(note: this page is being rewritten - it is not fully up to date)

== Workspaces: concept ==

Basically it is a private/group-shared cloud storage for researchers. Requirements:

 * easy to use, should ideally integrate closely with the operating system
 * CLARIN server-side applications should be able to access it (for reading and writing, if the owner allows)
 * if/when offered as a production service: 
   * should come with a clear statement about availability
   * should come with clear legal terms of reference (to prevent abuse/illegal actions/liability for the hoster)

== !OwnCloud ==

[http://owncloud.org OwnCloud] seems to be a good package, has been tested in CLARIN-D.

A few hints on how to access publicly shared links can be found [wiki:ownCloud-shared-links-access here].

== Available installations ==

 * EUDAT is providing the beta [https://eudat.eu/services/b2drop B2DROP] service, which is based on OwnCloud and hosted at the [FZJ computing centre].
 * CLARIN-D has an own [https://clarin.fz-juelich.de/owncloud test instance of OwnCloud] hosted at FZJ. Probably B2DROP can replace this test instance, since it is the same software running at the same computing centre. Also, the organisational backing of EUDAT is important.
 * Several national research networks have setup an ownCloud installation

== Authentication ==

=== web-based access ===

This is the easy case: use SAML. There are (tested) plugins for OwnCloud:

 * http://www.yaco.es/blog/en/uniquid/2012/06/implementado-plugin-saml-para-owncloud/
 * https://gitorious.org/owncloud/apps/trees/master/user_saml

=== access by web applications ===

Challenge is to access it from web services/applications. To do so, a SAML-to-OAuth2 bridge might be needed.

=== non web-based access ===

some possible solutions:

 * Radius (like for eduroam), see e.g. plugin for [http://wiki.gwdg.de/index.php/GWDG_Cloud_Share/EN#Prerequisites_and_limitations powerfolder as used at GWDG] and plugin for [https://github.com/AlessandroLorenzi/owncloud-radius OwnCloud]. Outstanding issues:
   * will it work (as well as eduroam)?
   * is it allowed to use eduroam credentials for this?
 * [https://community.ja.net/groups/moonshot Moonshot] (based on radius but with own client software). Experimental; status needs to be checked with the Moonshot team (which is very communicative: Rhys Smith and John Chapman).
 * LDAP (restricted to just 1 Identity Provider) > tested successfully for CLARIN-D !OwnCloud. Outstanding issues:
   * linking with web-based access (match LDAP user ID to SAML attribute like ePPN)
   * risk that people only use CLARIN IdP as it offers more functionality than their own Identity Provider

== History and background ==
 * There are some other Cloud storage solutions around, e.g.:
   * [https://www.powerfolder.com Power Folder] - at the time of evaluation closed source and rather bad test experiences
   * [https://www.seafile.com/en/about/ Sea File] - fairly new, open source since mid 2012, positive stories but not as popular as ownCloud
   * [http://www.eyeos.com/ EyeOS] - was considered by CLARIN-D in 2012, but discarded later because of low development activity at the EyeOS site and blog