Use case: M2M interaction (with fine-grained authorization)

Owned by Gerard van der Hoeven
Last updated: Nov 09, 2023 by Vinith Bhandari
2 min read

This use case showcases iSHARE Trust Framework's key functionality 'support Machine to Machine (M2M) interaction'.

The example described in the linked chapter is as follows:

  • Every day, the ERP system (machine) of Party A requests a status update from the ERP system (machine) of Party B. Party B's ERP system automatically responds with the requested status update. No humans are needed to interfere. 

To showcase the key functionality 'facilitate flexible authorizations', Party A's ERP system (machine) is ONLY allowed to request status updates concerning line X of bill of lading Y. This can be considered a fine-grained authorization.

The following explains this example in detail, utilising the iSHARE Trust Framework.

Roles and Relations

The following roles are fulfilled in this use case:

  • Party A requests a status update, so it is the legal entity fulfilling the Service Consumer-role;
  • Party B responds with the status update, so it is the legal entity fulfilling the Service Provider-role;
  • No delegation takes place, so Party A also fulfils the Entitled Party-role;
  • As this is a M2M use case, a Machine Service Consumer represents Party A.


The only legal relation is the mandatory relation between the Entitled Party (Party A) and the Service Provider (Party B), which establishes the entitlements of the Entitled Party (Party A). As depicted:

 

Prerequisites

It is prerequisite of this use case that:

  • The Service Provider (Party B) has and manages its own entitlement information indicating what Entitled Parties are entitled to what (parts of) services, i.e. Party B has information indicating that Party A is allowed to request status updates concerning line X of bill of lading Y from its ERP system;
  • The Service Consumer (Party A) is able to authenticate the Service Provider (Party B);
  • The Service Provider (Party B) is able to authenticate the Service Consumer (Party A).

Use case

The use case consists of the following steps:

  1. The Machine Service Consumer (of Party A) requests a service from the Service Provider (Party B);
  2. The Service Provider (Party B) authenticates the Machine Service Consumer (of Party A) and validates the iSHARE adherence of the Service Consumer (Party A);
  3. The Service Provider (Party B) authorizes the Machine Service Consumer of the Service Consumer (Party A) based on the entitlement information registered with the Service Provider (Party B);
  4. The Service Provider (Party B) executes the requested service;
  5. The Service Provider (Party B) provides the service result to the Machine Service Consumer (of Party A).


As depicted: 

 


Note that this use case is exactly the same as primary use case 1, as found under detailed Functional descriptions.

Sequence diagram


What needs to be implemented technically for this use case is described generically, and specifically per role in the iSHARE Developer Portal.