SWIFT Update: INN-Reach Modernization Project – Summer 2024

INN-Reach Modernization Project

For SWIFT libraries that use the Millennium Resource Sharing Broker (RSB) client, there is a significant change coming with Prospector’s INN-Reach Modernization project.

Some background: historically, the Prospector INN-Reach System has run on the Millennium platform, which uses Red Hat 7 as its operating system. Red Hat 7 is nearing its end of support, so Innovative Interfaces (the software vendor) is migrating all INN-Reach systems to the Sierra platform, which uses a newer operating system. The benefits of this are that we will keep getting operating system updates (generally a good thing), it simplifies the installation and maintenance process, and allows for quicker feature releases.

This work is happening in two phases (one of which was completed in March 2024) and will be mostly invisible to all SWIFT users, other than some brief downtime and a new location for the fulfillment reports you might use to gather data about your library’s Prospector activity. The new URL to run Prospector Fulfillment reports is: https://prospector.coalliance.org:63100/olinkpatrep/report1/0//?

Resource Sharing Broker Server Migration

The second phase of the INN-Reach Modernization Project will affect libraries that use the Millennium RSB client. We don’t have the schedule for migrating the RSB servers yet, but it will most likely happen this summer, in mid-to-late July, or early August. When the cutover from Millennium to Sierra happens, libraries that currently use the Millennium RSB client will have to start using the Sierra Web interface to process Prospector materials.

The good news is that Sierra Web can be accessed via any web browser and you no longer have to use the RSB client; the downside is that staff will need to get used to using a new interface. Though processing will take place in a new, web-based interface, the workflows for borrowing and lending won’t change. For instance, you will still use your existing RSB client username and password to login, and you will still scan a barcode into a function called Not My Item Check-In when a Prospector item arrives as your library, but the navigation, or how you get to that function in the Sierra Web interface, will be a little different.

Functional Changes (for Millennium RSB client users only)

To illustrate how the workflows for borrowing and lending won’t change, but the navigation will, here is a screenshot of the Not My Item Check-in function in the RSB client. You access this function using that button on the left, and then you scan in the item barcode to Receive or Return an item.

And in Sierra Web, Not My Item Check-In will be accessed from the dropdown on the right, after which the item barcode (or barcodes if you are processing multiple items) can be scanned in. So, same basic workflow, just different navigation. This is true for all of the functions used to process Prospector borrowing and lending requests.

Network Requirements

In terms of access, the same network requirements will apply – even though libraries will no longer need to have specific software installed on workstations used to process Prospector materials, they will still need to be on a computer that is coming from the IP address that we have registered in our firewall. Additionally, libraries that use a firewall will need to configure an additional port (63100), to allow traffic to come in and go out.

Next steps

We will be sharing more details on the network requirements, and instructions for access to Sierra Web as soon as we have more information and a timeline. We will also make updated documentation and training opportunities available as soon as possible. To stay in the loop on these upcoming changes, be sure to subscribe to the SWIFT Listserv. To subscribe, or update your subscription preferences, visit https://www.cvl-lists.org/mailman3/postorius/lists/swift.cvl-lists.org/. If you have any questions about if or how the INN-Reach Modernization Project will affect your library, please reach out to us at swift-support@coloradovirtuallibrary.org.