The Schleswig-Holstein government, located in northern Germany, has approved the migration from Windows to Linux and from MS Office to LibreOffice on 30,000 computers in various state institutions. For collaborative work in the new infrastructure, Nextcloud, Open Xchange, and Thunderbird will be used instead of Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft Exchange/Outlook, and an open-source-based directory service will replace Active Directory. The transition to open-source software will affect all computers of government employees, including teachers' workstations in schools. The decision was made after the successful completion of a pilot project that lasted two and a half years.
The primary reason for replacing Windows with Linux is the desire to eliminate dependence on a single vendor. The movement toward digital sovereignty is also highlighted, along with intentions to enhance infrastructure security and concerns about privacy, which are difficult to guarantee without the ability to track the development and maintenance processes of cloud services. It is noted that using systems based on proprietary software or closed cloud services makes it impossible to control IT solutions and act independently. The use of open-source software not only allows for control over workflows but also enables participation in development to achieve desired functionality and address emerging issues. Transitioning to open-source software also allows funds that would have been spent on licensing fees to instead be invested in developing open products and maintaining jobs in their region.
It is noted that the issues encountered during the transition to Linux by government institutions in the city of Munich have been considered, and the team responsible for the transition will strive to avoid the mistakes made in other similar projects, such as insufficient attention to compatibility with previously used proprietary formats and obsolescence of the distribution during attempts at independent maintenance. The transition to open-source software will be made gradually — in the first phase of migration, the replacement of MS Office with LibreOffice is planned.
Source: opennet.ru
