Research and education institutions in South Africa are encouraged to join SAFIRE as Identity Providers (IdP). The IdP provides its users (students or employees) with valid login credentials to access internal services within their institution. If an institution joins SAFIRE users within that institution will be able to access the full range of services within SAFIRE, using their institutional log-in information.
While popular web applications such as Google and Facebook are common examples of identity providers, we are all familiar with the Log-in with Facebook button on many applications and websites, but the information in these systems are almost always self authenticated. Thus services that require a certain level of assurance that user information is valid need a more reliable system. Organisation and institutions that register students and employ individuals require verified information to give user-access to individuals. Thus service providers can trust verification information provided by IdPs, often above they information they would gather themselves.
SAFIRE 