The eduGAIN Constitution defines an automatic suspension process that can be applied by the eduGAIN Service Team in appropriate circumstances. This document addresses the definition of appropriate circumstances to enact the automatic suspension and defines the process to manage it.

Appropriate circumstances

There are appropriate circumstances for automatic suspension when:

• A Participant commits a severe violation as defined on section 3.5 of the eduGAIN Constitution.
• The violation is unambiguous and not disputable, for example a missing signature of required policy document.

Suspension process overview

• In the period preceding suspension, the eduGAIN Service will make every effort to contact the federation representatives to solve the problem.
• Suspended federations will be listed in a separate section of the members status page on the eduGAIN technical site. The reason for the suspension will be visible in the details window.
• Suspended federations' metadata upstream feed will not be pulled and no validation alerts will be sent until the status is changed by the OT. The status page will still have the link to metadata validation, so that the federation is able to test its current feed before asking us to lift the suspension.
• The suspension will be lifted after the federation contacts the eduGAIN Service and rectifies the problem.
• The eduGAIN Service will inform the Assembly and the Steering Committee about cases of applying or lifting automatic suspensions and will report on suspended federations at each SC meeting.

Suspension workflow

One week after the deadline for remediating the violation, the eduGAIN Support will send the first suspension forewarn to inform the technical contacts, delegate and deputy of the Identity Federation that a failure in fixing the issue will lead to suspension.

After one week has passed with no effect from the first suspension forewarn, the eduGAIN Support will send the second suspension forewarn to the same recipients with the addition of the eduGAIN Steering Committee. The eduGAIN Secretariat will also work with the GÉANT Partner Relations and International Relations team to identify appropriate NREN senior contacts to whom raise the issue.

After one week has passed with no effect from the second suspension forewarn, the eduGAIN Secretariat will send the third suspension forewarn to the management of the NREN or the Organisation to which the Identity Federation is affiliated with. The third suspension forewarn will also be sent to both the technical contacts and the delegate and the deputy of the Identity Federation and the eduGAIN Chair.

After one week has passed from the third suspension forewarn with no effect, or request of making use of the additional one month of grace period, the Identity Federation participation will be suspended.