Purpose and scope

The STORK-SAML Interoperability Working Group (SSI-WG) shall be tasked with:

• Facilitating collaboration and discussion among European Governments and Higher Education organizations with an existing or planned investment in industry standard SAML infrastructure;
• Acting as a forum to collect national profiles and best practices;
• Presenting an "deployers and practitioner's view" on scalable SAML-based federations so that these views may be taken into account in the development of STORK
• Promoting the development, adoption and support for industry standard deployment profiles based on open specifications.

To accomplish this goal the eGov Work Group shall:

• Coordinate the creation of gap-analysis reports per federation mapping the national profile vs. industry standard and STORK;
• Provide STORK with subject matter expertise on SAML-related requirements and challenges with deployment, interoperability and scalability;

Depending on the interest, needs and resources the IG might:

• Where appropriate, establish liaison relationships that will further adopt and deploy industry standard SAML compliant solutions or extensions thereof
• Elect spokespersons on SAML interoperability-related topics
• Share solutions and/or technical approaches to avoid 'reinventing the wheel' and to drive adoption of standards-based identity management mechanisms in government on a global basis.
• Drive the further development of the SAML WebSSO standards based on European government needs, pushing the ecosystem's products, tools and services for better standard compliance.
• Join resources to overcome deployment issues in certain security services that SAML relies on, such as shortcoming in PKI-infrastructure and limitations in popular open source crypto libraries.

Primary Goal:

Harmonization of the SAML-Interface of STORK with SAML WebSSO industry standards.

Expected Benefits

• Faster integration adoption of STORK enabling cross-border identity federation;
• Reduced cost and better functionality for providers who want to integrate STORK into their existing infrastructure;
• Indirect aid for the goals of cyber security and single digital market.

WG Structure

The structure is an informal group communicating via ad-hoc online and face-to-face meetings, mailing lsit and this wiki. Convener: Rainer Hörbe (Freelance-contractor for Austrian government; Chair Kantara eGov-WG) Duration: The IG shall be chartered for 2 years, expiring in 2014.