Copyright JNT Association 2009GN3, 8 th September 20091 Inter-Federation Agreements eduGAIN and beyond? Andrew Cormack Chief Regulatory Adviser, JANET(UK)

Copyright JNT Association 2009 GN3 , 8thSeptember 2009 1

Inter-Federation Agreements

eduGAIN and beyond?Andrew Cormack

Chief Regulatory Adviser, JANET(UK)

[email protected]


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

Fed.Rules

Fed.Rules

Fed.Rules

Inter-fed agreement MetadataMetadata


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

Fed.Rules

Fed.Rules

Fed.Rules

Fed.Rules

Fed.Rules

Metadata

Inter-fed Agmt Inter-fed Agmt

Inter-fed Agmt Inter-fed Agmt

?Metadata Terms of

Use


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