Token Authenticated Access to Resources

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1 Initial Problem

Exchanging files with ILIAS is currently very hard, especially with 'outside parties', i.e., with users not having an account on the instance.
This occurs regularly when providing reports, memberlists and the the like, but also when retrieving files from the outside, e.g. external data to be imported, especially when the data is automatically provided by machines.

The following will describe a Token Authenticated Access to Resources, which is more of a general concept, but it will open up various possibilities of concrete usecases, be it user collaboration, desktop extensions, machine access or providing portfolios to others.

2 Conceptual Summary

We propose to implement a Token Authenticated Access to a collection of Resources.
Using the Service (from outside ILIAS) will require the knowledge of a complex url (the token), but not an active user account.

A token will map to an instance of an IRSS Stakeholder and possibly to a ResourceStorage Collection; 
all known principles of Stakeholders, like preprocessors and notifications, apply.

The Service will verify the token and either serve a GUI to up- and download files to/from that Collection when called in a browser, or, when called from a script, no GUI at all.

Thus, the suggested service is not really another layer to the IRSS, but rather adds the definition of Origins, i.e. shareable means of access to a distinct collection of resources bound to a stakeholder.

There will also be the need to define quotas, in general and for specific Origins.

2.1 Scope

The primary goal of the project should be to provide the backend mechanics of Origins, token handling (creating, authorizing, (temporarily) invalidating, ...)  and respective interfaces/abstracts to then manifest "visible" features.

However, since there already is the 'Personal and Shared Resources' entry in Personal Workspace as well as the 'Resource Overview' in the File Services Administration, there are proper places to be amended with the management of Origins. An implementation offering users to create and manage token-accessed collections might provide good examples of using the Service.

3 User Interface Modifications

3.1 List of Affected Views

• Administration, File Services
  new tab 'Personal File Drops' 
  with subtabs 'General Settings' and 'Overview'
• File Drop
  new GUI, a page providing acces to the resource collection. 

for Personal File Drops:

• Administration, Personal Workspace
  add the 'enable Personal File Drops' option
• Personal and Shared Resources
  new tab 'Personal File Drops'

3.2 User Interface Details

{ For each of these views please list all user interface elements that should be modified, added or removed. Please provide the textual appearance of the UI elements and their interactive behaviour. }

3.3 New User Interface Concepts

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3.4 Accessibility Implications

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4 Technical Information

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5 Privacy

{ Please list all personal data that will need to be stored or processed to implement this feature. For each date give a short explanation why it is necessary to use that date. }

6 Security

{ Does the feature include any special security relevant changes, e.g. the introducion of new endpoints or other new possible attack vectors. If yes, please explain these implications and include a commitment to deliver a written security concept as part of the feature development. This concept will need an additional approvement by the JourFixe. }

7 Contact

• Author of the Request:  Haagen, Nils [nlz]
• Maintainer: {Please add your name before applying for an initial workshop or a Jour Fixe meeting.}
• Implementation of the feature is done by: {The maintainer must add the name of the implementing developer.}

8 Funding

If you are interest in funding this feature, please add your name and institution to this list.

• …

9 Discussion

10 Implementation

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Test Cases

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• {Test case number linked to Testrail} : {test case title}

Privacy

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Approval

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