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Connecting People to Resources. Federated Access Management within the UK. Nicole Harris Senior Services Transition Manager, JISC. Connecting People to Resources. OVERVIEW. A summary.
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Connecting People to Resources Federated Access Management within the UK Nicole HarrisSenior Services Transition Manager, JISC
Connecting People to Resources OVERVIEW
A summary • JISC has published its intention to centrally support federated access management from July 2008 as the preferred access management system within UK Higher and Further education. • This will be enabled by the UK Access Management Federation, to be run by UKERNA: www.ukfederation.org.uk. • The federation is ‘technology neutral’ in terms of what systems an institution uses as long as it is SAML compliant: Shibboleth, Guanxi, AthensIM, Athens gateways (but potentially iChain and other commercial systems). • JISC will fund Athens until July 2008, after which institutions will be required to pay a subscription for ‘classic’ Athens and AthensDA (and other new Athens resources such as ‘Atacama’). • JISC is funding Eduserv to provide gateways between Athens and the UK Access Management Federation to allow Service Providers and Institutions to continue using Athens if they so chose. • Authentication is devolved to the institution: the institution needs to be able to authenticate every user who is entitled to access institutional resources. • Authorisation is handled by an exchange of information between an institution and service provider: the institution needs to know exactly what each and every user is entitled to access.
Why federated access management? • Moves closer to the single sign-on ideal. Users need not remember so many passwords as they use their institutional username and password to access external, internal and collaborative resources • Aligns with international convergence on Shibboleth/SAML - wider market for suppliers • Avoids the need to maintain a central Athens-type database of registered users- by JISC/Eduserv and by participating libraries • Open Source tools are available- so tools can be developed by participants and shared • Commercial tools are available - for those who do not wish to use open source solutions • Can be used for collaborative access to institutional resources - solves problem of how you allow access to your resources to other institutions WITHOUT having to register people as members of your institution. • Free at the point of use for all members of the UK Access Management Federation.
Why Has JISC Chosen this Route? • Extensive research proved this to be the most appropriate technology. Meets the defined criteria for an access management system within the UK: • Internal (intra-institutional) applications (mostly through SSO system) • Management of access to third-party digital library-type resources (as now) • Inter-institutional use – stable, long-term resource sharing between defined groups (e.g. shared e-learning scenarios) • Inter-institutional use – ad hoc collaborations, potentially dynamic in nature (virtual organisations or VOs) • International take-up secures future of development and support. • International take-up provides economies of scale through work in partnership.
Why Is this Strategically Important?Key Messages • Federated access management system key deliverable within the current JISC strategy. • Implementation will require institutional effort, and should be recognised within institutional IT strategies. • Federated access management is required to meet other strategic requirements: • DfES e-Strategy and e-Learning goals (such as e-Portfolios and e-Learning collaborations) • HEFCE e-Learning Strategies • Science and Innovation Investment Framework • National take-up: interaction with BECTA and the schools sector, and increasingly with NHS. • International take-up: importance of cross-working with Europe, US and Australia.
IMPACT • CHANGE • JISC support for Athens will not be available to institutions after July 2008. • INSTITUTIONAL / SERVICE PROVIDER EFFORT • To put in place the relevant parts of the system to allow devolved authentication. • CHOICE • Of technologies. The federated access management system will not dictate the choice of single sign-on, directory system or environment in which you work. • JOIN-UP • Across domains (e-Learning, e-Research and Information Environments) and across systems (for internal, external and collaborative access management) • IMPROVEMENTS • Standards based approach to access management improving flexibility. • Real single sign-on, improved directory systems, foundation blocks for secure collaboration.
Connecting People to Resources STATISTICS
Reviewing Readiness: Independent Review How many institutions will adopt federated access by July 2008? (FE figures: Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland only) “ The Sunday Times University Guide was used as a measure of the top 20 Universities. Of the top 20, information on institutional position was obtained for 18. Of the 18, 8 are early adopters of FAM, 9 plan to adopt by July 2008, 1 is interested but has no current plans to adopt. “
Federation Stats: 16th April 2007 • 51 MEMBERS. • 29 ‘Core’ Institutional Members.
Connecting People to Resources CHOICES
Option 3: The Gateways ATHENS INSTITUTION ATHENS CENTRAL ATHENS PROTECTED RESOURCE SP Gateway IdP Gateway UK ACCESS MANAGEMENT FEDERATION FEDERATED RESOURCE FEDERATED INSTITUTION
Gateway Attributes • Athens Identity Providers accessing Shibboleth Service Providers can use: • eduPersonScopedAffiliation. • eduPersonTargetedID. • Shibboleth Identity Providers accessing Athens Service Providers can use: • eduPersonTargetedID. • eduPersonEntitlement (full permission set). • All other scenarios can make use of appropriate attributes as required. Not limited to core set.
Connecting People to Resources EXAMPLES
Connecting People to Resources INDEX TO THE TIMES: EDINA
Shibboleth Access via a WAYF for external services And where they are from
Connecting People to Resources SCIENCE DIRECT
Connecting People to Resources LANDMAP: MIMAS With thanks to Ross Macintyre
Connecting People to Resources SUPPORT
Support Resources • www.jisc.ac.uk/federation and jisc-shibboleth@jiscmail.ac.uk. • ‘shib-enable-vendor’ lists: contact Jane Charlton @ JISC for more information. • Briefing Paper – available on the JISC stand. • Federated Access Management Animation. • Service Provider process map: available on the JISC website.
www.ukfederation.org.uk www.jisc.ac.uk/federation.html n.harris@jisc.ac.uk j.charlton@jisc.ac.uk