According to a Tuesday news release, Apogee’s new College Data Adapter synchronizes data in real time between two common enterprise software systems: the enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform Ellucian Banner and the Canvas learning management system (LMS), acquired by Instructure in 2021. The tool, which can be customized and integrated into existing systems within a month, includes functions to manage or automate the process of entering grades, scheduling course registration and cross-listing courses between departments.
“ERP and LMS systems are essential tools in higher ed, but poor integration between the two is a common source of frustration for faculty, staff, and students. Manual data entry and data inaccuracy slow faculty productivity, and students registering for coursework may find the process painful or uneven,” Mike Rose, Apogee vice president of cloud services and applications development, said in a public statement. “With campus IT staffing and expertise in short supply, these problems can persist and undermine an institution’s reputation. Not anymore. Apogee College Data Adapter delivers reliable, secure bi-directional synchronization of Banner and Canvas data, without sacrificing system security and performance.”
Dan Watkins, associate vice chancellor for IT at Ventura County Community College District, said in a public statement that his district of over 30,000 students has had challenges with ERP and LMS data synchronization in the past, giving students trouble with logging into the LMS, registering for courses and completing assignments. He said using Apogee helped the district expedite registration and improve the process for students.
“We’ve seen tangible IT results also, including code visibility, streamlined maintenance and automated functionality,” Watkins said. “(W)e’ve gained more peace of mind and control over our ERP and LMS investments and budget planning than we ever thought possible.”
In addition to the new data adapter tool, Apogee launched two new professional services, for cloud and security, to help colleges and universities improve IT and data center efficiency and network resilience. A Tuesday news release said the cloud professional services will lend Apogee experts to help campus IT teams with cloud migration, modernizing applications, disaster-recovery assessments and other functions. Apogee’s security services will help campus IT manage security threats with assessments, security plans and incident response programs.
Both announcements come six months after Apogee acquired the tech company Cumulus Technology Services to build out its portfolio of cloud services for institutions shifting away from on-prem data storage.
“Embracing the cloud and hybrid cloud can create new opportunities, and protecting critical data can minimize the impact of cyber attacks. But many colleges and universities are struggling with limited cloud and security expertise and little time to devote to these strategies,” Dave Fuhrmann, Apogee vice president of cloud services and security solutions, said in a public statement. “I’m elated that today we are able to provide our institutional clients with the professional services needed to forge a path to the cloud or hybrid cloud and to enhance the efficiency, security, and performance of campus applications, data, and data center infrastructure.”
