Copyright JNT Association 20051Optional Copyright JNT Association The UK federation TNC - 22 nd May 2007 Mark Tysom, UKERNA

Copyright JNT Association 20052Optional Copyright JNT Association Overview Life before the federation Federated v Non-Federated Technology trials Cross sector approach The federation service Policy framework Scaling challenges: discovery (WAYF) Membership statistics Development roadmap

Copyright JNT Association 20053Optional Copyright JNT Association Before the federation: schools IP address based checks Ad-hoc bilateral arrangements between IdP and SP Multiple usernames and passwords Multiple copies of personal data held by third parties Duplication of effort across multiple institutions Publishers and network providers having to interface with multiple systems Difficulty in sharing resources between institutions IP address based checks Ad-hoc bilateral arrangements between IdP and SP Multiple usernames and passwords Multiple copies of personal data held by third parties Duplication of effort across multiple institutions Publishers and network providers having to interface with multiple systems Difficulty in sharing resources between institutions

Copyright JNT Association 20054Optional Copyright JNT Association Before the federation: HE/FE Ad-hoc bilateral arrangements & Athens Classic Athens - a centralised service: –Institution provides identity info about users to Athens. –Athens brokers both authentication and authorisation with service providers on behalf of the organisation. –Info can only be managed by site Athens Administrators. Athens database contains a lot of information about users and about the services to which institutions have subscribed

Copyright JNT Association 20055Optional Copyright JNT Association Legacy access management User’s identity and personal data are known to all Publisher knows more than it wants and less than it needs Organisation’s precious credentials given to all publishers I’m “AJones/T,t<*?I1” Site Licence Are you a licensed user? ? Service Provider (SP)Identity Provider (IdP)

Copyright JNT Association 20056Optional Copyright JNT Association Site Licence I’m “AJones/T,t<*?I1”, am I? Federated access management User’s identity and personal data are protected Publisher knows exactly what it needs Distribution of credentials is reduced Are you a licensed user? They say I’m licensed Yes, you’re licensed OK! Identity Provider (IdP)Service Provider (SP)

Copyright JNT Association 20057Optional Copyright JNT Association Technology trials: schools Becta: Workshops, strategy paper & laboratory test pilots: WMnet & LGfL

Copyright JNT Association 20058Optional Copyright JNT Association Technology trials: HE/FE JISC Core Middleware Development Programme selected Shibboleth and started in April 2004 Established Shibboleth Development and Support Service (SDSS) federation JISC early adopters (MATU)

Copyright JNT Association 20059Optional Copyright JNT Association Shibboleth selected Individually chosen by JISC and Becta as most suitable option Government steer towards collaborative services to avoid duplication of resources Agreement for UKERNA to proceed with a joint approach March 2006 Aim for one federation…

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association The benefits Provides consistency across the whole of education for AuthN & AuthZ Improves the user experience Pooling of experience and expertise Economies of scale for both sectors Facilitates sharing of content and collaboration across sectors

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association What is the UK federation? A set of Rules that binds members: –Make accurate statements to other members –Keep federation systems and data secure –Use personal data correctly (inc. DPA1998) –Resolve problems within the federation Not by legal action –Assist federation operator and other members

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association The UK federation Launched November For UK research, FE, HE and schools. Organisations and institutions providing services to these sectors.

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association Organisational Structure Joint funded by Becta & JISC Operational management by UKERNA Policy & Governance Board - Rules of Membership Technical Advisory Group - Technical specifications & recommendations

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association Federation infrastructure Discovery Service - Resilient WAYF Hosting of metadata Monitoring of SPs and IdPs Test environment Federation web site -

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association Guidance, examples, support How to comply with the Rules How to interoperate with other members - Common definitions, etc. Help in planning the transition Experiences of early adopters Reference software downloads

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association Support Guidance and advice to IdPs & SPs Configuration guides Training courses Workshops to help organisations join the UK federation FAQs

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association Policy framework 1.Rules of membership: Mandatory 2.Recommendations for use of personal data 3.Technical recommendations } Advisory 4.Technical specifications 5.Federation operator procedures

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association Rules of Membership –Definitions –Rules for all members –Specific rules for IdPs and SPs –Data Protection and Privacy –User Accountability –Liability –Audit and Compliance –Termination –Membership Cessation –Changes to Rules –Dispute Resolution The basic contractual framework for trust

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association Recommendations for Use of Personal Data Suggests how to satisfy legal requirements UK Data Protection Act, 1998: eight data protection principles Responsibility of those collecting or using data concerning children to inform responsible adults, obtain valid consent or prevent inappropriate use of data by those handling it Not the responsibility of the UK federation Recommends a core set of attributes

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association Four Core Attributes –eduPersonScopedAffiliation : represents the least intrusion into the user’s privacy and is likely to be sufficient for many access control decisions. –eduPersonTargetedID : designed to satisfy applications where the service provider needs to be able to recognise a returning user without revealing real identity. –eduPersonPrincipalName: comes under the personal data guidelines of UK Data Protection Act. –eduPersonEntitlement: may be possible to determine Identity from entitlement, so governed b UK Data Protection Act. “For most applications a combination of eduPersonScopedAffiliation and eduPersonTargetedID will be sufficient. A requirement to provide other attributes should be regarded as exceptional by both Identity and Service Providers and will involve considerable additional responsibilities for both.”

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association Technical Recommendations for Participants Specifies the technical architecture for federation and participants Contains choices of IdP/SP software (UK is neutral but must be SAML compliant and tested by federation) Authentication response profiles Metadata processes Digital Certificate processes Attribute usage Includes future directions for each area of work

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association Federation Technical Specification Federation Technical Specification: –How the UK Access Management Federation achieves trust. 5. Federation Operator Procedures Federation Operator Procedures: –The procedures actually undertaken by the federation operator (UKERNA): Enrolment CA Qualification Support Monitoring / Audit

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association Scale – approx. 12–18 million eligible end users – hundreds of member organisations – hundreds or thousands of entities Deployment Challenges

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association Discovery Challenges Institutional portal avoids the issue SP can perform discoverylocally – Good option in many cases: – SP often knows itscommunity of users – Particularly true for licensed content, where a real-world contract will exist – Also true for resources built around small collaborations

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association Example: Elsevier ScienceDirect

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association Central WAYF UK Federation provides central “Where Are You From” service as backstop Production WAYF servers work from federation metadata – three identical machines – geographically distributed in multiple data centres – as anti-spoofing measure

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association UK federation WAYF

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association UK federation statistics (18 May 07) 62 full member organisations – ≈5 more still migrating from SDSS Federation 114 SAML entities – 49 identity providers – 65 service providers Software: – 88% Shibboleth 1.3 – 6% Shibboleth 1.2 – 5% other/unknown

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association What’s next…? Phase Two: Development Roadmap Confederations Federation peering Convergence of local, network and application sign-in NHS, other public funded bodies

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association Conclusion Federation launched – great! Lots of potential to exploit: enhance usability, additional functionality, increase participation… Job done…? Actually, it’s just beginning!

Copyright JNT Association Optional Copyright JNT Association Questions?