A federation system operating in a first enterprise includes a configuration server and a database for creating and storing federation configuration data and a federation registrar having an interface for dealing with a second enterprise seeking to federate. In the system the second enterprise connects to the federation registrar, negotiation takes place concerning details of federation, agreement is reached, configuration is stored in the configuration database, and the second enterprise is then coupled to the first enterprise through a pair of federation proxy interfaces, one at the first enterprise and one at the second enterprise, the proxy interfaces configured by details of the federation.