11. One or more computer-readable storage media comprising a collection of application program interfaces (APIs) configured for use with a peer identity system, the APIs comprising: a peer identity create function configured to create a new peer identity and return its name; a function configured to retrieve and set a friendly name for use by a user in establishment or management of a peer identity; a get cryptographic key function configured to return a handle to a private/public key air which is associated with an identity; a function configured to delete peer identities; an export function configured to export an identity to a data structure and encrypt the data structure with a supplied password; an import function configured to import identity information in the form of an encrypted data structure; an enumerate function configured to enumerate peer identities; an enumerate function configured to enumerate groups associated with peer identities; a function configured to enable retrieval of security information for an identity in the form of an XML fragment; and a function configured to create a new peer name based on an existing name of an identity and supplied classifier.
11. One or more computer-readable storage media comprising a collection of application program interfaces (APIs) configured for use with a peer identity system, the APIs comprising: a peer identity create function configured to create a new peer identity and return its name; a function configured to retrieve and set a friendly name for use by a user in establishment or management of a peer identity; a get cryptographic key function configured to return a handle to a private/public key air which is associated with an identity; a function configured to delete peer identities; an export function configured to export an identity to a data structure and encrypt the data structure with a supplied password; an import function configured to import identity information in the form of an encrypted data structure; an enumerate function configured to enumerate peer identities; an enumerate function configured to enumerate groups associated with peer identities; a function configured to enable retrieval of security information for an identity in the form of an XML fragment; and a function configured to create a new peer name based on an existing name of an identity and supplied classifier. 19. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 11 , wherein the function configured to enable retrieval of security information for an identity in the form of an XML fragment includes parameters comprising a peer name of an identity for which information is retrieved, and a pointer to a location where a string containing the XML fragment with the information about the identity is returned.