Introduction

Huawei Cloud provides identity federation based on Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) or OpenID Connect. This function allows users in your enterprise management system to access Huawei Cloud through single sign-on (SSO).

Basic Concepts

**Table 1** Basic concepts
Concept	Description
Identity provider (IdP)	An IdP collects and stores user identity information, such as usernames and passwords, and authenticates users during login. For identity federation between an enterprise and Huawei Cloud, the identity authentication system of the enterprise is an identity provider and is also called "enterprise IdP". Popular third-party IdPs include Microsoft Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) and Shibboleth.
Service provider (SP)	A service provider establishes a trust relationship with an IdP and provides services based on the user information provided by the IdP. For identity federation between an enterprise and Huawei Cloud, Huawei Cloud is a service provider.
Identity federation	Identity federation is the process of establishing a trust relationship between an IdP and SP to implement SSO.
Single sign-on (SSO)	SSO allows users to access a trusted SP after logging in to the enterprise IdP. For example, after a trust relationship is established between an enterprise management system and Huawei Cloud, users in the enterprise management system can use their existing accounts and passwords to access Huawei Cloud through the login link in the enterprise management system. Huawei Cloud supports two SSO types: virtual user SSO and IAM user SSO.
SAML 2.0	SAML 2.0 is an XML-based protocol that uses security tokens containing assertions to pass information about an end user between an IdP and an SP. It is an open standard ratified by the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS) and is being used by many IdPs. For more information about this standard, see SAML 2.0 Technical Overview. Huawei Cloud implements identity federation in compliance with SAML 2.0. To successfully federate your enterprise users with Huawei Cloud, ensure that your enterprise IdP is compatible with this protocol.
OpenID Connect	OpenID Connect is a simple identity layer on top of the Open Authorization 2.0 (OAuth 2.0) protocol. IAM implements identity federation in compliance with OpenID Connect 1.0. To successfully federate your enterprise users with Huawei Cloud, ensure that your enterprise IdP is compatible with this protocol. For more information about OpenID Connect, see OpenID Connect Introduction.
OAuth 2.0	OAuth 2.0 is an open authorization protocol. The authorization framework of this protocol allows third-party applications to obtain access permissions.

Advantages of Identity Federation

Easy identity management
With an identity provider, the administrator can manage workforce identities outside of Huawei Cloud and give these external workforce identities permissions to use resources on Huawei Cloud.
Simplified operations
Workforce users can use their existing accounts in the enterprise to access Huawei Cloud through SSO.

Figure 1 Advantages of identity federation

SSO Type

IAM supports two SSO types: virtual user SSO and IAM user SSO. For details about how to choose an SSO type, see Application Scenarios of Virtual User SSO and IAM User SSO.

Virtual user SSO
After a federated user logs in to Huawei Cloud, the system automatically creates a virtual user and grants access permissions to the virtual user based on the configured identity conversion rules.
IAM user SSO
After a federated user logs in to Huawei Cloud, the system automatically maps the external identity ID to an IAM user so that the federated user has the permissions of the mapped IAM user.

Currently, IAM supports two federated login methods: browser-based SSO (web SSO) and SSO via API calling.

Web SSO: Browsers are used as the communication media. This authentication type enables common users to access Huawei Cloud using browsers. You can initiate web SSO from the IdP or SP side.
- IdP-initiated SSO: Configure a login link in the enterprise management system. Your enterprise employees can use the link to log in to Huawei Cloud from the enterprise management system.
- SP-initiated SSO: Huawei Cloud provides the federated user login entry. Your enterprise employees can enter a Huawei Cloud account and choose the enterprise's IdP on the login page to access Huawei Cloud.
SSO via API calling: Enterprise employees call APIs using development tools (such as OpenStack Client and ShibbolethECP Client) to access Huawei Cloud.

**Table 2** Federated logins
SSO Type	Supported Protocols	Web SSO	API Calling	IdP-initiated	SP-initiated	Multiple IdPs
Virtual user	SAML 2.0 and OpenID Connect	Supported	Supported	Supported	Supported	Supported
IAM user	SAML 2.0	Supported	Supported	Supported	Supported	Not supported

This chapter describes how to access Huawei Cloud through web SSO login. For details about how to access Huawei Cloud by calling APIs, see Identity Federation Management.

Precautions

Ensure that your enterprise IdP server and Huawei Cloud use Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) time in the same time zone.
The identity information (such as email address or mobile number) of federated users is stored in the enterprise IdP. Federated users are mapped to Huawei Cloud as virtual identities, so their access to Huawei Cloud has the following restrictions:
- Federated users do not need to perform a 2-step verification when performing critical operations even though critical operation protection (login protection or operation protection) is enabled.
- Federated users cannot create access keys with unlimited validity, but they can obtain temporary access credentials (access keys and security tokens) using user or agency tokens. For details, see Obtaining a Temporary Access Key and Security Token Through a Token.
  If a federated user needs an access key with unlimited validity, they can contact the account administrator or an IAM user to create one. An access key contains the permissions granted to a user, so it is recommended that the federated user request an IAM user in the same group to create an access key.