SharePoint Claims is a way for SharePoint to validate the credentials of a subject. For the developer, this provides no complexities since it is being done seamlessly at the creation of a web application by the SharePoint administrator.
SAML stands for Security Assertion Markup Language and is an XML-based framework for communicating user authentication, entitlement and attribute information. As its name suggests, SAML allows business entities to make assertions regarding the identity, attributes, and entitlements of a subject (an entity that is often a human user) to other entities, such as a partner company or another enterprise application.
Of a SharePoint perspective, SAML is one of the authentication mechanisms allowed, just like Windows or Forms authentication. In fact, it is supported by SharePoint claims and thus, the developer will be able to use the same classes without worrying about what method of authentication is being used by the system.
The SharePoint Claims classes are located in the Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration namespace but the common developer will probably never need to play with them since they will only be useful to someone attempting to create their own Claims provider.
Powered by Zoundry Raven
