SP Startup takes 20+ minutes

[Scott Koranda]

> I'm not sure about "You need to fully understand the trust model and what
> role digital 
> signing of the SAML metadata plays in that model."

Some of the important concepts are discussed at

https://wiki.shibboleth.net/confluence/display/CONCEPT/Metadata

See especially the last section "Bootstrapping Trust".

> Regarding "the potential failure modes for the script/offline verification
> technique," I believe I can guarantee that the file I have was successfully
> downloaded and verified using the script at all times.
> 
> Could you elaborate a bit more on what measures I can take to improve
> security? Thanks a lot.

I meant that the most important thing is to understand the technique and
carefully weigh the risks rather than just implementing the technique
because it solves an immediate operational need. It sounds like you are
doing that.

Scott K