DRAFT ITANA Minutes April 30, 2009

*Attendees*

Jim Phelps, University of Wisconsin-Madison (chair)
Marina Arseniev, University of California, Irvine
Tom Barton, University of Chicago
Steve Olshansky, Internet2
Rich Stevenson, UMUC
Ann West, Internet2/EDUCAUSE
Dean Woodbeck, Internet2 (scribe)

*Action Items*

(AI) Jim Phelps will talk with Tom Dopirak of the MACE-paccman working group about potential areas of collaboration with ITANA.

(AI) It was recommended that ITANA members review the MACE-paccman wiki (https://spaces.at.internet2.edu/x/qoI0) as part of the consideration of use cases.

(AI) Jim Phelps will send a link for the new EA group forming in the U.K. under JISC (the UK federation).

*Agenda*
1. Roll-Call
2. Agenda Bash
3. Report out from Screen2Screen
4. Follow On Task for Enterprise Authorization

  1. Collect Use Cases
  2. Best practices - terminology of roles, entitlements, privileges. Work with MACE PAC-MAN on Glossary of Terms
  3. Pragmatic ways for changing the campus culture
  4. Common language for RFPs. Integration with software service providers. For example, rights need to reside with the institution, not at a vendor website.

5. Future Screen2Screen Sessions

  • Kuali On Campus
  • SOA and Interoperability
  • Enterprise Architecture Tools
  • Joint discussion with JISC

Future Agendas:
1. Next Screen2Screen
2. SOA
3. Business Intelligence

*Report From Screen2Screen*

Six respondents filled out the survey for the first Screen2Screen. The ratings and the comments were, overall, positive across the board, although slightly lower regarding the use of and functions of Adobe Connect. It also seemed that the time was about right for the length of the call and the distribution of the time between presentation and working group.

If you attended the Screen2Screen and haven't taken the survey, please do so. It will take five minutes: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=hmxoOH8ArIUSSRmGRp5TVQ_3d_3d

*Enterprise Authorization and Privilege/Access Management*

A new Internet2 working group has formed, called MACE-paccman (Middleware Architecture Committee for Education - privilege and access management). For that group, Paul Hill and Tom Barton put together an initial glossary for discussion (see the MACE-paccman wiki, https://spaces.at.internet2.edu/x/qoI0).

Paccman chair Tom Dopirak has asked ITANA members review and edit the glossary on the wiki, or to review the glossary and leave comments on the wiki. (Note: if you are not set up to edit on the Spaces wiki, go to spaces.at.internet2.edu and see the link for instructions on the top left). ,

*Collect Use Cases*

Initially, the collecting of use cases will be done in conjunction with MACE-paccman, since there is a fair amount of overlap. There was a discussion about how to do this, with the suggestion of using the wiki. There are some use cases already underway, including uses with uPortal, Sakai and some Kuali applications. (AI) Jim Phelps will contact Tom Dopirak to discuss a potential collaboration.

There was a general discussion concerning the need for successful community source software development efforts in this area. In general, there needs to be a more well-established model for community development efforts to go forward. Tom Barton mentioned that there was considerable discussion about this at the Internet2 Spring Member Meeting, particularly among AMSAC (Applications, Middleware and Services Advisory Council). The community needs a way to respond to these needs; particularly those that won't be met by commercial products. Currently there is an understanding of the problems in this space, and the deliverables needed, but there is a big gap between the two.

*Common Language for RFPs*

There was a discussion about the need for campuses to use common language in RFPs, to raise awareness among vendors (and put pressure on vendors). Marina mentioned that, in 2004, the 10-campus UC system distributed an RFP for enterprise authorization management, but there were no responses that met the criteria.

Some examples of the needs include enterprise authorization management tools for higher education and, in general, more tools in identity and access management. There is a need to develop systematic methods (including funding) for higher education to create tools, or software bridges to work on top of commercial products.

There was a general discussion about attempts to build such tools, including work at Kuali; however, the Kuali solutions typically fit just the Kuali products. MIT has a permissions management tool (called perMIT) under development, but a release date is not set.

*Changing the Campus Culture*

This discussion centered on the need to move campuses away from a silo approach and more toward the collaborative approach necessary for a successful enterprise architecture system. One pragmatic approach in beginning this change is to involve the business side of campus and the benefits of EA, in terms of such things as cost, auditability, and security.

A model may be the move of email towards a common central service. Central IT needed to demonstrate that departments did not need to run their own networks, or their own email servers; in fact, there were benefits in doing these things centrally. Enterprise authorization may need to travel a similar route.

Rich Stevenson presented his experience at the University of Maryland University College. There was a demand for studies on student outcomes and assessment and also a desire to track marketing campaigns. These drivers helped make the case for a central identity system.

(AI) It was recommended that ITANA members review the MACE-paccman wiki (https://spaces.at.internet2.edu/x/qoI0) and list potential use cases. There may also be a joint call with MACE-paccman in the future.

*Future Screen2Screen Sessions*

It was suggested that future Screen2Screens take place at least quarterly. The next event is tentatively scheduled for May 28. The topic will be SOA and Interoperability, to be drawn from a presentation that will be made at the CSG meeting in mid-May. Other current topics of interest include:

  • Kuali on campus
  • SOA and Interoperability
  • Enterprise Architecture Tools - there are a number of people working on such tools, including Paul Hobson, Tom Barton, Scott Fullerton, and folks at the University of Wisconsin. This would make a good presentation.
  • Joint discussion with JISC (UK federation). There are similar EA efforts in the UK and a new group is spinning up under JISC. (AI) Jim will send a link to that group.

*Next Call, Thursday, May 14, 2009, 2 p.m. EDT*

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