federation
n. C / Un. a group of different computer systems or networks that work together while staying independent. It allows users to access information across different platforms using a single login.
n. a group of computing systems or networks that operate under a common set of standards while maintaining local autonomy. Often used in the context of identity management to allow cross-domain authentication.
The university uses a federation to share research data with other schools.
By joining the identity federation, the small college allowed its students to access thousands of academic journals hosted on external servers.
Modern cloud architecture often relies on a federation of services where disparate providers agree on security protocols to ensure seamless data exchange without centralising control of the entire infrastructure.
Borrowed from French fédération, from Late Latin foederatio, from Latin foederare; equivalent to federate + -ion.
Often functions as a collective noun; can be used as a modifier in phrases like 'federation services' or 'identity federation'.