Need for accurate, up-to-date user account state history
User story
As a Research Computing facilitator and data scientist, I need UAB user account state history so that I can accurately report information about our platform, especially grants. For example, I want to be sure we aren't counting grants for users who are no longer affiliated with Cheaha, or who haven't been using Cheaha recently.
Possible solution
Regularly poll UAB IDM database(s) for information to determine if RC account state needs to be updated. Compute new state from polled IDM information. If state has changed, add an entry to the user_state
table of the user registration sqlite database reflecting that change.
At a recent Zoom meeting we discussed the potential need to add another state to the list of existing states. I propose the state "unaffiliated" for researchers whose IDM information reflects they are not affiliated with UAB. We also discussed an "inactive" state for researchers who are affiliated with UAB but have been in the certification state for some sufficient amount of time.
Notes
As states are added, it may be helpful to create a directed graph of state transitions as part of documentation, to parallel the concept of a Finite State Machine.