2014. Version 1.0 Learning Locker is licensed under GPL 3.0 Terms and Conditions. Visit http://www.learninglocker.net for more information. Explore more
Get in touch with us phone +44 (0)1865 873 862 (UK), +1 (630) 355 6096 (USA) or email hello@ht2.co.uk for more information and to get a quote.