Design of a Federated Framework for Emergency Response

Abstract: This is a feasibility study exploring the potential of using advanced e-infrastructure mechanisms for federated identity management and service provisioning to support multi-organizational emergency response efforts. The mechanisms explored are primarily similar to the EduGAIN services developed and used by the national and regional research and education network communities with the objective to support international research collaboration. Such a service called AMPRemote has been developed and demonstrated is a service supporting radio amateurs to request access to remote HF-stations owned by other radio amateurs and the owners to grant access without sharing any sensitive information in a very secure environment. This could, for example, be useful in extraordinary situations when normal communication infrastructures are failing. The thesis includes needs and requirement analysis for a small core group of organizations involved in emergency response and a proposal for the design of a general emergency response management framework. The thesis also documents prototype implementations of an identity provider (AMPRID) and an experimental service (AMPRemote) used as a conceptual demonstration involving authentication and authorization of licensed amateur radio operators to access and operate radio transmission equipment requiring a license. The conclusions are positive and the primary stakeholders are using the results and recommendations for further development of other services based on this study.