A single sign on mechanism for multiple grid manager on Alchemi .NET based grid framework

Abstract

Grid computing has emerged as an important field synonymous to high throughput computing. Grid computing is widely regarded as a technology of immense potential for accessing geographically distributed resources using computer networks. To ensure this new paradigm fully functional it demands several key concepts like authentication and authorization. The most commonly used security specification for grid computing is global security infrastructure or GSI. It specifies all the security aspect relating grid computing like authentication, authorization, single sign on and delegation [8]. Among all the required security features of grid computing “single sign on (SSO)” is a crucial one. But single sign on feature is missing in Alchemi .NET framework, a middleware to setup grid in windows based operating system. The architecture of Alchemi .NET framework does not possess single sign on feature which is a major security related architectural issue that exixts in current alchemi system. In this paper we have proposed a mechanism to implement “single sign on” integrating with Alchemi .NET framework. In current Alchemi .NET framework's architecture, an user connects with Alchemi grid manager directly by giving username & password via Alchemi console. In our proposal a user has to go through the single sign on mechanism to be connected with grid manager via Alchemi console to submit a grid application.