100 likes | 119 Views
Inter-Federation Agreements eduGAIN and beyond?. Andrew Cormack Chief Regulatory Adviser, JANET(UK) Andrew.Cormack@ja.net. Why?. Purpose of Federation Entities establish trusted communication Purpose of Inter-federation Same for entities in different federations. Challenges.
E N D
Inter-Federation AgreementseduGAIN and beyond? Andrew Cormack Chief Regulatory Adviser, JANET(UK) Andrew.Cormack@ja.net
Why? • Purpose of Federation • Entities establish trusted communication • Purpose of Inter-federation • Same for entities in different federations
Challenges • Entities are identified by local processes • Technical trust • Members behave according to local rules • Behavioural trust • Systems may not (technically) inter-operate • Not covered here • What about non-members? • May assume they have guarantees/rights
Bilateral agreement Inter-fed agreement Metadata Metadata Fed.Rules Fed.Rules Fed.Rules
Inter-Federation Agreement:Technical Trust • Metadata checked by local published process • Keep metadata up to date • Announce any changes to process • Agree basic trust/LoA mapping • Can agree additional mappings if required • Recipient fed. publishes metadata to members
Inter-Federation Agreement: Behaviour • Members bound by local rules • Complaints dealt with by “home” federation • According to its rules • In (if appropriate) local legal jurisdiction • Agreement creates no legal rights/liabilities • To members or federation operator • Resolve problems by talking • Anything else goes in separate agreement
Possible Legal Forms • Same text can be wrapped as... • Contract (e.g. UK federation agreement) • Creates legal obligations • Requires two legal parties (hub & spoke) • MoU (e.g. JANET-Internet2) • Creates moral obligations • Requires two (or more) legal parties • Unilateral declaration (e.g. Kalmar) • May create legal obligations (still checking!) • Made by a single legal party
Multi-lateral agreement Metadata Inter-fed Agmt Inter-fed Agmt ? Inter-fed Agmt Inter-fed Agmt Metadata Terms of Use Fed.Rules Fed.Rules Fed.Rules Fed.Rules Fed.Rules
Metadata Terms of Use • Permitted use • Establishing trusted communications • Disputes, liability, etc. • Members of signer’s Fed: use by Fed. rules • Others: use at own risk • May copy/redistribute • But must retain these Terms of Use • Continued use = acceptance of Terms • Creates contract with operator of registrar fed.
Proposed Documents • Federation agreements/rules • Apply within a federation • Inter-federation agreement (eduGAIN declaration?) • Links together federation agreements • Establishes technical and behavioural trust • Final wording depends on chosen legal structure • Metadata Terms of Use • Protects use by non-members • Whether individuals or federations • Metadata must identify registrar federation • eduGAIN service profile(s) • Establishes technical interoperability