Contact information is expressed in series of <md:ContactPerson> elements in SAML metadata. Note these rules when working with metadata registered in the Incommon Federation:

  • Each <md:EntityDescriptor> element SHOULD contain at least four contacts. Each contact is expressed using the  <md:ContactPerson> element. Each should have XML attributes contactType="support", contactType="technical", and contactType="administrative", plus a fourth <md:ContactPerson> element with XML attribute contactType="other" respectively. The element with the contactType="other" is the Security Contact, It carries an extra XML attribute indicating the contact is a security contact. See example below.
  • An entity MUST declare a technical contact (contactType="technical").
  • An entity MUST declare an administrative contact (contactType="administrative").
  • An entity MUST declare a security contact (contactType="other"; with an extended REFEDS metadata attribute of contactType="http://refeds.org/metadata/contactType/security".)
  • Each <md:ContactPerson> element MUST contain at least one <md:EmailAddress> element.
  • If a contact is a non-person (such as a mailing list), the <md:GivenName> element MAY contain a title or label, and the <md:SurName> element SHOULD be omitted.
  • If a contact is a real person, the <md:GivenName> and <md:SurName> elements SHOULD reflect the person's real name.


<md:ContactPerson contactType="technical"
     xmlns:md="urn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:2.0:metadata">
  <md:GivenName>Technical Support Team</md:GivenName>
  <md:EmailAddress>mailto:tech_support@example.org</md:EmailAddress>
</md:ContactPerson>
<md:ContactPerson contactType="administrative"
     xmlns:md="urn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:2.0:metadata">
  <md:GivenName>Office of Administrative Support</md:GivenName>
  <md:EmailAddress>mailto:admin_support@example.org</md:EmailAddress>
</md:ContactPerson>
<md:ContactPerson contactType="support"
     xmlns:md="urn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:2.0:metadata">
  <md:GivenName>Help Desk</md:GivenName>
  <md:EmailAddress>mailto:help_desk@example.org</md:EmailAddress>
</md:ContactPerson>
<!-- security contact with REFEDS syntax -->
<md:ContactPerson contactType="other"
     xmlns:md="urn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:2.0:metadata"
     xmlns:remd="http://refeds.org/metadata"
     remd:contactType="http://refeds.org/metadata/contactType/security">
  <md:GivenName>IT Security Office</md:GivenName>
  <md:EmailAddress>mailto:security@example.org</md:EmailAddress>
</md:ContactPerson>

See Contacts information for information on how ContactPerson is used in InCommon metadata.

Get help

Can't find what you are looking for?

help Ask the community