Application identity design

A method, comprising:

• receiving a request for a first service to perform a particular task involving a second service on behalf of a first user, wherein the first and second services are in communication with an interoperability network and are provided by first and second independent service providers, respectively;
• determining whether the first user has provided a first set of credentials that defines access information associated with the second service, the first set of credentials being included among a plurality of sets of credentials stored on one or more storage media accessible through the interoperability network;
• determining whether the first service is authorized to act on behalf of the first user with respect to the second service with reference to one or more of a plurality of permissions stored on the one or more storage media;
• and
• where the first user has provided the first set of credentials, and where the first service is authorized to act on behalf of the first user with respect to the second service, authorizing the first service to perform the particular task involving the second service on behalf of the first user.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

• first instructions for receiving a request for a first service to perform a particular task involving a second service on behalf of a first user, wherein the first and second services are in communication with an interoperability network and are provided by first and second independent service providers, respectively;
• second instructions for determining whether the first user has provided a first set of credentials that defines access information associated with the second service, the first set of credentials being included among a plurality of sets of credentials stored on one or more storage media accessible through the interoperability network;
• third instructions for determining whether the first service is authorized to act on behalf of the first user with respect to the second service with reference to one or more of a plurality of permissions stored on the one or more storage media;
• and
• fourth instructions for, where the first user has provided the first set of credentials, and where the first service is authorized to act on behalf of the first user with respect to the second service, authorizing the first service to perform the particular task involving the second service on behalf of the first user.