CTESTAR Administration

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CTESTAR Administration
IT Administrators Training MASSPJuly 28, 2008
Gregg Chandler269-927-8088GreggC_at_esx.com
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CTESTAR Administrative Overview

• Segmentation Version in August
• Introduction
• Installation and Setup
• Testing
• Support

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CTESTAR Introduction

• Create/Customize Tasks List Course
• Document Curriculum Alignment
• Assess Students Against Task List
• Optional Palm Component

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CTESTAR Certificate
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CTESTAR STAR(Student Task Achievement Record)
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CTESTAR Progress Report
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CTESTAR Summary Report
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CTESTAR Cross-Walk
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CTESTAR Installation and Setup

• Data Storage Scenarios
• MSICONF
• Deployment
• Updates
• Optional Palm PDAs

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CTESTAR Data Types

• User Created
• Locally Stored Supplied Data Installed With
  Application
• Web-Based Data Accessed via Web

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CTESTAR Ideal Server Storage

• X\y\CTESTAR\Install
• Customized .MSI Installation Files Read-Only
• X\y\CTESTAR\TaskList
• Included Shared Data Files Read-Only
• X\y\CTESTAR\Teacher\2008\userid
• 2008-2009 Teacher Data Folders
• Read-Write Teacher Access
• Read-Write Administrative Access
• X\y Site Dependant

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CTESTAR User Created Data

• Individual Files Created per Course
• Multiple File Revisions Saved as Files Edited
• Ideally Stored on a Server-Based Share with a
  Sub-Folder per User Regularly Backed Up
• May Be Stored Locally for Disconnected Users
• Files Relatively Small
• Read/Write Access Required

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CTESTAR Locally Stored Supplied Data

• Hundreds of Files
• May Be Updated Frequently (per state)
• Web Will Have Latest Versions
• Store Centrally for Easy Update
• Files Relatively Small
• Read Only Access Acceptable (Preferred)

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CTESTAR Web-Based Data

• Latest Versions of Updated Files
• Insure Accessible through Proxy Servers
• May Be Updated Frequently
• Files Relatively Small

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CTESTAR Application Installation

• Local Desktop
• Best Performance (Big Files Stored Locally)
• Manage via Active Directory or ZENworks
• Remote Server Shared File
• Worst Performance (Big Files accessed through
  LAN)
• Easiest to Install if No Active Directory or
  ZENworks
• Virtualized
• Requires Infrastructure

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CTESTAR MSICONF 1

• Used to Tailor .MSI Installation File
• User Created Data
• Read-Only Data
• Generated PDF Reports
• Student Import File
• Configure Program Features
• Always Use 01.02.03 Additional Features
• Install Task List Data on Server Share
• Select Default Host School
• Load/Save Installation Configurations

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CTESTAR MSICONF 2

• Meta-Tags in Path to Task List Files
• USER Microsoft Windows Logon User Name
• USERNAME USERNAME Environment Variable
• NWUSERNAME NWUSERNAME Environment Variable
• Registry String Formats
• Empty String
• Empty Path to User Files Interpreted as Windows
  Application Data Folder

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CTESTAR MSICONF 3

• Consult CTESTAR Admin Manual on CD to use Course
  and Student Id Formats
• Probably Best Ignored
• Best to Avoid Create Transform

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CTESTAR Group Policy

• Push Out Configured .MSI via Active Directory
• Put Configured .MSI on Server for Users to
  Install From
• Install Requires Uninstall of Prior Version
• Uninstall Does Not Uninstall User Created Data
  Files

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CTESTAR ZENworks

• Convert MSI to Application Object
• ZENworks 6.5 Suite, Administrators Handbook, pp.
  236-237

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CTESTAR Shared File

• Application and Reports on Server
• Data Backed Up with Server Backup
• Dynamic Loading of Crystal Reports
• CTESTARUsers.INI Configuration
• Palm Conduit, Notifier, and Application
  Configuration
• Refer to Administrative Manual Example

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CTESTAR Sample CTESTARUsers.INI

• Default
• IgnoreRegistry"true"
• IsConfigured"true"
• Site"Monroe High School"
• PathToFiles"L\Teachers\USERNAME"
• PathToTaskList"L\Teachers\TaskList"
• CTESTARPositionX0
• CTESTARPositionY0
• FindPosX0
• FindPosY0
• NextCourseId1
• Administrator
• IsConfiguredtrue
• SiteMonroe High School
• PathToFilesL\Teachers\Administrator
• PathToTaskListL\Teachers\TaskList
• CTESTARPositionX167
• CTESTARPositionY96

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CTESTAR Installation Testing - 1

• Create Course
• Import Task List from the Task List Database
• Insure the Correct Folders Initially Appear
• 16 Clusters Combined through Work Keys
• Save the Data
• Import Task List from the Internet
• Check Interaction with Browser and Proxy Server

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CTESTAR Installation Testing - 2

• Generate a Task List Report to the Screen
• Generate a PDF Report File
• Optional Import Students
• Optional Palm Synchronization
• Optional Palm Notification

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CTESTAR Students.TXT Format

• CSV File with All Courses/Students
• Teachers Select Their Own Data Based Upon Course
  Number and Name
• Fields
• StudentNameFirst
• StudentNameLast
• StudentNameMiddle
• StudentId
• EntryDate mm/dd/yy
• ExitDate mm/dd/yy
• CourseNumber
• CourseName

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CTESTAR Data Recovery

• File\Recover Menu Command
• Possible Data Recovery if Teacher Recently
  Deleted Data
• Slow

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CTESTAR Data Warehouse

• Installed Only for Director or Assistant
• Similar to Teacher Application
• Archival Storage of Year-End Data
• Installed on Windows 2000, or Windows XP
• Generate PDFs of All Reports
• Backup Data and Reports for Audits
• Nasty Bug in Current Version
• Will be fixed in next release

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CTESTAR Palm Installation

• Palm HotSync Manager Must be Installed and
  Successfully HotSyncd before Installation of
  CTESTAR for Palm OS
• Palm HotSync Manager Software InstallationDo
  Users Have Administrative Privileges for Install?
• Multiple Users Sharing Workstation

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CTESTAR Conclusions

• Installation Strategy Choose Wisely
• Data Storage Configure Strategically
• Installation Test Carefully
• Backup - Religiously
• Palm Feature Optional
• CTESTARAdmin.PDF On Distribution CD