Open Athens Future Developments

Access & Identity ManagementFuture Directions

Keith Dixon – OpenAthens Administrator Day

Agenda

Roadmap Aims & Directions

Release Schedules

Architecture Development

Focus for 2009

Services and Support

OpenAthens Roadmap Aims

• For institutions - Increase value and reduce risk

– Greater choice

– Future-proofing

• For Administrators – Increase capability and reduce workload

– Greater functionality

– Increase Usability

• For Learner/Researchers – Increase value and engagement

– Align with internet usability

– Broader, integrated functionality

Roadmap Directions

• Openness and Standards Compliance

– OpenAthens LA and SP

– Multi-federation support

• Administrator Usability & Tools

– Processes & Interface

– Toolbar

• Learner/Researcher Usability & Tools

– Resource Discovery and Management

– Interface

– Toolbar

Release Schedules

• Major functionality releases

– Bi-Annual - Jan/July

• Minor functionality releases

– Quarterly

• Compliance, servicing and bug fixes

– As required

AthensIdentityBroker

ManagedDirectory

The Athens Architecture

ServiceProviders

using AthensService

Providersusing Athens

ServiceProviders

using AthensService

Providersusing Athens

InstitutionUsing

AthensDA

Local AuthenticationAthensDA + Identity Broker

AthensManaged Directory + Identity Broker

Federated Access Management

ServiceProviders

using Shibboleth

InstitutionUsing

Shibboleth

UK FederationWAYF

UK FederationWAYF

InstitutionUsing

Shibboleth

OpenAthens Architecture Development

ServiceProviders

using Athens

ServiceProviders

using Athens

ServiceProviders

using Athens

ServiceProviders

using Athens

ServiceProvider

using Shibboleth

OpenAthens SubscriptionShibboleth + OpenAthens Identity Broker

Op

en

Ath

en

s SP

1.1

AthensModule

ShibModule

AthensIdentityBroker

ManagedDirectory

InstitutionUsing

AthensDA

InstitutionUsing

OpenAthens LA

Op

en

Ath

en

s LA

2.0

AthensModule

ShibModule

OpenAthens

IdentityBroker

ManagedDirectory

Focus for 2009

• OpenAthens LA & OpenAthens MD

• Admin Usability and Tools

• Learner/Researcher Usability and Tools

• OpenAthens SP

• Service & Support

OpenAthens LA and OpenAthens MD

• OpenAthens LA 1.0 = AthensDA• OpenAthens LA 2.0

– Based on the same platform as OpenAthens SP

– Athens module– SAML 1.1,2.0 (Shibboleth 1.3, 2.0) module

• OpenAthens MD 1.0 -> 1.1 -> 2.0 – Email addresses as usernames (optional)– Refine self-registration– Refining fine-grained authorisation support– Multi-federation support

Administrator Usability and Tools

Focus on Administrator Interface and Toolbars

• Usability

– Update interface – more intuitive

– Short cuts to common functions

– Configurable

• NEW Admin Toolbar

– Commonly used functions

– Configurable from the Admin interface

– Messages

• Service status, maintenance notices

• Diagnostics

Learner & Researcher Usability and Tools

– Usability

• Improve accessibility (eg for visually impaired)

• Improve panel selector

• Bookmarking

• Increase Admin/User configurability

• “Add to MyAthens” button for library and service provider web sites

• Manage configuration of toolbar

– Toolbar/Browser extensions

• Single-Sign-On to ALL resources (IdP discovery)

• One-click access to resources

• Downloadable at library and service provider web sites

OpenAthens SP

Used by Service Providers - Available as part of UK HE/FE OpenAthens subscription

• Multi-protocol support

– OpenAthens SP 1.1 - Athens, SAML 1.1/2.0 (Shibboleth 1.3/2.0) OpenID, Cardspace

– OpenAthens SP 2.0 – Extensions/Configurations for Multi-federation support

• Multi-federation support

– OpenAthens SP 1.1 – UK federation

– OpenAthens SP 2.0 – SURFNet, InCommon, CRU (French Federation)..?

Services and Support

• Tech Support Web Interface – v1.1 - based on feedback– v2.0 – integration, usability and

configurability• Service Information

– Service availability, overall statistics– Institution specific statistics

• Administrator Forum/Knowledgebase– sharing service knowledge– answers to current/common issues– monitoring and input from Tech Support

Summary

• Aims– Increase flexibility, functionality and

ease-of-use• Roadmap Directions

– Open, Compliant, Admin and User tools

• Release Schedules– Major Jan/Jul, Minor Mar/Oct

• Focus for 2009

- OpenAthens LA 2.0, Usability & Toolbars

• Services and Support– Tech Support Web Interface