Logging onto the Grid

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Logging Onto the Grid

The GAARDS UI provides the ability to create and manage grid proxies/credentials. To obtain grid credentials, use the following steps.

1. Click the Login button on the toolbar in the GAARDS UI to open the Create Proxy or login window.
2. To login, first specify the Dorian that maintains your grid user account by selecting the Dorian URI from the Identity Federation Service drop down.
3. The GAARDS UI is pre-configured with a list of Dorian's through its configuration file. If the Dorian you wish to select is not in the list, enter it.
4. Select the lifetime of your grid proxy; this is how long your credentials are good for. Select from the Lifetime drop downs for hours, minutes, and seconds.
5. Specify how many times your credentials can be delegated. Delegating your credentials gives another party the ability to act on you behalf or as you. For example if you allow a delegation path length of 1, you allow a grid service you connect with to connect to another grid service as you. However, the second grid service would not be able to connect to another grid service as you. By default the delegation path length is set to 0, and in most cases it will not need to be increased. If you wish to increase the delegation path length, change the Delegation Path Length text field.
6. Specify the Authentication Service you wish to authenticate with by selecting the URI from the Authentication Service drop down. After selecting the Authentication Service you will be supplied with input fields to enter in the information you need to authenticate. Provide the information requested. In the example below a Dorian IdP is selected. Since the Dorian IdP requires a user id and password, input fields display. The GAARDS UI is pre-configured with a list of Identity Providers if your Identity provider is not listed in the Identity Provider drop down. Add it by editing the GAARDS UI configuration file.
7. Once you have entered the required IdP Authentication Information, click the Authenticate button to 1) authenticate you with your Identity Provider, 2) obtain a SAML Assertion from your Identity Provider, and 3) contact Dorian using the SAML Assertion to facilitate the creation of a grid proxy. Once the grid proxy is created the Create Proxy window closes and the Proxy Manager window opens with the newly created proxy shown. The Proxy Manager window allows the management of grid proxies or grid credentials that you locally created. For details on the Credential Manager window, refer to the next section Managing Credentials.
8. Click the Set Default button.