Archive for November, 2009

• Configuring Single Sign on for Google Apps Education Edition to Primary Logon

  Date: 2009.11.24 | Category: apps, google, ICT, primary, primary email, primary school email, Primary School ICT, school email | Response: 0

  If you use Primary Logon or have a Shibboleth IDP representing your school you can achieve this. Visit http://google.com/a/yourdomain.com ß remember to replace yourdomain.com with your domain

  1. Login with your username and password
  2. Click Advanced Tools
  3. Click Set up single Sign on
  4. Under Sign-in page paste:
  5. https://idp.primarylogon.co.uk/idp/profile/SAML2/Redirect/SSO
  6. Under sign-out page paste:
  7. http://yourdomain.com or http://primarylogon.co.uk ß remember to replace yourdomain.com with your domain
  8. Under Change password URL paste:
  9. https://primarylogon.co.uk/password
  10. Click Browse to select your Verification Certificate – Type in http://primarylogon.co.uk/idp.crt
  11. Click Save Changes
  12. Click Users and groups
  13. Click Settings
  14. Put a Tick in the box “Enable Provisioning API”
  15. Click Save Changes
  16. Log out of Google apps
  17. Sign into Primary Logon at http://primarylogon.co.uk
  18. You need to be admin user on Primary Logon to do this.
  19. Click Control Panel
  20. Click Google Apps Docs
  21. Click Purchase
  22. Click OK
  23. Where you see Google Docs near the top you will see an input box. Type your school’s domain In this input box.
  24. Click the pencil.
  25. Click OK
  26. Wait 24 hours for user accounts to be made.

  Note: Schools who don’t use Primary Logon will have to a) contact their schools Shibboleth/UK Federation Identity provider(Probably your LA/Council) and request that they add a record to their IDP for your Google apps. Instructions to do this are available at http://www.mclear.co.uk/2009/11/shibboleth-idp-configuration-for.html and b) get the correct Identity Provider Sign in page, Sign out page and Change Password URL from their Identity Provider.

  Now you are done configuring you can get to Testing your Primary School Google Apps Education Edition Configuration à

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• Registering Google Apps Education Edition for your Primary School

  Date: 2009.11.24 | Category: apps, google, ICT, primary, primary email, primary school email, Primary School ICT, school email | Response: 0

  Register for Google Apps Education Account

  1. Visit: http://www.google.com/a/help/intl/en/edu/get_apps.html
  2. Click KS12
  3. Click Sign Up Now
  4. Enter your domain name, click Continue sign up
  5. Fill in the next form and click Continue. Continue filling in forms until you get to your control panel.
  6. Wait up to a week while Google enable Google Apps Education Edition.

  Do not forget your username and password!

  I want to use Single Sign On – Take me to the configuration stage à

  I don’t want to use Single Sign On – Take me to the Testing stage à

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• Configuring DNS CNAME records for Google Apps Education Edition

  Date: 2009.11.24 | Category: apps, google, ICT, primary, primary email, primary school email, Primary School ICT, school email | Response: 0

  What am I doing any why?

  A DNS entry is required so teachers and pupils can access your Google Apps. A DNS entry is basically a lookup record for your domain that will allow users to type in the URL http://docs.yourdomain.com and access their Google Apps.

  Sounds good, let’s get started!

  Find out who manages your domain or if you already know log into your Control Panel. If you don’t know then visit http://whois.domaintools.com/ and type your domain in. If the previous website didn’t work for your domain try http://www.nominet.org.uk/ using the whois box on the right to type your domain name into. Your domain name will need to be in the format yourdomain.com NOT http://yourdomain.com. Your domain control panel will be provided by the Domain Registrar

  Once you have logged into your Domain Control Panel you will need to create some DNS records. This varies on different providers, but it is the same procedure throughout.

  Instructions for DNS record changes (Email this to your DNS provider if you wish that they complete this step).

  1. Create a CNAME record called “sites” that points to ghs.google.com
  2. Create a CNAME record called “docs” that points to ghs.google.com
  3. Create a CNAME record called “chat” that points to ghs.google.com

  Any of the above can be skipped if you don’t want to use the corresponding item.

  If you chose to use GMail you can add a CNAME called mail, you will also need to configure MX accounts, this task will vary from school to school, again we recommend schools use Primary Email.

  Continue to Registering Google Apps Education Edition à

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• Primary School Google Apps – User accounts and domains

  Date: 2009.11.24 | Category: apps, google, ICT, primary, primary email, primary school email, Primary School ICT, school email | Response: 0

  Deciding how your user accounts will be set up

  You have 3 options:

  1. You can manually create each user account, this can be very time consuming but may be suitable if you are only providing teachers with accounts.

  AND/OR

  2. You can use a CSV export from your school Management information system (IE SIMS, CMIS, Integris, Scholarpack). With this method you annually update your user accounts with just a few clicks.

  OR

  3. Our recommendation is that you use a school single sign on solution such as Primary Logon or any Shibboleth service tied to the UK Federation. Your LA may already be providing you with a Single Sign On solution so ask them first, if they aren’t then just register for Primary Logon. Single Sign on from Primary Logon automatically updates pupil and teacher accounts daily from your school MIS.

  Deciding on a domain

  A domain is your address on the internet. Schools frequently purchase theirschoolname.com IE wilsdenprimary.com. A new managed domain will cost £50 or so a year from Primary Technology or you can use your current existing domain which may be a .*Gfl.ac.uk or .sch.uk. UK schools probably don’t need to buy a new domain! You can also buy a domain for £10 or so per year from Godaddy but you will have to manage the DNS settings yourself. You need to have a domain.

  I have decided to ask Primary Technology to configure my Google Apps for me.

  Buy a new domain from Godaddy and make DNS changes myself à http://godaddy.com

  Buy a new managed domain (£50) à http://primaryt.co.uk/contact.html

  I don’t know my control panel Login credentials, please help me! à

  I am going to contact my DNS provider and ask them to make the changes à

  I have bought a new domain from an ISP and I am going to make the changes myself à

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• Primary School Google Apps Education Edition Preparation

  Date: 2009.11.24 | Category: apps, google, ICT, primary, primary email, primary school email, Primary School ICT, school email | Response: 0

  Deciding which Google Apps you will use

  We recommend schools do not use Google Mail for Email but use Primary Email instead. This is for child protection and educational reasons. If you decide to use Shibboleth (UK Federation login) then you can use single sign on to log onto both services seamlessly.

  Your App options are Docs, Mail, Calendar, Sites and Chat. For more information each of these apps please visit http://google.com/a/

  Decide if you will do all the work or ask someone to do it for you

  1. Pay someone to do this for you. Contact Primary Technology using the contact details on http://primaryt.co.uk/contact.html requesting assistance setting up Google Apps. You are done reading if you have chosen this option.

  OR
  2. Handle the process yourself but ask your DNS provider or web hosting provider to make the relevant DNS changes. There is usually not a charge involved with this but it can be a bit tricky.

  OR
  3. Gain access to your DNS control panel and do all of the procedure yourself. Warning: This is quite technically challenging. There is no charge for this but it takes a few hours if it’s the first time you have done it.

  If you chose option 2 or 3 then continue to deciding on your user accounts and domains. à

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