The FPS Developers' Web site has been created to provide FPS stakeholders and software developers with information, the Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and the configuration files necessary to develop Web-based applications and services to use the FPS digital identity infrastructure. This means that software developers/programmers can integrate such applications and services into their respective Web presences while using the FPS structure already set in place.

Users of those services (for example, prospective students), can create FPS accounts directly from your Web site. Alternatively, developers are welcome to point users to create accounts directly via the Friends of Penn State Web site. Likewise, users can manage (change passwords, update information, etc.) their respecitve accounts via this Web site. In addition, users may be migrated.

Migration is an automated process that moves a user's digital identity from the internal to the external realm and vice versa. Currently, a user's Penn State Access Account expires six months after graduation or immediately if one leaves the University. With the FPS infrasturcture, it works a little differently. Before a user's Access Account is locked, their digital identity is moved to the external, FPS realm. As of spring 2004, all graduates-to-be receive a notice via e-mail explaining FPS and how to confirm their respective lifetime digital identities by visiting a set of easy-to-use Web pages. Though the lifetime digital identity userid is the same as one's Penn State Access Account, it will not entitle a user to the same services once the Access Account expires six months after graduation. For more information, please see the announcement that explains the spring 2004 migration.

A second migration method moves a user from the external, FPS realm to the Internal, Access Account realm. An example of this type of migration is a prospective student who applied to Penn State and accepts the admission offer. As a prospective student he/she applied for a myAdmissions Account. Once he/she was accepted and decided to attend Penn State, his/her account was migrated to the internal, Access Account realm. Once the digital identity is migrated from the external to the internal, the user must visit an Access Account Signature Station to establish his/her identity in the internal realm.

The Pennsylvania State University ©2003. All rights reserved.
Alternative Media - Nondiscrimination Statement
This site maintained by Academic Services and Emerging Technologies, a unit of Information Technology Services.
229 Computer Building | University Park, PA 16802

For assistance please write to helpdesk@psu.edu or see our Help Sources.
Provide site feedback to the ASET Communications Team.