Written by
Dorina Anton
, Marketing Specialist
XWiki is proud to be a part of the openDesk initiative (formerly known as Sovereign Workplace), which aims to create a 100% open-source, secure, decentralized, and privacy-respecting environment for the German public administration. This initiative is being led by the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community, commissioned by the IT Council and is being implemented in collaboration with various open-source software providers, such as XWiki, Nextcloud, Collabora Office, Element (Matrix), Open-Xchange (OX), OpenProject, Nordeck (Jitsi), and Univention.
What is openDesk?
The openDesk initiative has several objectives, including the protection of sensitive data from unauthorized access, the elimination of vendor lock-in, and the promotion of interoperability among various administrative systems. It seeks to create a standardized platform that can be used across the German administration, enabling seamless collaboration and data exchange in a fast, secure, and transparent manner.
The openDesk project represents a measure as part of the joint strategy to strengthen the digital sovereignty of the federal, state and local authorities as well as an essential step towards resolving critical dependencies in public transport IT. (source)
The openDesk is composed of several components, including an operating system based on open-source software, secure communication tools, and a variety of administrative applications. These components are designed to be modular and interoperable so that each component can be replaced by another one and not suffer from proprietary lock-in policies. The project aims to roll out a productive version by the end of 2023 and integrate nine major software products that offer some of the best components available on the open-source market.
For the XWiki project, involvement in the openDesk project means numerous major improvements in the 2023 Roadmap that you can discover in our monthly releases. Thanks to this project, we are working actively on accessibility, deployment, and upgrade processes, security, and new features for the XWiki software.
The importance of open-source solutions for Digital Sovereignty
One of the key reasons why the German administration is pushing for open-source solutions in its ecosystem is to promote digital sovereignty. By using open-source software, the German government can maintain control over its administrative systems and data, rather than relying on proprietary software that may be subject to the interests of private companies or foreign governments.
Furthermore, open-source software is auditable by the state, by any developer or user, which guarantees a high level of security and reliability for all users and user organizations. By using open-source solutions, the German administration can ensure that the development and support of the solution are in its best interest. Its administrative systems will be secure and reliable, they will be able to communicate with one another, avoid duplication of data, and have greater work efficiency.
How XWiki's open-source solutions benefit administrative entities
We are thrilled to be a part of the openDesk project, and we believe that our open-source knowledge management and collaborative solutions can help to create a more secure and privacy-respecting environment for the German administration. Our XWiki software is a powerful tool that can be customized to meet the specific needs of administrative entities. We look forward to working with the German government and other open-source software providers to create a truly sovereign workplace.
