German State Replaces Microsoft Exchange And Outlook With Open-source Email

1 month ago

Old municipality and stream Trave, Lübeck, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

Follow ZDNET: Add america arsenic a preferred source connected Google.

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

Schleswig-Holstein has moved from Microsoft Exchange and Outlook to Open-Xchange and Thunderbird for e-mail.
Other EU entities person opted for open-source alternatives.
This move isn't conscionable a method change; it's a governmental move.

The German authorities of Schleswig-Holstein has dumped its authorities email and almanac systems for open-source software. The six-month migration has replaced Microsoft Exchange and Outlook pinch Open-Xchange and Mozilla Thunderbird. The transportation covered much than 40,000 mailboxes and complete 100 cardinal messages and almanac entries.

Digitalization Minister Dirk Schrödter declared, "Mission accomplished. From nan State Chancellery and ministries to nan judiciary, police, and different authorities authorities, our astir 30,000 labor person embarked connected a caller way together. We want to go independent of ample tech corporations and guarantee integer sovereignty. Now we tin besides say: ngo accomplished erstwhile it comes to email communication."

Also: 3 tips for navigating nan open-source AI swarm - 4M models and counting

Schrödter praised nan labor who helped make nan modulation possible: "The past weeks and months person shown that specified a modulation is nary mini feat. We are existent pioneers. There is hardly a comparable task of this magnitude worldwide. Our sincere acknowledgment spell to each employees. Without their support, this modulation would not person been possible."

The move to open-source email followed years of planning. The state, successful performance pinch open-source vendors specified arsenic Nextcloud, has been replacing each proprietary systems pinch open-source software. Last year, for example, nan authorities began rolling retired LibreOffice arsenic nan default agency suite to switch Microsoft Office.

The curate added that Schleswig-Holstein's acquisition will service arsenic a exemplary for different administrations moving toward unfastened technologies: "We tin now usage our knowledge, from information study to information halfway monitoring, to support others connected nan aforesaid path."

Also: The Linux kernel conscionable sewage immoderate important upgrades - here's what's caller successful 6.17

Many different EU authorities agencies person already dropped Microsoft package from their computers. These see nan Austrian military, Danish government agencies, and nan French metropolis of Lyon. The mentation is that galore European Union (EU) governmental agencies are sick and tired of relying connected American package companies.

As nan authorities of Schleswig-Holstein explained successful its April 2025 argumentation statement, Open Innovation and Open Source Strategy: Schleswig-Holstein, looking ahead, "it will beryllium much important than ever to debar economical aliases method limitations of an individual, monopolistic quality if nan authorities is to support power complete nan IT systems utilized by it and clasp mastery complete nan information of its citizens and enterprises. For this reason, it is basal to trim existent limitations and travel nan roadworthy towards integer sovereignty."

The authorities believes open-source package (OSS) is nan solution because it "offers an replacement to existing systems connected nan 1 manus and is besides tin of addressing galore of these early changes. That makes OSS 1 of nan astir important devices for achieving sovereignty."

Also: 5 of my favourite Linux distros fresh to usage retired of nan container - nary setup required

Digital sovereignty isn't a building often heard successful nan US, but it's a large woody successful Europe and different countries. It's not conscionable a lawsuit of 'Proprietary software: Bad and expensive; open-source software: Cheap and good.' Digital sovereignty has go a awesome governmental issue.

European governments, companies, and individuals interest that they can't spot American-based companies and unreality services to beryllium disposable erstwhile required, aliases to support their information safe. As Germany's integer curate Karsten Wildberger said, Germany and nan European Union request to "actively participate successful this (sector) arsenic players," not arsenic customers.

Also: Is this Arch distro nan 'ultimate' Linux? That depends connected your GPU

The emergence of integer sovereignty isn't a caller trend. "What we request now successful each sector, for each innovation, are European solutions and European sovereignty," said French President Emmanuel Macron successful 2020. He's made integer sovereignty a cardinal rumor successful his policies.

You tin expect to spot galore much European governments, companies, and individuals moving to Linux and open-source package from Windows. This isn't open-source instrumentality wishful thinking; it's a basal displacement successful really group spot and usage agency software.