Implementation of POLIMDO Academic Information System

Webservice Based on Microservice Architecture

Diane Tangian, Edwin Lumunon and Maksy Sendiang

Manado State Polytechnic, Indonesia

Keywords: Microservices, Web Service, Academic Information System, REST.

Abstract: The research sought to provide POLIMDO academic information system web services utilizing a

microservices architecture. The JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) response format and the Representational

State Transfer Protocol (REST) were used in the development of the web service. Meanwhile, the Domain-

driven Design (DDD) methodology was used to create the microservices architecture. Business process

analysis was used to model the research using the Unified Modeling Language (UML), which was then used

to model academic system business processes. The next step was to create a modest, responsible service for

a function using the bounded context. The system was created using the javascript technology, and the

database-per-service data management architecture. Each endpoint was put to the test using the Postman

program according to the white-box testing methodology. The academic system web service can function as

predicted based on the findings of the evaluation procedure. The outcomes also demonstrate the system's great

resiliency. It denotes that the system is flexible and has few interdependencies among its components.

1 INTRODUCTION

An academic information system is a tool designed to

process official and informal academic data and

information in educational settings from elementary

school through college. The academic information

system, in essence, is a program that can speed up the

processing of data and information pertaining to

academic issues (Farid Suryandani, 2017). The

employment of academic information systems can

overcome obstacles faced and ensure that data and

information get to the user as soon as possible.

Another advantage of employing the Academic

Information System (SIA) is that universities can

enhance the efficacy and efficiency of managing

academic administration, as well as the caliber of

services provided to stakeholders, particularly

students, and the competitiveness of universities

(Yindrizal,Sri Suwitri, 2019).

The usage of an Academic Information System

(SIA) can add value to the decision-making and

problem-solving processes and have competitive

advantages that considerably enhance corporate

activities and universities ( Kroenke in Kadir ,2008).

Academic information systems that allow quick

access to academic information can be advantageous

to students as end users. According to the findings of

a study done in 2016 by Firma S. B., Muhammad

U.S., and Ovide D.W.A., academic information

systems are necessary in universities since they can

improve performance and make documentation

easier. Manado State Polytechnic has implemented an

academic information system but it still has many

weaknesses, including the system architecture is still

traditional (monolithic).

A standardized method of spreading

communication between clients and servers is

through web services. Web services are typically

created using the Simple Object Access Protocol

(SOAP) and the Representational State Transfer

Protocol (REST) (Tihomirovs & Grabis, 2016). The

data format for REST can be either Extensible

Markup Language (XML) or JavaScript Object

Notation (JSON). In contrast, the sole data format that

SOAP may use is XML. Better performance, more

simplicity, quick execution, more scalability, more

loose coupling, and less memory usage are benefits of

REST over SOAP. However, SOAP is more

dependable and safe. Due to its greater emphasis on

security and dependability, such as in banking,

finance, and telecommunications services, SOAP is

best suited for long-haul working projects. Due to its

emphasis on simplicity and performance, REST is

246

Tangian, D., Lumunon, E. and Sendiang, M.

Implementation of POLIMDO Academic Information System Webservice Based on Microservice Architecture.

DOI: 10.5220/0011756400003575

In Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Applied Science and Technology on Engineering Science (iCAST-ES 2022), pages 246-251

ISBN: 978-989-758-619-4; ISSN: 2975-8246

best suited for large-scale initiatives like web chats

and mobile services (Soni & Ranga, 2019).

In the past, monolithic architecture was typically

used to build systems. A single-tiered software

application with a monolithic design combines the

user interface and data access code into a single

program from a single platform is known as such. The

system will continue to undergo changes over time as

a result of modifications to or expansions of the

business procedures that increase the complexity and

size of the application. The capacity of monolithic

architecture to adapt when the system's requirements

change, particularly in managing its code complexity

and code maintainability, is one of its weaknesses.

Due to its high degrees of dependency, it will cause

issues during the distribution process (Munawar &

Hodijah, 2018). Changes to one section of the code

will have an impact on the remaining sections.

