Index: kernel-impl/src/test/java/org/sakaiproject/site/impl/SiteServiceTest.java
===================================================================
--- kernel-impl/src/test/java/org/sakaiproject/site/impl/SiteServiceTest.java	(revision 130211)
+++ kernel-impl/src/test/java/org/sakaiproject/site/impl/SiteServiceTest.java	(revision 130212)
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 
 package org.sakaiproject.site.impl;
 
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
@@ -161,4 +162,11 @@
 		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
 		return null;
 	}
+
+	@Override
+	public List<String> getSiteIds(SelectionType type, Object ofType, String criteria, Map<String, String> propertyCriteria, SortType sort,
+	        PagingPosition page) {
+	    return new ArrayList<String>(0);
+	}
+
 }
\ No newline at end of file
Index: kernel-impl/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/site/impl/BaseSiteService.java
===================================================================
--- kernel-impl/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/site/impl/BaseSiteService.java	(revision 130211)
+++ kernel-impl/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/site/impl/BaseSiteService.java	(revision 130212)
@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@
 import org.sakaiproject.site.api.SitePage;
 import org.sakaiproject.site.api.SiteService;
 import org.sakaiproject.site.api.ToolConfiguration;
+import org.sakaiproject.site.api.SiteService.SelectionType;
+import org.sakaiproject.site.api.SiteService.SortType;
 import org.sakaiproject.thread_local.api.ThreadLocalManager;
 import org.sakaiproject.time.api.Time;
 import org.sakaiproject.time.api.TimeService;
@@ -1924,6 +1926,13 @@
 		return storage().getSites(type, ofType, criteria, propertyCriteria, sort, page, requireDescription);
 	}
 
+	/* (non-Javadoc)
+	 * @see org.sakaiproject.site.api.SiteService#getSiteIds(org.sakaiproject.site.api.SiteService.SelectionType, java.lang.Object, java.lang.String, java.util.Map, org.sakaiproject.site.api.SiteService.SortType, org.sakaiproject.javax.PagingPosition)
+	 */
+	public List<String> getSiteIds(SelectionType type, Object ofType, String criteria, Map<String, String> propertyCriteria, SortType sort, PagingPosition page) {
+	    return storage().getSiteIds(type, ofType, criteria, propertyCriteria, sort, page);
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * @inheritDoc
 	 */
@@ -2720,6 +2729,28 @@
 				PagingPosition page, boolean requireDescription);
 
 		/**
+		 * Get the Site IDs for all sites matching criteria.
+		 * This is useful when you only need the listing of site ids (for other operations) and do not need the actual Site objects.
+		 *
+		 * All parameters are the same as {@link #getSites(org.sakaiproject.site.api.SiteService.SelectionType, Object, String, Map, org.sakaiproject.site.api.SiteService.SortType, PagingPosition)}
+		 * 
+		 * @param type
+		 *        The SelectionType specifying what sort of selection is intended.
+		 * @param ofType
+		 *        Site type criteria: null for any type; a String to match a single type; A String[], List or Set to match any type in the collection.
+		 * @param criteria
+		 *        Additional selection criteria: sites returned will match this string somewhere in their id, title, description, or skin.
+		 * @param propertyCriteria
+		 *        Additional selection criteria: sites returned will have a property named to match each key in the map, whose values match (somewhere in their value) the value in the map (may be null or empty).
+		 * @param sort
+		 *        A SortType indicating the desired sort. For no sort, set to SortType.NONE.
+		 * @param page
+		 *        The PagePosition subset of items to return.
+		 * @return a List of the Site IDs for the sites matching the criteria.
+		 */
+		List<String> getSiteIds(SelectionType type, Object ofType, String criteria, Map<String, String> propertyCriteria, SortType sort, PagingPosition page);
+
+		/**
 		 * Count the Site objets that meet specified criteria.
 		 * 
 		 * @param type
Index: kernel-impl/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/site/impl/DbSiteService.java
===================================================================
--- kernel-impl/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/site/impl/DbSiteService.java	(revision 130211)
+++ kernel-impl/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/site/impl/DbSiteService.java	(revision 130212)
@@ -951,13 +951,9 @@
 		}
 
 		/**
-		 * Get the Site IDs for all sites matching criteria.
-		 *
-		 * All parameters are the same as {@link #getSites(org.sakaiproject.site.api.SiteService.SelectionType, Object, String, Map, org.sakaiproject.site.api.SiteService.SortType, PagingPosition)}
-		 * @return a List of the Site IDs for the sites matching the criteria.
+		 * {@inheritDoc}
 		 */
-		@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
-		protected List<String> getSiteIds(SelectionType type, Object ofType, String criteria, Map propertyCriteria, SortType sort, PagingPosition page)
+		public List<String> getSiteIds(SelectionType type, Object ofType, String criteria, Map<String, String> propertyCriteria, SortType sort, PagingPosition page)
 		{
 			String join = getSitesJoin( type, sort );
 			String order = getSitesOrder( sort );
@@ -977,6 +973,7 @@
 				sql = getResourceSql(fieldList(m_siteIdFieldArray, null), where, order, values, join);
 			}
 
+			@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 			List<String> siteIds = (List<String>) sqlService().dbRead(sql, values, siteIdReader);
 			return siteIds;
 		}
Index: api/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/site/api/SiteService.java
===================================================================
--- api/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/site/api/SiteService.java	(revision 130211)
+++ api/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/site/api/SiteService.java	(revision 130212)
@@ -840,6 +840,28 @@
 	List<Site> getSites(SelectionType type, Object ofType, String criteria, Map<String, String> propertyCriteria, SortType sort, PagingPosition page, boolean requireDescription);
 
 	/**
+	 * Get the Site IDs for all sites matching criteria.
+	 * This is useful when you only need the listing of site ids (for other operations) and do not need the actual Site objects.
+	 *
+	 * All parameters are the same as {@link #getSites(org.sakaiproject.site.api.SiteService.SelectionType, Object, String, Map, org.sakaiproject.site.api.SiteService.SortType, PagingPosition)}
+	 * 
+	 * @param type
+	 *        The SelectionType specifying what sort of selection is intended.
+	 * @param ofType
+	 *        Site type criteria: null for any type; a String to match a single type; A String[], List or Set to match any type in the collection.
+	 * @param criteria
+	 *        Additional selection criteria: sites returned will match this string somewhere in their id, title, description, or skin.
+	 * @param propertyCriteria
+	 *        Additional selection criteria: sites returned will have a property named to match each key in the map, whose values match (somewhere in their value) the value in the map (may be null or empty).
+	 * @param sort
+	 *        A SortType indicating the desired sort. For no sort, set to SortType.NONE.
+	 * @param page
+	 *        The PagePosition subset of items to return.
+	 * @return a List of the Site IDs for the sites matching the criteria.
+	 */
+	List<String> getSiteIds(SelectionType type, Object ofType, String criteria, Map<String, String> propertyCriteria, SortType sort, PagingPosition page);
+
+	/**
 	 * Get all sites that have been softly deleted
 	 * 
 	 * @return List of Sites or empty list if none.