(link to the Google Doc version of this document) 

Introduction 

In mid-June 2023, an ad hoc working group of the InCommon Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) published its final report, “Formalizing the Role of Federation Proxies within the InCommon Federation [FR].” The report describes federation proxies (FPs), summarizes their benefits and challenges, shares insights gleaned by the authors, and makes specific recommendations. While there are many technological considerations involved with FPs, the recommended actions were not primarily technical in nature:

[RA1] The Federation should enhance its policies and agreements to address specific concerns that attach to FPs.

[RA2] InCommon should expand its documentation of best practices for IdPs and SPs to include FPs.

[RA3] InCommon should consider a modified fee structure for cost-sharing with FPs.

This working group will continue the ad hoc group’s work by developing specific FP policy guidance for community consultation.

Challenges

Federation proxies are by their nature a complex topic. Prescriptive changes to federation practice or policy would necessarily require the input of stakeholders from a variety of perspectives, including IdP operators, “mediated SP” operators, FP operators, federated service stakeholders, and of course InCommon.

As noted in [FR], successfully developing and delivering policy guidance around FPs “... will likely require communications strategies that reach beyond InCommon’s common focus of central IT organizations to researchers, libraries, and other academic functions and disciplines.”

Community consultation and thoughtful consideration will be crucial for a successful outcome, but this working group has a limited time window.

Charter

The Federation Proxies Working Group will: 

  • Review the insights and recommendations in [FR], including relevant details from the AARC Blueprint Architecture.
  • [A1] Draft a “more precise vocabulary for articulating major concepts, components, and interactions” for FPs per [RA2].
  • [A2] Draft a “Federation Proxy Practices Statement” that addresses the key elements of [RA1] in [FR].
  • Seek a variety of FP perspectives, e.g. operators and managers of Virtual Organizations (VOs), library services, and hub-and-spoke Identity Providers (IdPs).

While [RA3] is important to the FP conversation, it is out of scope for this working group, as [RA1] and [RA2] are prerequisites for a meaningful discussion of [RA3].

Timing

The working group will convene for approximately 6 months, with a progress report (but ideally a final report) publishable for community review by 28 October 2024. The working group’s progress will also be shared at the 2024 Internet2 Technology Exchange in December 2024.

Membership

Membership in the Federation Proxies Working Group is open to all interested parties. Solicitation will take place on lists such as the InCommon Participants list and the REFEDS list, explicitly seeking international participation. Some stakeholders may be explicitly solicited by the Co-Chairs or other Working Group members for participation, e.g., providers who do not ordinarily participate on the above lists. Members join the Working Group by subscribing to the mailing list and Slack channel, participating on the calls, and otherwise actively engaging in the work of the group.

Work Products

  1. Artifacts described in Charter items [A1] and [A2].
  2. Summary report of the Working Group proceedings, including any notables not included in the recommendations.

References

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