Welcome to SWITCH edu-ID
If your academic services have to be opened up to further user groups, you want to simplify the management of user data or streamline your organisation’s identity management, then SWITCH edu-ID is a good choice.
SWITCH edu-ID is the logical extension of SWITCHaai, now adding basic identity management functionality. It takes over the advantages of SWITCHaai like single sign-on, and opens new room for connecting further identities and services.
The benefits
For organisations
- One identity for anyone connected to a university (members, alumni, partners, guests etc.)
- Compatibility with AAI federations in national and international contexts
- Data is verified and updated in a timely manner
- Future-proof solution
For service operators
- Security (SWITCHaai basis, controlled guidelines and high-quality attributes)
- Standardised solution designed to support straightforward administration and access based on attributes and/or roles for all user groups
For users
- One identity for all academic services – lifelong, user-controlled and secure
- Use outside of the confines of web applications
- Transparent data quality and forwarding
SWITCH edu-ID and/or SWITCHaai?
Services already relying on SWITCHaai for authenticating users will continue to work as before without further action.
Service administrators who want to make use of SWITCH edu-ID’s advanced features should contact SWITCH.
Anyone who has a SWITCHaai account is encouraged for the time being to continue using it wherever possible. Some services making use of advanced features require a SWITCH edu-ID account. In this case, users who don’t have a SWITCHaai account yet should create their personal SWITCH edu-ID identity. They need to be informed by the service or responsible organisation as to how and where their SWITCH edu-ID account is to be used.
Transition to SWITCH edu-ID
SWITCH edu-ID will replace SWITCHaai. Organisations need to be well prepared for migrating to the new solution. Swissuniversities provides funding for such planning and transition steps.
SWITCH recommends starting a joint transition planning project together with SWITCH under the Swiss edu-ID project before 2020.