doc/architecture.md: first draft

I tried to follow the following principles.
- Use existing wordsmithing.
- Only document things that we support today.
- Grab our README.md reader's attention using a picture.
- Use "upstream" when referring to OSS and "external" when referring to
  IDP integrations.

Signed-off-by: Andrew Keesler <akeesler@vmware.com>
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Andrew Keesler 2020-09-14 09:17:46 -04:00
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@ -28,35 +28,11 @@ credential for a short-lived, cluster-specific credential. Pinniped supports var
IDP types and implements different integration strategies for various Kubernetes IDP types and implements different integration strategies for various Kubernetes
distributions to make authentication possible. distributions to make authentication possible.
#### Supported Identity Provider Types To learn more, see [architecture.md](doc/architecture.md).
The currently supported external IDP types are outlined here. More will be added in the future. #### Example Deployment Architecture
1. Any webhook which implements the ![example-deployment-architecture](doc/img/pinniped-architecture.svg)
[Kubernetes TokenReview API](https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/access-authn-authz/authentication/#webhook-token-authentication)
#### Supported Cluster Integration Strategies
The currently supported cluster integration strategies are outlined here. More
will be added in the future.
1. Pinniped hosts a credential exchange API endpoint via a Kubernetes aggregated API server.
This API returns a new cluster-specific credential using the cluster's signing keypair to
issue short-lived cluster certificates. (In the future, when the Kubernetes CSR API
provides a way to issue short-lived certificates, then the Pinniped credential exchange API
will use that instead of using the cluster's signing keypair.)
#### `kubectl` Integration
With any of the above IDPs and integration strategies, `kubectl` commands receive the
cluster-specific credential via a
[Kubernetes client-go credential plugin](https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/access-authn-authz/authentication/#client-go-credential-plugins).
Users may use the Pinniped CLI as the credential plugin, or they may use any proprietary CLI
built with the [Pinniped Go client library](generated).
#### Cluster Authentication Sequence Diagram
![implementation](doc/img/pinniped.svg)
## Installation ## Installation

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# Architecture
The principal purpose of Pinniped is to allow users to access Kubernetes
clusters. Pinniped hopes to enable this access across a wide range of Kubernetes
environments with zero configuration.
This integration is implemented using a credential exchange API which takes as
input a credential from the external IDP (or internal federation trust
relationship) and returns a credential which is understood by the host
Kubernetes cluster. To learn more about this integration, see [Cluster
Integration Strategies](#cluster-integration-strategies).
## External Identity Provider Integrations
Pinniped will consume identity from one or more external identity providers
(IDPs). Administrators will configure external IDPs via [Kubernetes custom
resources](https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/extend-kubernetes/api-extension/custom-resources/),
allowing Pinniped to be managed using GitOps and standard Kubernetes tools.
IDP integration support will be driven by empirical use case.
IDPs that support only just-in-time flows (such as OIDC) can be optionally
paired with a separate directory backend to enable directory-based flows such as
first-class support for policy editing UX.
### Supported External Identity Provider Types
The currently supported external IDP types are outlined here. More will be added
in the future.
1. Any webhook which implements the
[Kubernetes TokenReview API](https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/access-authn-authz/authentication/#webhook-token-authentication)
## Cluster Integration Strategies
Pinniped will issue a cluster credential by leveraging cluster-specific
functionality. In the near term, cluster integrations will happen via different
cluster-specific flows depending on the type of cluster. In the longer term,
Pinniped hopes to contribute and leverage upstream Kubernetes extension points that
cleanly enable this integration.
### Supported Cluster Integration Strategies
The currently supported cluster integration strategies are outlined here. More
will be added in the future.
1. Pinniped hosts a credential exchange API endpoint via a Kubernetes aggregated API server.
This API returns a new cluster-specific credential using the cluster's signing keypair to
issue short-lived cluster certificates. (In the future, when the Kubernetes CSR API
provides a way to issue short-lived certificates, then the Pinniped credential exchange API
will use that instead of using the cluster's signing keypair.)
## `kubectl` Integration
With any of the above IDPs and integration strategies, `kubectl` commands receive the
cluster-specific credential via a
[Kubernetes client-go credential plugin](https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/access-authn-authz/authentication/#client-go-credential-plugins).
Users may use the Pinniped CLI as the credential plugin, or they may use any proprietary CLI
built with the [Pinniped Go client library](generated).
## Example Cluster Authentication Sequence Diagram
![example-cluster-authentication-sequence-diagram](img/pinniped.svg)
## Example Deployment Architecture
![example-deployment-architecture](img/pinniped-architecture.svg)

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# Project Scope # Project Scope
The Pinniped project is guided by the following principles. The Pinniped project is guided by the following principles.
* Pinniped lets you plug any upstream identitiy providers into * Pinniped lets you plug any external identitiy providers into
Kubernetes. These integrations follow enterprise-grade security principles. Kubernetes. These integrations follow enterprise-grade security principles.
* Pinniped is easy to install and use on any Kubernetes cluster via * Pinniped is easy to install and use on any Kubernetes cluster via
distribution-specific integration mechanisms. distribution-specific integration mechanisms.
@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ The Pinniped project is guided by the following principles.
clusters at one time. clusters at one time.
* Pinniped provides enterprise-grade security posture via secure defaults and * Pinniped provides enterprise-grade security posture via secure defaults and
revocable or very short-lived credentials. revocable or very short-lived credentials.
* Where possible, Pinniped will contribute ideas and code to upstream * Where possible, Pinniped will contribute ideas and code to external
Kubernetes. Kubernetes.
When contributing to Pinniped, please consider whether your contribution follows When contributing to Pinniped, please consider whether your contribution follows