Consequently, the other components of the code must

also be modified.

The system will be created using a microservices

design to address that issue. Microservices are tiny

services. A large service is divided into smaller

services using microservices. Each service has

responsibilities and runs separately. As a result, there

are little dependencies between services (loose

coupling). Since there are less dependencies between

services, the system can change more easily

(Munawar & Hodijah, 2018). Additionally, the

developer will find it simpler to change a few services

and distribute them without altering the entire system.

A method for creating a microservices

infrastructure is called domain-driven design (DDD).

It concentrates on the domain, which comprises ideas,

connections between domains, and current business

procedures. On the microservice architecture,

services are identified using bounded context.

Grouping business processes by their functions is a

good idea. Each group will develop into the system's

bounded context (Newman, 2015). In the

microservices architecture, bounded context is then

transformed into discrete services.

2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Figure 1 depicts the research methodology that was

employed. Functional analysis is the first stage. It

involves locating and examining business processes.

Then, information is gathered to determine the

features that will be offered by the system. There is

an actor who can access each feature's function.

Figure 1: Research Method.

System modeling is done in the second step. In

accordance with the findings of the functional

analysis, the system is modelled. The Unified

Modeling Language is used to model it (UML). The

outcome, in the form of a use case diagram, illustrates

how actors and the system interact. System design is

the third step. The microservices are designed during

this phase. The findings cover the technology

employed and the setup of the system. The system is

built using the javascript technology namely react.js

dan express.js. Next, a database-per-service design

approach is used to create the database. This design

pattern enables the selection of an appropriate

database for each service, preserves the data required

by connected services, and forbids direct database

access by other services. Only API contact between

services will allow for data exchange.

Implementation is the fourth step. At this stage,

the system is constructed using the chosen

technology. Using the database-per-service design,

the database is the first component to be developed

and built. There is a database for each service. The

web service is coded after the databases are created.

The transport layer, endpoint layer, and service layer

are the three levels that make up. The transport layer

is where requests first enter the system, then they

move down to the service layer.

System evaluation is the last action. The system is

assessed to make sure it can function as intended and

has a high level of resilience. White box testing is

used to test each system endpoint. Following that, test

outcomes are contrasted with predictions. The

endpoint will be if the test results and expectations are

similar.

Implementation of POLIMDO Academic Information System Webservice Based on Microservice Architecture

247

3 RESULT AND DISCUSSIONS

The system needs to do a functional analysis on the

produced data in relation to the features. According to

the findings of the functional analysis, there are five

actors in the system: the WADIR (vice director for

academic affairs) the KAJUR (head of department),

the Kapus P3M (head of research and community

service centre), the Kapus P4M (head of quality

management) and the LSP (professional certification

body). WADIR is a component of the system, and one

of its responsibilities is developing work plans for the

academic sector. The research and community service

centre, the centre for quality assurance and learning

development, departments, and professional

certifying unit will eventually put the work program

into action. Each of these organizations will put into

practice work programs that are pertinent to their

individual primary duties and responsibilities. Table

1 displays the findings of the functional analysis.

Each actor's activity within the system is displayed.

Table 1: Result of functional analysis.

Actor Activity

WADIR

o Manage a POLIMDO work program

in academic field

o See & print performance reports

o Manage feedback information

o Manage account information

KAJUR,

Kapus

P3M,

Kapus

P4M &

LSP

o Manage performance reports

KAJUR o Manage students’ information

o Manage lectures information

o Manage laboratory information

Kapus

P3M

o Manage research information

o Manage community service

information

Kapus

P4M

o Manage quality assurance

information

o Manage learning information

LSP o Manage certification information

A use case diagram is created using the

information in Table 1 as a basis. The interaction

between the system and the actors is depicted in the

use case diagram. A use case diagram for the

interactions between the actors and the system is

shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Use case diagram.

In this system WADIR can manage account, manage

work program, print performance report and manage

feedback. Kajur can manage performance report,

manage students and lecturer, and finally can menage

laboratory. In other hand, Kapus can manage

research, manage community service, manage QA

and manage financing. The last LSP manage well the

certification.

