Mimic™ Extract SIF Agent

Mimic (formerly ZIUP) is an interface designed for certain types of applications that were never intended to be members of a SIF zone. These applications often maintain student information and can create comma delimited extract (often referred to as Comma Separated Values or CSV) files and have the ability to store them in a fixed location on a regular basis. Examples of applications like this might be:

• Mainframe student information system...
• Excel® spreadsheet...
• Small database file with student information in it...
• Locally developed student information application...
• Application where the supplier does not have an interest in developing a SIF agent but can export student information to a CSV file...

In designing Mimic, we knew that there was a need for something...

• ...to support those "forgotten" applications;
• ...that would be very simple to set up;
• ...that would not require any assistance to run;
• ...that would not be expensive to install and maintain.

What Does Mimic Do?

Mimic looks at the extract file's contents and compares it against the file it looked at the last time it ran (the agent runs on a regularly scheduled basis).

If there are new records, it publishes SIF "Add" events to the SIF Zone; if records have changed, it publishes "Change" events and if records are missing, it publishes SIF "Delete" events.  It archives backup copies of the CSV files it has processed and audits any events it has generated

In its latest edition, Mimic also responds to SIF requests from other applications with appropriate SIF_Response messages as would a SIF agent from the application itself. 

Mimic needs a supporting database (to keep track of what your file looked like last time and to keep track of its configuration information) and we chose a specific database family:  Microsoft® SQL Server® (unlike our other products which will work with many different databases) and a specific operating system platform:  Microsoft Windows Server.  In limiting these choices, we were able to make the configuration and deployment process simple and straightforward and further reduce the cost of supporting the platform.

How Does Mimic Differ from ZIAgent™

ZIAgent is a full-featured, configurable SIF agent that works with any application, provider or subscriber.  It handles incoming requests, events and anything else defined in the SIF specification.  It works with applications that use any type of database and offers a host of application interfaces.  Mimic only provides objects and does not support inbound traffic. For more information on ZIAgent, see ZIAgent.

How Does it Work?

Mimic's configuration/management is done through a wizard process that guides the user through a simple setup matching and job configuration process.  The configuration steps are:

1. Select a sample extract file
2. Select the SIF object that you would like to have published
3. Choose which fields are to be included in the published SIF messages
4. Choose which field (or fields) make up a unique record  in your data
5. Map those fields to SIF elements and attributes
6. Tell Mimic if you would like the extract files archived when it is done processing them
7. Define the schedule (how often and when is Mimic going to run)
8. Activate the agent

That's all.

Mimic does have a few requirements to work properly:

• Your application must be able to create an comma separated values file (CSV file) with field names on the first line.
• You must have a Windows computer from which to run Mimic (Windows Server 2000, 2003, 2003 R2, 2008, 2008 R2).
• This computer must be running a copy of Microsoft SQL Server 2005 or 2008 (any edition, including one of the Express Editions, which may be downloaded free of charge).

If you would like more information, please call us at the number below or request more information.