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This glossary provides terms and definitions for understanding IBM Blockchain Solutions running on an instance of IBM Blockchain Platform{: new_window} hosted on IBM Cloud.
Contents:
Application - An automated service, with a unique Service ID, that processes data for a solution. Solution login for an Application is programmatic, using a serviceid/apikey combination via IBM CloudIAM.
System User - An automated program, with a unique Service ID, that sends data to or receives data from the solution. Solution login for a System User is programmatic, using a serviceid/apikey combination via IBM CloudIAM.
Human User - A user, with a unique User ID, who interacts with the solution via a UI. Solution login for a human user is via UI, using an email/password combination via SSO.
IBM Blockchain Network - A secure, permissioned instance of IBM Blockchain Platform running one or more IBM Blockchain Solutions. IBM Blockchain Networks are hosted on IBM Cloud.
IBM Blockchain Solution - A collection of applications and services that provide blockchain network functions to member organizations.
IBM Blockchain Solution Manager - An array of functions for organizations to manage their blockchain network, solution, services, organizations and users.
IBM Blockchain Document Store - SaaS that enables organizations to join an IBM Blockchain network, onboard users and solutions, and store and manage documents. IBM Blockchain Document Store is a blockchain network application that consists of a file storage service, a blockchain ledger service, and a solution manager component. Within the context of IBM Cloud, Blockchain Document Store as a whole is referred to as a service (SaaS).
{: #organization-administrator} Organization Administrator - An authenticated Organization Administrator has the authority to manage their organization, and its human users and system users (including applications). The Organization Administrator role is assigned to each member organization, which can assign the role to one or more of its registered human users.
Service Chaincode - Source code for a service application, such as Blockchain Document Store, which is installed and instantiated on channel peers.
{: #solution-administrator} Solution Administrator - An authenticated Solution Administrator has the authority to manage organization types, roles and organizations. The Solution Administrator role is assigned to each member organization, which can assign the role to one or more of its registered human users.
{: #roles}
Roles - Roles are predefined access controls (aka ACLs), which provide specific
access to Blockchain Document Store functions for authenticated, authorized
users. The following roles are predefined: NetworkAdmin, SolutionAdmin,
OrganizationAdmin, User, SystemUser, BlockchainClient, servicebroker
and Application.
Onboarding Token - Blockchain Solution Manager uses JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) to
verify the identities of human users, system users and applications. An Onboarding
Token enables the secure passing of data between authenticated users, for a set
length of time. The JWT format is a period-delimited triple of base64-encoded data
(i.e. unreadable by a human) that identifies the organization, user and solution.
For additional JWT reference information, see JSON Web
Tokens 
{:new_window}.
Reference Token - A human-readable access token that is provided to a trusted application only. Each application must exchange its Onboarding Token for a Reference Token, for inclusion in API calls.
IAM Token - System users, including applications, must first request an IBM Cloud IAM Token, which is then included with an Onboarding Token request.
IBM Blockchain Network - A consortium, or collection of organizations, that have joined the same instance of an IBM Blockchain Platform network. By accepting the invitation to join, each organization has become a member of the network, and implicitly consented to the governance policies set by the Network Initiator.
Network Initiator - Any organization that purchases an IBM Blockchain Platform plan on IBM Cloud is a Network Initiator. Purchasing a plan initiates an IBM Blockchain network for the organization, by default. The Network Initiator then sets the network governance policies, and invites other IBM Blockchain organizations to join their network, i.e., to become a Member. Membership in an IBM Blockchain Network is by invitation only, from the Network Initiator.
Channel - A group of blockchain network member organizations that share a ledger and documents database, for the purpose of conducting private and confidential transactions between channel peers.
{: #bearertoken}
Bearer token - An HTTP authentication security token that
grants access to the bearer of the token. When the bearer of the token sends a
request to a network resource, they must include the bearer token in the
Authorization header of an API call: 'Authorization: Bearer <token>'.
For details, see Swagger Bearer Authentication {:new_window}.
{: #jwks}
JWKS - A JSON Web Key Set (JWKS) contains the public keys used to verify any
JSON Web Token (JWT) issued by the authorization server. For details, see
JSON Web Key Set (JWKS) {:new_window}.
OAuth 2.0 - OAuth 2.0 is the IBM Blockchain Solutions protocol for providing
application and service authentication and authorization to users, systems and
applications. Authentication for human users is a valid email address and
password combination; authentication for systems is a Service ID and API key
combination. For details, see
the OAuth 2.0 {:new_window} specification.
Password Grant - The password grant type is used when an application exchanges
a user’s username and password for an access token. For details see
OAuth Password Grant {:new_window}.