1. PESC Annual Conference May 7, 2003

2. What is Meteor? Web-based universal access channel for financial aid information Aggregated information to assist the FAP with counseling borrowers and with the aid process in general Collaborative effort A gift to schools and borrowers

3. How does Meteor Work? Meteor uses the concepts of Access Providers, Data Providers and Index Providers. A Meteor Access Provider allows inquirers to obtain information through its web site by hosting a copy of the Meteor software, which generates the request to the Data Providers for the borrower’s information. Access providers can be Schools, Guarantors, Lenders, Servicers, or Secondary Markets.

4. How does Meteor Work? A Meteor Data Provider hosts a copy of the Meteor software that enables them to respond to the Access Provider’s request for information, supplying data from their system. Data Providers are typically Lenders, Servicers, Guarantors, and Secondary Markets. In the future, the Dept. of ED, State Grant authorities, Schools, and others could become Data Providers.

5. How does Meteor Work? A Meteor Index Provider is used to identify the location(s) of the requested student/borrower information. The current Meteor Index Provider is the National Student Clearinghouse In the future, other indices will be added based on the type of data to be incorporated into the network.

6. The Meteor Process One Two Access Providers Data Providers Financial Aid Professional/ Student Three Index Providers

7. Clearinghouse Meteor Participation Clearinghouse has been a member of the Meteor Advisory Team since July, 2001 Participated in the design of Index Provider Software Index Provider software installed in production in August, 2002 to support the Meteor network

8. Clearinghouse as Meteor Index 100% of FFELP guarantee volume Borrower accounts for over 70 lenders/servicers Over 5.6 million Direct Loan Program accounts Over 13.2 million FFELP servicer accounts Over 1.6 million Perkins/Private/Alternative Loan servicer accounts (including some managed by schools themselves) Most Clearinghouse members update index every 30 days

9. Meteor’s Foundation Principles Open Source Open Collaboration Freely Available Controlled Participation Network

10. Meteor Standards Business messaging using XML –Collaboration with the PESC XML Forum for Education –Consistent with the Department of Education’s Common Record and the current NCHELP CommonLine re-engineering XML initiative, CommonRecord:CommonLine

11. Standards and Their Implementation MeteorFSA UML XML Java SOAP UDDI SAML Planned

12. Meteor Architecture Meteor employs a “web services” architecture –No central data repository –Peer-to-peer communications Seamless aggregation of information for users

13. Meteor Architecture HTTPS Access Provider Authenticate XML Request XML Response XML Request XML Response Data Provider Legacy Data Portal or Web Site Request XSLT XML Response Index Provider Custom Code Authenticate Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) Generic Rules Engine Meteor System

14. Architectural Benefits Foundation for continued growth in collaborative student aid services Flexibility in implementation and deployment Low/no cost options for establishing this foundation

15. Implementation Benefits Allows IT staff to get some practical experience with XML and the High Performance Channel Same technologies will be needed for CommonRecord:CommonLine

16. Meteor Trust, Integrity & Privacy

17. Authentication No central authentication process Utilizes transitive trust model Each Access Provider uses their existing authentication model (single sign-on) Level of trust assigned at registration –Level 0 (Unique ID) –Level 1 (Unique ID & 1 piece of validated public data) –Level 2 (Unique ID & 2 pieces of validated public data) –Level 3 (Unique/User ID & shared secret)

18. Building Trust and Integrity The Meteor Advisory Team sought input and expertise regarding privacy and security from the sponsoring organizations and the NCHELP Legal Committee. Analysis was provided in relation to GLB and individual state privacy laws. The analysis revealed that Meteor complied with both GLB and known state privacy provisions.

19. Meteor Participant Certification Applies to both Access and Data Providers Major points: –Protection and use of data –Authentication –Technical and Security requirements –LGPL License –Terms of participation –Conditions of Use –User Certification

20. Meteor Conditions of Use Style Sheets Display of data Meteor-defined field names and definitions Meteor Logo Additional data Manipulation of data

21. Security Components Trusted networks Security assertions SSL & Encryption Authentication provider

22. Security assertions Holds information about the user. Is passed to the access provider via http post. What the assertion contains? –Base64 encoded signed SAML Authentication Assertion If the signature on the assertion passes validation, then this assertion will be used by the Access Provider for the rest of this user’s session.

23. SSL & Encryption Secure socket Layer Uses your browsers HTTPS protocol Participants must obtain a certificate from someone like Verisign.

24. Meteor Governance

25. Levels of participation in Meteor –Meteor Member –Meteor Participant The governing and decision making body is the Meteor Advisory Team (MAT) –All Meteor members are entitled to staff the MAT

26. Meteor Governance Priority Technologies, Inc. will serve as the project manager and will support the production environment under contract with NCHELP –Registry and code hosting/distribution –Project planning –Testing –Technical writing –Documentation management –Critical decisions during production are made by the MAT team leads.

