Changes between Version 2 and Version 3 of FeddABAC

Timestamp:

Jan 16, 2011 4:30:25 PM (14 years ago)

Author:

faber

Comment:

--

FeddABAC

@@ -14 +14 @@
 Users and servers (fedd instances) now both have credential stores to maintain.  When using ABAC credentials to enforce the same kinds of access control as [FeddAbout#GlobalIdentifiers:Three-levelNames three-names] neither users nor servers will see much change.  Credentials will be managed transparently.
 
-By default a user will maintain a credential store in a directory named {{{.abac}}}
+By default a user will maintain a credential store in a directory named {{{.abac}}}. Any credentials in the users abac directory will be passed as parameters when requests are made to fedd.  The user can limit the credentials passed by specifying a directory with only a subset of the credentials.
+
+Similarly, a running fedd instantiation will be configured to use a specific abac directory in which its credentials are kept.  As the instance learns more credentials they are aslo stored in this directory.
+
+Unlike a user, the fedd directory contains metadata beyond the credential lists.  This directory is populated using the {{{access_to__abac.py}}} command for access controllers and the {{{fedd_to_abac.py}}} command for experiment controllers.
+
+== Operation of Experiment Controller ==
+
+The experiment controller can operate in two modes, as an experiment controller dedicated to use by a single user, or as a service on behalf of multiple users.  In the first case the controller acts as the same principal as the user commands.  Essentially the experiment controller is a command run by the single user.  In the second case a common piece of infrastructure acts as an experiment controller for many users.  Because this fedd acts as a distinct principal, some additional delegation is required to make the access control reasonable.
+
+When the experiment controller is run as a service, it acts as a separate principal for the purposes of experiment creation, and the user and the controller negotiate what principal the controller will act as when making resource allocations from access controllers.  This allows a user to delegate a subset of attributes to the experiment principal and then allow the experiment controller to act as that principal.  (The experiment principal may have attributes delegated by multiple principals, if needed).  This extra principal is required to prevent the experiment controller from combining rights from multiple principals that did not intend it.