Using ACS? Read the WRAP specification
23/01/10 12:28 Filed in: Access Control Service
It’s easy to base your understanding of an API or service on the documentation, a few samples from the SDK or blog posts from all the experts but, unfortunately, these don’t always paint a complete picture. When it comes to identity, you really need to try to gain an understanding of the overall problem space and the many protocol specifications to better understand the various components of the system and how they were intended to be used. If you don’t gain this grounding, then you can make assumptions and build on shaky foundations. With the Web Resource Authorization Protocol (WRAP) the volume of material isn’t huge and reading the specification will leave you in a better position to understand ACS.
You can find the WRAP specification here. When you’ve gone through it, remember that ACS today only implements the Client Account and Assertion profiles – 5.1 and 5.2 – and, importantly, that a “Client” in the WRAP specification isn’t the same thing as an end-user, something that I obliquely refer to here. In the absence of the three profiles that deal with end-users but armed with the knowledge that we’re working to fill out the WRAP implementation and add more protocols (including the usual suspects), you should be able to plan your use of ACS more effectively.
The Developers Guide whitepaper is also good overview material.
You can find the WRAP specification here. When you’ve gone through it, remember that ACS today only implements the Client Account and Assertion profiles – 5.1 and 5.2 – and, importantly, that a “Client” in the WRAP specification isn’t the same thing as an end-user, something that I obliquely refer to here. In the absence of the three profiles that deal with end-users but armed with the knowledge that we’re working to fill out the WRAP implementation and add more protocols (including the usual suspects), you should be able to plan your use of ACS more effectively.
The Developers Guide whitepaper is also good overview material.