KC-ROLO Project Kidderminster College Repository Of Learning Objects Graham Mason & Ed Beddows

KC-ROLO ProjectKidderminster College

Repository Of Learning Objects

Graham Mason&

Ed Beddows

Implementing Shibboleth at Kidderminster College

• Nearly 3 years ago we embarked on a JISC Core Middleware Shibboleth project

• Why? because we adopted an open source VLE and other technologies within the College

• Within the College we have always had a strong open source team

• JISC advocates open source technology

What is “Shibboleth” It’s “Middleware”

What will be the benefits of Shibboleth?

• Users will have a single sign-on using an institutional ID and password for a wide range of resources, as well as the assurance that their personal data will not be disclosed to third parties.

• LRC will be free of the burden of user name and password administration, and will have new tools for managing licenses and service subscriptions.

• IT Managers will have more control of the access management process, i.e. centralised access management using the college Active Directory/LDAP store

• Institutions will have a single service to meet the requirements of e-learning, e-research and library-managed resources. 

• Started with an IdP on Linux Box

• Although the Internet2 documentation was accurate in its description of how Shibboleth works

• The technical guidelines were generic and not specific, this was apparent in creating an “SP”

The Project “Birth of KC-ROLO”

Get the Documentation in place

• Our main ally was documentation

• Log progress at each step

• With pre-written scripts to download

• Continually updating scripts

KC-ROLO Service Provider

• Used different platforms to gain experience in each one

• Repository SP on a Windows 2003 Box

• VLE’s SP on a Linux Box

How we’re using Shibboleth

• To share internal VLEs with different sections

• To share VLEs with partner institutions

• To share learning objects with partner institutions via an Open Source repository

• Contains learning objects, NLN and custom materials

• Search front end protected by shibboleth, no code change

• Shibbolized repository submitter, only members of Kidderminster College with the “Staff” attribute can submit.

Without Shibboleth

With Shibboleth

Benefits to the Users• No multiple logins to put them off

• Access to resources at other sites provides greater choiceof materials

• Students & staff can collaborate with members of other institutions

Federation

Federated Access Management?

What is Federated Access Management?

• Federated Access Management builds a trust relationship between Identity Providers (IdP) and Service Providers (SP). 

• It devolves the responsibility for authentication to a user’s home institution,

• and establishes authorisation through the secure exchange of information (known as attributes) between the two parties.

There will be three options

• Become a full member of the UK Access Management Federation, using community-supported tools.

• Become a full member of the UK Access Management Federation, using tools with paid-for support.

• Subscribe to an ‘outsourced Identity Provider’ to work through the Federation on your behalf, such as continued use of Athens with the gateways.

A little confusing? What does this mean to the college?

• Option 1. College will have a server in-house installed with Shibboleth IdP (Identity Provider) and linked to their Active Directory or LDAP store, supported by the College ICT Services.

• Options 2. College purchases the server, (this is were we have been active in carrying out this service for college’s) – install Shibboleth– link to your AD/LDAP store, provide Technical support and

documentation.

• Options 3. College will pay Athens a subscription cost to external supplier and an internal administration role.

Demo• http://kc-vle.kidderminster.ac.uk/portal

Questions?