!!! Overview
[{$pagename}] is the [Identity Correlation] of one or more [Digital Identities|Digital Identity] into one [entity]


There are always a lot of discussions on [{$pagename}] or [Principal] or [Digital Identity] and a lot of confusion.

We will use the term [{$pagename}] which we feel is interchangeable with the following:
* [Principal] 
when used within the [Digital Realm|Context] or [namespace].

Some comments about [{$pagename}] may help with the concepts:
* [{$pagename}] has one or more different [Digital Identity]s.
* The usage of the different [{$pagename}]s is dependent on the [Digital Context] to which the [Digital Identity] is presented.
* A [{$pagename}] has zero or more [Identity Attributes][1]
* Some of these [Identity Attributes] may be [Subject Relationships|The Laws of Relationships] that are references to other [Digital Identity]s in the same or different [Contexts][1]

Although any given [{$pagename}] is relevant to, and exists within a given [Digital Context], a single [Entity] may be represented as one (or more) [Digital Identity](s) in one [Digital Context] and yet another [Digital Identity] in another [Digital Context]. 

By linking or "federating" these disparate [{$pagename}]s one can gain a more [Federated Identity] view of a given [Entity]. 

[Contexts] represent different systems, organizations and entire enterprises with widely varying storage and trust models are handled using the [{$pagename}] linking approach. 

The information contained in a [{$pagename}] is not necessarily a pure subset of the union of all of the information contained in all of the [{$pagename}]s of an [Entity] taken together. 

There is no consistency constraint imposed between the [{$pagename}]s of an [Entity]. For example, a person could claim that their name was Jim in one Digital Subject and Jeemster in another.[1] 

A [Principal] in the [context] of a [security Domain]. [SAML Assertions] make declarations about [{$pagename}]s.[2]

[Java Authentication and Authorization Service] ([JAAS]) refers to this as simply [Subject] or [Principal].[3]

An [Entity] represented or existing in the digital [realm] which is being described or dealt with.[4]

!! [Examples] of Many Digital Subjects
Just as you have in your wallet:
* [Loyalty Purchase cards|Loyalty Card]
* [Medical ID Card]
* [Insurance Card]s
* [Business Card]s
* [Payment Cards]
* Your [Employee ID Card]

Then you decide which of these cards you present is based on where (which [Context] or [Realm]), in the physical world, you are presenting the cards to which maybe:
* Your Bank
* Your employer
* Grocery Store
The who or where is the [context] or [Realm].

For example the [Entity] "Bob Smith" could be represented as two [Digital Identity]s; 
* the first having "bsmith" as an identifier 
* the second having "bob" as an identifier.
These two [{$pagename}]s may be in the same or in different [Contexts].[1]

Through [Identity Correlation] the two [{$pagename}]s could be placed within on [{$pagename}]

!! [Realm] or [Digital Context]
Similar to what in the physical world is "The who or where is the [context] or [realm]", in the digital world we also have a [Realm] or [Digital Context].

!! More Information
There might be more information for this subject on one of the following:
[{ReferringPagesPlugin before='*' after='\n' }]

----
* [#1] - [http://wiki.eclipse.org/index.php/Digital_Subject] - Retrieved  2013-02-09
* [#2] - [http://www.oasis-open.org/] - Retrieved  2013-02-09
* [#3] - [http://java.sun.com/javase/6/docs/api/javax/security/auth/Subject.html] - Retrieved  2013-02-09
* [#4] - [http://IdentityGang.org] - Retrieved  2013-02-09