27. Meteor Governance Help Desk Support –Available to Access Providers, Data Providers and Index Providers –Level One – Provided by The National Student Clearinghouse –Level Two – Provided by Priority Technologies, Inc.

28. The Current State of Meteor Affairs

29. Threat Analysis Results Current phase public code implemented August 30, 2002 Currently over 60% of total FFELP loan guarantee information available through the network Additional 10% currently in test or development Statistics for servicing data are currently being compiled

30. Current Data Providers American Education Services Connecticut Student Loan Foundation Education Assistance Corporation Finance Authority of Maine Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation Illinois Student Assistance Commission Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance Michigan Higher Education Assistance Authority New Mexico Student Loan Guaranty Corporation

31. Current Data Providers Northwest Education Loan Association (NELA) Oklahoma Guaranteed Student Loan Program Rhode Island Higher Education Assistance Authority Sallie Mae Student Loan Guarantee Foundation of Arkansas Student Loans of North Dakota Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation United Student Aid Funds

32. Current Access Providers The AES School Portal CSLF’s EnRoute Education Assistance Corporation’s Financial Aid Administrators Web Portal Northwest Education Loan Association (NELA)’s NetWizard Laureate OpenNet NetWizard Sallie Mae’s School Self-Service site TG’s Meteor Web Portal

33. Usage Statistics Number of Index Provider Requests: –November 2002: 460 –December 2002: 323 –January 2003: 766 –February 2003: 934 –March 2003: 752

34. The Current State of Meteor Affairs Priority Technologies, Inc. will continue as the development provider. ELM Resources has been invited to become an Index Provider. FSA is reviewing the Meteor architecture as part of the NSLDS II initiative.

35. Planned Enhancements

36. Enhancements Allow student/borrower access Incorporate additional data elements –Details on fees outstanding –Cancellation information –Deferment and Forbearance history The “Super Screen” Further develop the borrower-based transitive trust authentication model – single sign-on

37. Enhancements Automated software version management Utilization of the NSC Loan Locator as a default display for summary data Enhancing the Meteor registry Creation of additional statistical reports

38. Release Schedule Business requirements have been completed Coding is in process Final code and application testing schedule to be completed 6/24/2003 User Acceptance Testing to commence 6/25/2003 Anticipated August 2003 Implementation

39. Future Enhancements

40. Additional Types of Aid In-process Loan Data Private Loans State Grants and Scholarships State Tuition Assistance and 529 Plans

41. Why Meteor

42. Benefits for FAP & Student Inquirers Consolidates information from all Data Providers, eliminating multiple access methodologies and passwords Information is retrieved in real time assuring that it is current and accurate Goal is to provide access to all forms of aid through Meteor

43. Benefits for FAP & Student Inquirers School-issued ID & Password can be used to access Meteor Referring students to Meteor can free FAPs from answering routine questions Promotes student awareness of total debt (and delinquency once in repayment)

44. Benefits for School Access Providers Enhances service to students and staff Keeps inquirers on school’s own site using existing authentication methods Can be customized to school look and feel and integrated with existing web capabilities Provides a low-risk pathway to state of the art technology and open standards Software components and ongoing enhancements are provided free of charge

45. Benefits for Data Providers Strengthens the FFELP Industry by simplifying access to multiple systems Demonstrates FFELP Industry commitment to work together to improve service to schools and borrowers Provides a low risk path to implementing state of the art technology and open standards Software and enhancements are free of charge

46. Benefits for FFELP Industry Access Providers Enhances relationship with school and borrower customers by making your organization their portal to aid information Expands range of web-based services offered Can be integrated with existing services and customized to your “look and feel” Provides a low risk path to implementing state of the art technology and open standards Software and enhancements are free of charge

47. Meteor’s Relationship to Other Industry Initiatives ELMMETEOR Single-point data exchange with multiple lenders and guarantors Data display only; there is no data exchange Member access to historical loan data that resides with other members Borrower, school, lender, guarantor, and servicer access to authorized financial aid data Proprietary software and network using translations from multiple technology approaches to achieve data compatibility Open-source software and technology supporting CommonLine and CommonLine XML, other ED standards The only authentication model accepted is through elmresources.com Transitive trust model for authentication Only point of entry is elmresources.comCan be integrated with and customized to existing web services offered by schools, lenders, guarantors, servicers and others

48. Meteor’s Relationship to Other Industry Initiatives ELM Resources –ELM has been invited to act as a Meteor Index Provider National Student Clearinghouse –Acts as a Meteor Index Provider –Assists in testing with new Meteor Participants FSA –Is reviewing the Meteor architecture as part of the NSLDS II initiative and for their overall data strategy. Mapping Your Future –Is examining Meteor with an eye toward adopting Meteor’s technical standards and methods

49. Meteor Screens

59. Meteor Ongoing Status For current status and updates: Meteor Project Info: http://www.nchelp.org/Meteor.htm

60. Questions Brian Allison ballison@usafunds.org (317) 806-1286