The bounded context in the system is established

based on the business process after producing the use

case diagram. Implementing a business process in the

system is the responsibility of a logical constraint.

Bounded context is used by the domain-driven design

(DDD) methodology to identify services in the

microservices architecture. The system's bounded

contexts are displayed in Table 2. The system has six

services: account, report, research, quality assurance,

LSP and department.

The account service is responsible for managing

all system users, including granting access rights

according to their respective roles. The Report service

is responsible for managing reports made by each

work unit including displaying the required data in

graphic form in real time. The research service is

responsible for managing research activities and

community service within the Manado State

Polytechnic. This activity starts from the process of

submitting proposals, evaluating proposals by

reviewers, announcement of winners to the annual

monitoring and assessment process for research and

service activities carried out. The quality assurance

service is responsible for managing the quality

assurance system at the Manado State Polytechnic.

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248

Table 2: Bounded Context.

Bounded context Description

Account

This service is responsible for

managing account data, registering

a new account, and handling the

users’ login process.

Report

This service is responsible for

managing report data, and display

report in graphics form

Research

This service is responsible for

managing research and community

service data, manage research and

community service proposals,

manage grant, and manage fund.

Quality

assurance

This service is responsible for

managing QA data, manage

accreditation and manage learning

process

LSP

This service is responsible for

managing LSP data and manage

certification.

Department

This service is responsible for

managing department data, manage

students data, manage lecturer data

and manage laboratory data

It includes the internal audit process, routine

monitoring of the implementation of quality

assurance by the quality control team, accreditation of

institutions and study programs and learning

development. The LSP service is responsible for

managing all certification activities carried out at the

competency unit at the Manado State Polytechnic.

LSP also manages assessor data and manages

certification documents. The department service is

responsible for managing activities at the department

level, especially those related to academic activities.

The department manages the data of lecturers,

students, curriculum, laboratories and everything

related to the teaching and learning process.

REST architecture is used to build web services.

There are five HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)

methods that can be utilized with REST design. The

POST, GET, PATCH, DELETE, and PUT methods

are among them. A new resource is created using

POST. GET returns a particular resource. To update

a specific resource, use PATCH. A specific resource

can be deleted, and all specific resources can be

replaced. The endpoints and their function in the

system is shown below:

Table 3: The Endpoints.

Service Endpoints - Method Function

Account

/signup - POST Create customer account

/signin - POST Sign in to existing

account

/user/{user_id} – GET Show list of user

/user/id/{user_id} -

GET

Show information about

selected user

/user – POST Add new user

/user – PATCH Change selected user

/user/{id} – DELETE Delete selected user

Report

/report – POST Add new report data

/report – PATCH Change the selected

report data

/report/{user_id} –

GET

Show list of report made

by an account

/report/id/{id} – GET Show information about

selected report

/reported/id – GET Show list of report

/report/{id} - DELETE Delete selected report

Research

/research – POST Add new research data

/research – PATCH Change the selected

research data

/research/id/{id} - GET Show information about

selected research

/research/id - GET Show list of research

/research/{user_id} -

GET

Show research made by

an account

/research/{id} –

DELETE

Delete selected research

/research/{user_id} –

DELETE

Delete research made by

an account

Quality

assurance

/quality – POST Add new quality

assurance data

/quality – PATCH Change the selected

quality assurance data

/quality/{id} –

DELETE

Delete the selected

quality assurance data

/quality – GET Show list of quality

assurance information

/quality/id/{id} – GET Show a selected quality

assurance data

LSP

/lsp – POST Add new LSP data

/lsp – PATCH Change a selected LSP

data

/lsp – GET Show list information

about LSP

/lsp/id/{id} – GET Show list information

about the selected LSP

/lsp/{id} – DELETE Delete the selected LSP

data

Department

/department – POST Add new department

data

/department – PATCH Change the selected

department data

/department/id – GET Show list of department

/department/id/{id} –

GET

Show a selected

department data

/department/{id} –

DELETE

Delete the selected

department

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249

An API Gateway is used to simplify access to each of

the current endpoints. In a microservice design, API

Gateway serves as a single point of entry. The internal

systems created behind the API Gateway can be

isolated because it also functions as middleware. The

API Gateway is set up to handle load balancing,

logging, authentication, rate limitation, caching, and

other tasks. The open source Kong API Gateway is

employed in this study. The following figure depicts

the design of this system's microservice architecture:

Figure 3: Microservice Architecture.

