Desire2Learn Valence authentication with Shibboleth

Question

My team is getting started with Desire2Learn Valence, and our Shibboleth authentication seems to be derailing the initial API Key authentication process.

We have our App ID and Key, but the Valence authentication form is sending us to our Shib login (not our direct login, as it does for the "Lake Valley University" sample) and it never makes it back to Valence to complete the process.

Any suggestions on how to configure or change this so it works?

Answer 1

Valence authentication is based on deep-linking (ultimately the Valence Authentication page directs the user back to the app with some key information attached).

Therefore, the LMS' authentication system has to be configured for deep-linking, which occasionally is not true for some systems. Also there are particular versions of the shibboleth authentication system required to support that deep-linking.

The Valence authentication process flow follows the links the deployment team (or site administrator) provides in the DOME for Tools.Login.OrgLoginPath and Tools.Login.OrgMobileLoginPath . This will be why you are going to the Shib page instead of the built-in page. Some Shibboleth customers create a portal page to give users a prompt and choice of which system to authenticate against. All the pages in the process have to pass along the deep-linking url as the ?target= query parameter.

As it is not returning to the app this suggests it needs an updated version of the Shib product (IPAS). I would open a help desk ticket for this item and refer to the fact that you are doing this for using it with Desire2Learn Valence authentication.