Using VO Concept for Managing Dynamic Security Associations

Abstract

This chapter discusses how the Virtual Organisation (VO) concept can be used for managing dynamic security associations in collaborative applications and for complex resource provisioning as possible components of the Agent based Virtual Enterprises. The chapter provides an overview of the current practice in VO management at the organisational level and its support at the security middleware level. It identifies open issues and basic requirements to the VO security functionality and services and suggests possible directions of further research and development, in particular, VO management concept, VO security services operation, and basic VO operational models. The author hopes that understanding the VO concept and current practice in Grid of using VO for managing security associations will help developers effectively use Gird technologies and middleware for building distributed security infrastructure for Virtual Enterprises.