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Computing services try to co-ordinate passwords for Unix and NT/Novell,
but it is still potentially confusing for users, and a time consuming
problem for helpdesks. NISS' Athens authentication service offers a
possible solution to simplifying passwords for remote data services for
users whether they are on or off campus.
But there is also the problem of the proliferation of web servers run by
departments and groups in Universities: Virtual courses, databases, exam
papers, and increasingly CD-ROMs. How is access to these resources to be
managed ? For the on campus user IP restriction OK. But more and more
students can in some sense be considered as distance learners, from the
true distance learner to the part timer who does some study at work, to
the full time student using his own PC, freeserve as an ISP and hotmail
for electronic mail, rather than central services.
1. What means are being used to authenticate/authorise to locally
maintained web mounted resources ?
2. Has NISS Athens been considered as a solution what do you consider
the pros and cons of this approach ?
3. What opinions are there on any or all of proxies, LDAP/ X.500,
Metadirectories, certificates, smartcards which seem relevant
technology, what time scale are we talking about for implementation of
these ?
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This message is part of a survey of approaches to the management of
digital information conducted by the JTAP funded Candle-Athens project.
CANDLE is an EC funded project to develop a tool for libraries to manage
their electronic resources, especially electronic journals. In
Candle-Athens we are developing a demonstrator that will give users
single sign on to local and remote resources, including those with
Athens authentication.
Project introduction: http://agent.sbu.ac.uk/candleathens/canath.html
Authentication and authorization: a guide
http://agent.sbu.ac.uk/candleathens/
Highlights of survey so far:
http://agent.sbu.ac.uk/candleathens/surveyv1.html
--
Andrew Cox
LITC, South Bank University, 103 Borough Road, London, SE1 0AA
http://www.sbu.ac.uk/litc
+44 (0)171 815 7058 phone
+44 (0)171 815 7050 fax
[log in to unmask] email
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