This version of the Ed-Fi ODS / API is no longer supported. See the Ed-Fi Technology Version Index for a link to the latest version.

 

Getting Started - Appendices

Appendix A: Ed-Fi ODS / API Databases


The Ed-Fi ODS / API uses several databases for various aspects of the application and to store data for each sandbox.

Database

Method

Purpose

EdFi_Ods_Empty

Database Scripts

An empty database used for code generation when building the solution.

EdFi_Ods_Minimal_Template

SQL Scripts

A template database used to create empty sandboxes.

EdFi_Ods_Populated_Template

SQL Backup

A template database populated with sample data used to create sample data sandboxes.

EdFi_Bulk

Entity Framework Code First

A database that stores bulk upload files and tracking information.

EdFi_Admin

Entity Framework Code First

A database containing administration configuration information specific to the ODS / API.

EdFi_SecurityEntity Framework Code FirstA database containing security configuration information.

In addition to these databases, copies of either the minimal or populated template databases are made for each sandbox in the environment.

Appendix B: Windows Azure


Windows Azure is not required to install and run the Ed-Fi ODS / API, though Azure deployment and infrastructure is a deployment option. If an Azure deployment is desired, the Azure SDK for .NET is required to perform local testing and cloud deployment from a developer workstation.

There are a few components that have been designed to work in the Azure environment. These components utilize Azure Queues and Blob Storage. The following table lists the Windows components as well as their Azure counterparts:

Windows Environment

Azure Environment

Purpose

EdFi.MSMQServices.SendOnly

EdFi.Workers.BulkLoad

Azure Worker Role that performs asynchronous loading of bulk XML.

EdFi.MSMQServices.ListenAndSend

EdFi.Workers.UploadCommit

Azure Worker Role that combines uploaded bulk XML file segments.

Windows Azure SDK Installation

The Windows Azure SDK is used to simulate the Azure environment in a non-production environment (i.e., development machine) and includes local implementations of Azure components as well as tools for deploying to the Azure environment from Visual Studio 2013. The SDK is not required to compile the non-Azure configurations (Debug and Release) of the Ed-Fi ODS / API release.

The Windows Azure SDK is required to compile the EdFi.Ods.WindowsAzure, EdFi.Workers.BulkLoad, and EdFi.Workers.UploadCommit projects. These projects utilize various Windows Azure-specific components, including Azure Blob Storage and Azure Queue Service.

Install the Windows Azure SDK, version 2.3 by following the directions here. You will need to follow the manual instructions in the "Install Instructions" section on that page.

 

The Windows Azure SDK version 2.3 has been deprecated and is no longer available using the Microsoft Web Platform installer. Until the Azure projects are updated to a newer version of the SDK, the code is not compatible with newer versions.