Shibboleth Developers

[Tom Scavo <>]

I don't understand WS-Fed well enough to understand the significance
of this.  Could somebody elaborate?  Is Microsoft shying away from
SAML 2.0 core or SAML 2.0 profiles?

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Microsoft Says It Won't Support SAML 2.0
Jeremy Kirk, InfoWorld

Microsoft will stick by the set of protocols it has picked for identity
federation, a concept that includes single sign-on (SSO) for several
different Web portals and secure transfers of data between partnered
businesses. Microsoft has backed WS-Federation protocols for the next
generation of message-based applications because it offers a full suite
of security, message, and transaction protocols, said Don Schmidt,
senior program manager for Microsoft's Identity and Access group. The
WS-Federation protocols compete with the SAML (Security Assertion
Markup Language) 2.0 specification, which so far has strong footing in
the race to create secured identity federation across organizations.
SAML 2.0 is backed by consortiums such as the Liberty Alliance and the
Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards
(OASIS). SAML 2.0 protocols are fine for strictly Web single sign-on,
Schmidt said. But the WS-Federation protocols are better equipped to
deal with a distributed Web services environment for message reliability,
transaction support and security, he said. [Note: WS-Federation
(July 2003) was not among the specifications presented to the OASIS
Web Services Secure Exchange (WS-SX) Technical Committee.]

http://www.infoworld.com/article/05/11/17/HNmssaml2support_1.html
See also SAML references: http://xml.coverpages.org/saml.html

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