First page Back Continue Last page Overview Graphics
... the big driver is Athens
Currently controlling access to many UL electronic resources (esp. 'off site access')
A “big database, with 3 million rows and 300 columns”
About 17,000 UoC accounts
Currently centrally funded by JISC, but funding stops June 2008
Shibboleth and the UK Federation is its intended replacement
Notes:
Athens is a national service run by EduServ under contract for JISC which is used to authenticate and authorise access to many library electronic resources. Athens is in effect a national userid and password storage and verification system. In the University, Athens authentication is currently managed by the University Library. We have approximately 17,000 Athens users.
The University's use of Athens has always been centrally funded by JISC, but this funding ceases in June 2008. EduServ plan to continue to operate the service on a commercial basis for the foreseeable future. JISCs official strategy is to replace Athens by Shibboleth.