Times are changing, and with that also comes a change in the approach to the midPoint training courses. We were used to having more identity professionals who were looking for a way to get familiar with midPoint and its configurations. These days, there are more challenges. There are many newcomers without extensive knowledge of IdM and IGA who need to not only learn midPoint, but also get help with best practices and common situations they will encounter. Moreover, there are greater expectations from stakeholders to get value faster when modernizing an IGA infrastructure. Sometimes even seasoned professionals appreciate having a methodology that helps them meet the expectations.
With this motivation, we started to design training to help engineers accelerate their path towards IGA with midPoint. There was one obstacle: different deployments prioritize different capabilities. Therefore, even when the final goals are similar, the individual paths leading to them differ. Nevertheless, our observations show that the beginnings are identical for most. Having this in mind, we designed a midPoint learning path starting with The MidPoint Foundation Training series.
The series consists of three consequent courses: First Steps, Group Synchronization, and Intermediate Configuration. The first two guide you through connecting both source and target systems and the synchronization of users, groups, and even other objects. They are aimed at applicability in practical situations, dealing with exceptions and disorders in data as well as covering typical situations that arise during deployments. Moreover, the methodology the training courses are built on prioritizes the ability to work in an imperfect environment. This leads to the gradual migration of identity object management to midPoint while cleaning the data and migrating organizational processes in the meantime. In some cases, you start by importing objects to midPoint even though they are still managed elsewhere, which still enables the midPoint reporting features to help organize and clean the data.
Intermediate Configuration extends the technical depth of gained knowledge. It shows the detailed configuration using XML files that unlocks the full potential of midPoint, especially for fulfilling non-typical requirements. MidPoint Studio, the plugin for IntelliJ IDEA IDE, is also covered, and together with the XML files it provides a foundation for modern operation and configuration management processes. In addition to that, the Intermediate Configuration training covers fundamental midPoint concepts that weren’t used in the previous training.
All three courses in the MidPoint Foundation Series provide sufficient knowledge to successfully embark on an IGA journey. Moreover, trainees should be able to capitalize on the knowledge they gain and can continue learning independently using documentation and other materials. Doing so would enable them to address the priorities and specific needs of their deployment at their own pace. In addition to that, we are developing advanced courses to help with additional parts of midPoint configuration and cover best practices in real deployments. Those courses won’t have mutual dependency unless it is necessary, and they will only draw on knowledge from the MidPoint Foundation Training series. That will provide the option to take only the training of interest or to take them in the order that matches priorities.
Bon voyage on the midPoint learning path!