A SAML identity provider is a system entity that issues authentication assertions in conjunction with a single sign-on (SSO) profile of the Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML).
Likewise a SAML attribute authority is a system entity that produces SAML attribute assertions.
A SAML authentication authority that participates in one or more SSO Profiles of SAML[OS 2] is called a SAML identity provider (or simply identity provider if the domain is understood).
For example, an authentication authority that participates in SAML Web Browser SSO is an identity provider that performs the following essential tasks: In the previous example, the relying on party that receives and accepts the authentication assertion is called a SAML service provider.
[OS 3] Likewise, a SAML service provider is described by an