Introduction

What is the Loop?

What is the Project?

The synergy between the Microsoft Innovative Project and the Loop

The synergy between Microsoft Innovative Project and the Loop is eveident at multiple levels.

Goals:

The project:

To use Msoft product to develop a IAM procees for the Loop

Why

• develop on from where we are.
• easy access,
• Remove barriers
• Largeoutput from a relatively small imput of resources
• Once done the solution is shared.
• sustainability

What would this project enable

• the curriculum bebefits
• removal of barriers for the use of ICT
• cooperation

Level of support

• from the Loop
• contributing schools
• MoE
• Supporting professionals

How

• PD
• Software
  • SQL (2008)
  • Active directoy (W2008)
• Costs

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The Problem:
The Loop is an entity that seeks to agregate the users needs and requirements.
It also seeks to make the process of accessing other networks and resources as simple as possible- seeking to make all resources available within two clicks.

Many schools network however does not meet recognised IAM (Identidy management) standards and the technology and processes to achieve are beyond most schools resources.

The Loop is seeking to do this on behalf of the schools.

The process is going very well.
Each night the schools with Microst AD upload to the Loop through a one way trust.
In this way group memebership and rights are learnt by the Loop.

The non AD schools (LPAD directories) contents are also uploaded nightly to a SQL database.
This information is then used to generate accounts for each user on the Loop Active directory.

Users then have an recognised authorised indentiy that meets SAML and Siboleth standards.
This means that all Loop users can easily pass from network to network resource with outpassword and restrcitions.
Such opportunities such as using communication services and shared resources becomes instantly available.

This process has been developed and is tested.

The problem is ... we do not have the resources to move from the test bed and implement the process.
We have all the hardware and software needed. We just need the human resources to ensure each school's NOS is correctly configured but more importantly sort out the 'data bugs' as the system is implemented.

Once 'sorted' this process could be used by any school especially in an aggegated (Loop type) environment.
Many other 'Loops' are waiting how smooth the process can be made - especially NEAL (North Shore Loop).

The process meests both the MoE, E-Govt and tertiary IAM requirements.
It is cheap and will be easy for schools to take part in.
The only thing we are missing is the resources to implement the tested operation.