Project Glossary
Application Server (aka App Server): A physical or virtual computer system storing the Colleague application code. The application server is where most of the work of the Colleague system is performed while data is saved to the database server.
Business Analysts (BAs): IT group who will coordinate the activities of the Functional Users and others managing the Colleague to the Cloud migration project.
Cloud: A program or system that lives on a remote server and is accessed through the internet. In this case, a system that does not live on SLU's servers. After this migration, Colleague will no longer be "on-premise", but rather, in the Ellucian Cloud managed by Ellucian in collaboration with SLU IT.
Colleague SS: Colleague Self-Service. Where end-users generally engage with the Colleague system (Commonly known as APR2 and Staff Portal).
Colleague UI: Colleague User-Interface. Where most functional/administrative users work with Colleague data.
Colleague WA: Colleague Web Advisor. Like the UI but where HR (and a few other Functional Users) work with Colleague data.
CROA: Colleague Reporting and Operational Analytics. User-friendly system for creating reports using ODS data. CROA is based on the SAP Business Objects platform.
Data Integrity: Ensuring that data is complete, accurate, and reliable.
Data Security: Ensuring that data is available only to authorized users and kept safe from corruption or loss.
Database Server (aka DB Server): A physical or virtual computer system housing a relational database where Colleague stores data. Colleague writes/reads data to/from the database server. Data is stored in different tables based on "relationships". The data here is saved daily to the ODS* where related data is collated so that it can be accessed and reported on more easily
Ellucian: Technology company/vendor that offers a suite of higher education applications including Colleague. Ellucian was formed by the merger of Sunguard and Datatel, the original creators of the Colleague applications.
End-User: General users of a technology platform that are typically the final consumers of a system or technology. End-Users are distinct from functional users that typically use the system for administrative purposes. For example, a person that runs payroll processes would be considered a functional user. An employee that logs into Colleague to view their pay stub would be an end-user.
Enterprise Systems: A workgroup or team within Information Technology that supports many applications across campus including Colleague, CROA, and ODS. This team supports all of the integrations into and out of the Colleague system.
ERP: an Enterprise Resource Planning system is an integrated suite of business applications that support the business processes of the University. Our Ellucian Colleague ERP system supports various activities on campus including managing student records, student registration, payroll, account payable, student financial aid, and many others.
Ferrilli: A Higher Education Technology Consulting firm with expertise in Colleague as well as higher education business practices that assists SLU on a number of projects including the Colleague to the Cloud migration.
Functional User: A person that uses the Colleague system to perform functions related to the administration and academic management of the University. These users are responsible for managing and maintaining the data within the Colleague system.
Functional Leads: A Functional User identified from each department involved in testing during the Colleague to the Cloud to coordinate that department's involvement.
Infrastructure (Team): A workgroup or team within Information Technology that supports the University's network and servers.
Go Live: A major milestone in the project when the system being used for day-to-day operations moves from on-prem to Colleague in the Cloud.
Mock: (Adjective) Not real, but appearing or pretending to be exactly like something (Cambridge Dictionary). In this context, we are conducting three “mock” Go-Live events where we will imitate the processes we will follow when we actually move Colleague to Ellucian Managed Hosting. Our system testing will become progressively refined as we move from Mock 1 through Mock 3.
ODS: Operational Data Store. A daily snapshot of Colleague data used for reporting and integration of Colleague data with other systems.
On-Premises (aka on-prem): General term for systems that live on SLU servers in SLU data centers. Colleague is currently on-prem and this project is focused on moving it to the Cloud
Smoke Testing: An initial preliminary round of high-level testing typically performed by technical staff. Smoke-testing is designed to look for obvious errors and simply failures. Imagine
SQL: The structured query language is used for creating queries in a relational database.
SSRS: SQL Server Reporting Services. A powerful, but not user-friendly system IT uses to create reports using ODS data.
System of Record: (aka SoR) A system of record is the authoritative data source for a given data element or piece of information.
Technical Leads: Those in the Enterprise Systems, Infrastructure, and Business Analysts workgroups focused on leading IT's efforts in the Colleague to the Cloud migration.
UAT: User Acceptance Testing. A formal process where our functional users will test their most important business processes to confirm that everything is working as it should and all data is correct.