Web-enabled grid authentication in a non-Kerberos environment

Abstract

UABgrid is a collaboration between academic and administrative IT units at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). UABgrid provides a Web-based grid client environment, access to shared campus computational resources, and user identities defined by the authoritative campus identity provider. A Weblogin service leveraging UAB's authoritative identity directory is provided for grid authentication. Previous integrations of institutional identity management and grid authentication depended on a Kerberos environment and use of KX.509. We accomplish similar functionality in a non-Kerberos environment by leveraging our Weblogin service to drive applications which require grid credentials. The UABgrid registration process employs the Weblogin service to generate certificates and keys signed by our UABgridCA and automatically provisions accounts for UABgrid users based on resource center policies. After successful registration, UABgrid leverages the Weblogin service to allow users to access resources and to submit jobs using only a Web browser and their familiar username and password.