Getting Started: Setting up an edu-ID Service
1. Contractual Preparation
Before you integrate an application into the SWITCHaai federation, your organization must become a "federation partner basic" or "federation partner plus".
https://www.switch.ch/aai/join/partners/
2. Protocol Choice
SWITCH edu-ID is a service offering in the SWITCHaai federation. Currently edu-ID supports the SAML and the OpenID Connect (OIDC) protocol.
SAML | OpenID Connect (OIDC) |
---|---|
The instructions to set up a service for SAML can be found here: |
OpenID Connect is a new edu-ID service. It's functionality is currently limited compared to SAML, but will be continuously extended in the future: |
3. Attribute Model Choice
SWITCH edu-ID offers a very comprehensive data model in different variants.
Description | SAML | OIDC | |
---|---|---|---|
Classic Attribute Model | To access a service, a user chooses the home organization in the discovery service ("were are you from?"). The service receives an attribute assertion from the selected home organization. The assertion is compatible with traditional SWITCHaai assertions | configure intended audience without private identities | (not supported) |
edu-ID only | To access a service, the user directly authenticates (without choosing a home organization). The service receives an attribute assertion of the user's private identity, independent of any organizational affiliation. Optionally, the service can determine organizational roles and email addresses by evaluating swissEduIDLinked* attributes |
configure intended audience: private identity | require scopes profile, email, swissEduIDBase or swissEduIDExtended |
Extended Attribute Model | Like edu-ID only. Additional organizational affiliation attributes are fetched via affiliation API. | Get additional attributes via affiliation API with read-only permissions. |
4. Advanced Service Configuration
Options to enhance the service quality, usability or security
- Check the edu-ID design guidelines
- Require 2-Step Login (MFA)
- Receive notifications when user accounts were updated