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This document provides guidance for choosing an appropriate SAML software implementation for use in the InCommon Federation.

There are numerous commercial and open-source implementations of the SAML V2.0 and V1.1 SAML Web Browser SSO Profiles. In what follows, we apply two basic requirements that filter the set of implementations down to a small, manageable subset. There are other requirements that could be applied; the two chosen here are deemed most beneficial to InCommon Federation participants.

Basic Metadata Consumption

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Contents

Software Recommendations

InCommon recommends the following SAML software implementations:

A few details about each of the recommended software implementations are given in the following subsections. Consult the corresponding product documentation to determine currently supported versions and platforms.

Shibboleth

The Shibboleth Consortium offers a number of federation software products, including a SAML IdP and a SAML SP (they are distinct products). Both are free and open source.

• Home: http://shibboleth.net/
• Docs: https://wiki.shibboleth.net/
• Mailing lists: http://shibboleth.net/community/lists.html

Shibboleth has strong metadata management capabilities for multilateral federation. See the wiki for detailed instructions for configuring Shibboleth for metadata refresh.

simpleSAMLphp

UNINETT leads the open-source simpleSAMLphp project, which offers both a SAML IdP and SAML SP (written in PHP).

• Home: http://simplesamlphp.org/
• Docs: http://simplesamlphp.org/docs/stable/
• Mailing lists: http://simplesamlphp.org/lists

The simpleSAMLphp software distribution includes a separate module for automated metadata management. Although not as tightly integrated as the Shibboleth metadata client, the simpleSAMLphp metarefresh module will consume the entire InCommon metadata aggregate (and even larger aggregates). Instructions how to configure simpleSAMLphp for metadata refresh are provided elsewhere in this wiki.

Software Requirements

Terminology. A metadata consumer is Terminology. A metadata consumer is a specific SAML software implementation plus a metadata client. The latter may be distributed with the SAML implementation itself or by a third party.

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1. The metadata consumer must correctly consume InCommon metadata.
2. The metadata consumer must conform to the the OASIS SAML V2.0 Metadata Interoperability Profile.

Basic Metadata Consumption

A metadata consumer satisfies the first requirement if it can refresh and verify metadata as outlined on the the Metadata Consumption wiki  wiki page. To our knowledge, there are only three such metadata consumers:

1. Shibboleth
2. simpleSAMLphp
3. Microsoft AD FS 2.0 + pysFEMMA

Metadata Interoperability

The The SAML V2.0 Metadata Interoperability Profile specifies  specifies requirements for both metadata producers and metadata consumers. As consumers, Shibboleth and simpleSAMLphp conform to the Metadata Interoperability Profile but  but the AD FS 2.0 metadata consumer does not since it processes processes certificates in metadata in  in ways that are specifically excluded by the Profile:

• AD FS 2.0 will not consume an an <md:EntityDescriptor> element  element that contains an expired certificate.
• AD FS 2.0 will actually try to check any CRLs or OCSP endpoints that might be contained in the certificate.

Since AD FS 2.0 does not conform to the Metadata Interoperability Profile, and because it has other other interoperability issues that  that limit its use as fully functioning SAML software, it is not recommended for general use in the InCommon Federation.

Recommendations

Taking the above into consideration, InCommon Operations, in consultation with the InCommon Technical Advisory Committee, recommend the following SAML software implementations:

{div:style=margin-top:1ex;margin-bottom:1ex}1. Shibboleth
2. simpleSAMLphp{div}

A few details about each of these recommended software implementations are given in the following subsections. Consult the corresponding product documentation to determine currently supported versions and platforms.

Shibboleth

The Shibboleth Consortium offers a number of federation software products, including a SAML IdP and a SAML SP (they are distinct products). Both are free and open source.

• Home: http://shibboleth.net/
• Docs: https://wiki.shibboleth.net/
• Mailing lists: http://shibboleth.net/community/lists.html

Shibboleth has strong metadata management capabilities for multilateral federation. See the wiki for detailed instructions for configuring Shibboleth for metadata refresh.

simpleSAMLphp

UNINETT leads the open-source simpleSAMLphp project, which offers both a SAML IdP and SAML SP (written in PHP).

• Home: http://simplesamlphp.org/
• Docs: http://simplesamlphp.org/docs/stable/
• Mailing lists: http://simplesamlphp.org/lists

The simpleSAMLphp software distribution includes a separate module for automated metadata management. Although not as tightly integrated as the Shibboleth metadata client, the simpleSAMLphp metarefresh module will consume the entire InCommon metadata aggregate (and even larger aggregates). Instructions how to configure simpleSAMLphp for metadata refresh are provided elsewhere in this wiki.

Legacy Use of SAML V1.1

The Federation supports metadata that enables interoperability with both the modern SAML V2.0 standard and the earlier/legacy SAML V1.1 standard. While most participants will primarily use SAML V2.0, the use of SAML V1.1 remains possible, and is required by some participants for legacy reasons.

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