Secure access to Ecosystem Research Data Infrastructure

Collaboration between TERN and the Australian Access Federation (AAF) has significantly improved the streamlined implementation of secure access to TERN’s data infrastructure. AAF’s federated identity service has enabled a seamless, secure, and scalable user authentication capability, to integrate with the TERN data platforms. Users can now access TERN tools and services using their institutional credentials, eliminating the need for multiple accounts. The federated identity solution has simplified access to TERN data and services, strengthened data security, and fostered cross-institutional collaboration. The TERN and AAF partnership exemplifies commitment from national research infrastructure facilities to provide seamless, secure digital infrastructure for research and policy-making. In this presentation, the AAF will provide an overview of what a federation is and how it enables researchers in Australia to access digital services both nationally and internationally — without managing multiple accounts or credentials. With over 1000 connected services, including many aligned with Earth and Environmental Sciences, the AAF supports scalable Trust and Identity (T&I) infrastructure for the research community. TERN will share their experience as one of the earliest service providers to integrate with the AAF and other identity service providers, lowering the barrier to using the TERN platform and services without compromising on security. The presentation will highlight the different identity providers that TERN supports and showcase a streamlined process to access TERN platforms and services.