Microservices are the blocks of application and

perform different services, while REST APIs work as

the glue or the bridge that integrates these separate

microservices. The system was developed utilizing

HTTP and REST. Every request results in a response

that is transmitted as JSON. The system is then outfitted

with a security layer to safeguard user data and system-

to-user communication protocols. By employing the

BCrypt hashing algorithm, passwords are safeguarded.

The blowfish encryption algorithm serves as the

foundation for BCrypt. It satisfies three security

requirements that are thought to be enough to safeguard

a system. Additionally, it has a second preimage

resistance, enough salt capacity (in cryptography) to

thwart pre-computational attacks, and flexible costs

(Provos & Mazieres, 1999). When users want to access

the system's endpoints, they employ JSON Web Tokens

(JWT). By comparing the token claims, JWT will make

sure that only specific accounts have access to the data.

The system is then assessed using the white-box

testing methodology. The outcome of the some

system evaluation is displayed in Table 4.

In order to implement system evaluation, a system

failure simulation is used to assess the system's

resilience. Randomly, a number of service nodes are

terminated. Tests are conducted on service nodes that

are still operational. The test's findings demonstrate

that service nodes that do not encounter interference

can operate normally.

Table 4: Result of System Evaluation.

Examination Expectation Reality Result

WADIR create a new user account and fill

in the required information

Creating a new account, encrypting the

password, and storing all of the data in the

database

Creating a new account, encrypting the

password, and storing all of the data in the

database

Success

WADIR creates a new user account and do

not fill in the required information.

The system returns an error message The system returns an error message Success

Users input the correct email and password

combination.

Users log in to the system Users log in to the system Success

Users input incorrect email and password

combination

System returns an error message indicating the

incorrect combination of email and password.

System returns an error message indicating the

incorrect combination of email and password.

Success

Users see their personal information. The

user_ID is sent to the system

The system receives their user_ID and shows

users’ information

The system receives their user_ID and shows

users’ information

Success

WADIR select one user and change the user

information

System changes the selected user information System changes the selected user information Success

WADIR select one user and delete it The selected user is deleted from the database The selected user is deleted from the database Success

Users create a new report and fill in the

required information

Creating a new report, and storing all of the

data in the database

Creating a new report, and storing all of the data

in the database

Success

Users select one report and change the

report information

System changes the selected report

information

System changes the selected report information Success

User select report based on user_id The system receives user_ID and shows the

appropriate report

The system receives user_ID and shows the

appropriate report

Success

User displays the relevant report, select one

report and delete it

The selected report is deleted from the

database

The selected report is deleted from the database Success

KAJUR creates a new department data and

fill in the required information

Creating a new department data, and storing all

of the data in the database

Creating a new department data, and storing all

of the data in the database

Success

KAJUR select one department data and

change the department information

System changes the selected department

information

System changes the selected department

information

Success

KAJUR select one department and delete it The selected department is deleted from the

database

The selected department is deleted from the

database

Success

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4 CONCLUSIONS

The POLIMDO academic information system web

service can function as predicted based on the

findings of the evaluation procedure. The evaluation's

findings also demonstrate the system's strong

resiliency. It denotes that the system is flexible and

has few interdependencies among its services. KONG

API gateway provides a lot of convenience in

managing microservice-based systems. Features that

are common in every service such as load balancing,

logging, authentication, rate limitation, caching can

be pulled to be handled directly on the API Gateway.

This greatly impacts the access speed of the existing

endpoint.

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