Remote Authentication with Ezproxy Overview

Remote Authentication with Ezproxy allows you to create direct links to resources including databases, journals, and articles. It also provides the means for Serials Solutions Article Linker to generate direct links to titles for your library. In addition, we will be able to configure remote authentication to databases which provide IP access as their only authentication mechanism. Using this product you can create a single link which will provide access to specific resources both inside and outside your institution’s IP address range. Inside of the IP address range, the patron will be automatically redirected directly to the resource. Outside of the IP address range, the patron will be prompted for a library barcode and then will be redirected to the resource if a valid barcode is supplied.

Single Link

Remote Authentication with Ezproxy continues to support a single link which can be used by your on-campus and off-campus patrons. The Ezproxy Link determines where your patron is accessing the resource from. If the patron is on-campus (within your IP address range) then he/she will not be prompted to authenticate. If the patron is off-campus (outside of your IP address range) then he/she will be prompted to authenticate with their Library ID or Barcode.

No proxy on-campus

When clicking on an Ezproxy Link, on-campus patrons will be redirected to the database website. Their interaction with the database website is not processed through the Ezproxy server. Patrons who are accessing your website remotely will be sent through the Ezproxy service to access the database website. This is beneficial because it provides your on-campus patrons a direct connection to the database and keeps unnecessary traffic off of the Ezproxy server.

Old Remote Authentication (RPAS) Links

Remote Authentication (RPAS) links starting with http://voyager.ship.edu/remote/validate.cgi will continue to be supported. You can and should continue to use them as the primary way to authenticate users and give them access to a search page for your databases. Just a reminder: the RPAS links are also a single link which provides access to your database resources for both on-campus and off-campus patrons.

Requesting Remote Access for new databases Fill out the form at http://pilot.passhe.edu/remote. If the database only supports IP authentication, please choose Ezproxy for “Type of Access”. If the database supports Username/Password authentication, please choose that option and fill in the Database Username and Password fields. No matter what “Type of Access” is selected, we will automatically enable Ezproxy access for new database resources. After the form is submitted, we will configure remote authentication for that database and get back to you with the link you can use on your library webpage. Contact your database vendor and give them the Ezproxy IP Address for your library.

How to Create Ezproxy Links It is very easy to configure Ezproxy links. Find your Ezproxy URL on this page: http://pilot.passhe.edu/rpas.html Add the direct link to your resource (database, journal, or article) to the end of the Ezproxy URL. That’s it! The link you created will provide access to the resource both inside and outside of your IP address range. Example: Let’s say that Millersville wishes to make an direct link for an EBSCO article. Millersville will find the direct link to the article on EBSCO’s website: http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&an=21290397&loginpage=login.asp&site=ehost&scope=site

Millersville will append that link to the end of Millersville’s Ezproxy URL: http://navigator-millersville.passhe.edu/login?url=http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&an=21290397&loginpage=login.asp&site=ehost&scope=site

How to Create Ezproxy Links for use in Blackboard It is now possible to create Ezproxy Links which will bypass the Patron Authentication System authentication prompt when placed in the Blackboard Learning Management system. When your patrons click on the link within Blackboard, they will gain direct access to the resource and they will not be prompted to reauthenticate. If your patrons access the link outside of the Blackboard system, they will be prompted for their Blackboard username and password to authenticate. Find your Blackboard Ezproxy URL on this page: http://pilot.passhe.edu/rpas.html Add the direct link to your resource (database, journal, or article) to the end of the Blackboard Ezproxy URL. That’s it! You can post the link you created in Blackboard. It will provide direct access to the resource both inside and outside of your IP address range. Example: Let’s say that Millersville wishes to make an direct link for an EBSCO article. Millersville will find the direct link to the article on EBSCO’s website: http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&an=21290397&loginpage=login.asp&site=ehost&scope=site

Millersville will append that link to the end of Millersville’s Blackboard Ezproxy URL: http://navigator-millersville.passhe.edu/login?auth=millersville&url=http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&an=21290397&loginpage=login.asp&site=ehost&scope=site

Testing Ezproxy Links

The Ezproxy Test website is available for you to test Ezproxy links with a forced barcode prompt: http://voyager.ship.edu/rpas/ezproxy-test.cgi This will allow you to test Ezproxy links from on-campus and you will get the same results as a patron who is using the link remotely. Before posting an Ezproxy link on a webpage, you should use the Ezproxy Test website to test it. There are two test buttons: Test Ezproxy Link – If you use this link when you are on-campus, it will IP authenticate you to the database and access to the database will be direct, not through the Ezproxy server. Test Ezproxy Link with Barcode – If you use this link when you are on-campus or off-campus, it will barcode authenticate you to the database and access to the database will be through the Ezproxy server.

Be sure to perform both tests for new database resources. This will ensure that both on-campus and off-campus patrons are able to access your database resource.

RPAS vs Ezproxy: Determining which link to use You should continue to use any existing RPAS links which you have in place. RPAS provides a more direct (faster through the Internet) route for searching a database. Ezproxy links should be used when you want to provide remote access for patrons to databases that are IP accessible only and when you want to create direct links to the journal, article, or title level. If you have any questions about the best way to configure individual databases, please email us at kln@ship.edu. Remote Authentication (RPAS) RPAS links begin with http://voyager.ship.edu/remote/validate.cgi?db= RPAS links generally provide access to a database search page. They can be configured when vendors can provide one of the following access methods: Username/Password on a web-based form Referring URL Server-side script Database Website Access through RPAS Links On-campus patrons: Direct -- After IP authentication, the on-campus patron's access to the vendor's database is direct. Remote patrons: Direct -- After initial authentication, the remote patron's access to the vendor's website is direct. Ezproxy Ezproxy links begin with http://navigator-xxx.passhe.edu/login?url= Ezproxy links are required for these two instances: To authenticate databases that are IP-accessible only. To create direct links down to the journal, title, or article level within a particular database such as EBSCO. Database Website Access through Ezproxy Links On-campus patrons: Direct -- After IP authentication, the on-campus patron's access to the vendor's database is direct. Remote patrons: Proxied -- All interaction between the remote patron and the vendor's website is passed through the Ezproxy server in Shippensburg.

Errors / Questions / Comments

Feel free to contact us at kln@ship.edu with any issues you encounter with this software. You may also call 717-477-1494. If you are getting an error message or a database is not allowing access as expected, please send details of the problem and any related error messages to kln@ship.edu.