Algonquin

Algonquin College Navigates the Learning Landscape with Actian Technology

Challenge

Ottawa, Ontario-based Algonquin College offers more than 100 courses of study to more than 30,000 full-time and part-time students earning certificates, bachelor degrees, and graduate degrees in applied studies. Academic topics include business, languages, public safety, health, transportation, hospitality, media, and advanced technology, among other subjects.

As a prominent college located in Canada’s capital, Algonquin strives to deliver client-centered services that ensure success for its students. As such, Algonquin’s mission statement includes “incorporating technology to improve delivery of service to help us exceed our clients’ expectations.”

In addition to technology being part of its curriculum, advanced technology drives services for students, faculty, and employees, giving them wireless and web-based access to curriculum, self-service, and student information. When developing its technology-based services in 1993, Algonquin knew it needed to invest in a high-performance, transactionoriented database that would scale. Algonquin looked to Ingres. Today, the college continues to run mission-critical student and faculty applications on Ingres open source technology.

Solution

Utilizing the Ingres Enterprise Database and Ingres OpenROAD, an open source application development platform, Algonquin provides state-of-the-art client services to staff , students, and employees. In adopting an open source solution, Tom Friesen, senior data management analyst, IT services at Algonquin College, says, “The technology’s ease of use, stability, and excellent support allows us to continue to work with Ingres without second-guessing.”

Algonquin’s IT services group takes advantage of Ingres Support Services. Friesen explains, “We have a lot of very complex applications and Ingres has always been there to help. When we have a problem in the middle of the night, Ingres support is there, ready to handle our problems over the phone. They know our system and they have the technicians and the expertise to help us. Our Lifeline Support is a lifesaver.”

Results

Algonquin meets the needs of its educational community with a full palette of technology driven services that are based on Ingres technology. For example, its more than 2,500 administrators, staff , and faculty use a human resources information system (HRIS) for one-stop access to employee-related information.

Likewise, with the self-service module Algonquin College Student Information System (ACSIS), students manage all aspects of campus life – everything from viewing timetables and grades to ordering transcripts, registering for classes, and even keeping track of tuition account balances. Friesen notes, “Most of our continuing education students register online. Without our Ingres-based online services, we would have totally unmanageable lineups during registration periods.”

Peter Kerkhof, systems analyst and senior developer at Algonquin, says, “Fifteen years ago, we chose Ingres because it was the best product with the best support for our needs. Over the years, as we have grown, the product has grown with us. From the beginning, Ingres has been there, providing us with excellent support, ease of use, stability, performance, and cost-efficiency.”

Kerkhof observes that Ingres is a workhorse that keeps the college’s mission-critical applications readily accessible. “There was a time when we didn’t have a database manager and the system ran itself without any problems,” he recalls. “It just kept running.”