LTIs and changing login_ids

[mzimmerman]

Hello all,

In order to make login_ids consistent across multiple campus Canvas servers, our system is looking at doing a bulk update of login_ids, from using local campus identifiers to using system-wide ID numbers.

Technically, we know how to do this, and since all campus SSOs have both values available, it will be "invisible to the user" in terms of the actual login process.

Our real concern is with possible unintended consequences, particularly integrations with external systems via LTI.  My understanding is the LTIs primarily rely on default email address (which presents its own set of problems, of course!), or canvas_id, but I know that other values can also be sent.

Does anyone have experience with bulk updates of login_ids in Canvas?  Any gotchas related to external systems?

Thanks!

[chriscas]

Hi @mzimmerman,

I'd expect at least a few hiccups when going down this route.  I do think email is probably the most common identifier LTIs use for users, but some definitely use login_ids (at least by default).  I don't have a great automated way to test this, but if you have an employee who can dedicate some hours to testing... You could basically make a user with a fake login_id in a similar format to what you use now, then launch every LTI you have with that, maybe do some kind of appropriate "thing" with it (depending on what the LTI is for).  Then you could change the login_id of that user to your new format and try all of the LTIs again, seeing which ones recognize the existing user, which ones are treating it as new, etc...  That would at least get you a list of problematic LTIs before you make a huge change, and you could consider reaching out to those vendors to see if they may be able to make changes to accommodate the changes on your side.

Hope this helps a bit!

-Chris

[mzimmerman]

Thanks, @chriscas .  One that I'm worried about is New Quizzes, but I'm sure there are others I haven't thought about.