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LIMPOPO – FOSS Progress K Joubert

LIMPOPO – FOSS Progress K Joubert. Government CIO Summit. Towards reducing costs of doing business in government and contributing towards achieving clean audit . Date: 29 May 2013 . Agenda. Background – FOSS Policy 2007 FOSS initiatives in Limpopo Provincial approach

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LIMPOPO – FOSS Progress K Joubert

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  1. LIMPOPO – FOSS Progress K Joubert Government CIO Summit Towards reducing costs of doing business in government and contributing towards achieving clean audit Date: 29 May 2013

  2. Agenda Background – FOSS Policy 2007 FOSS initiatives in Limpopo Provincial approach Free and Open Source Lab Planned Projects ICT Governance Challenges & Lessons Learned Recommendations

  3. FOSS Policy 2007 In 2007 the South African Government signed a policy for the adoption and implementation of Open Source Software. The policy states the following: • implement FOSS unless proprietary software is demonstrated to be significantly superior. • Whenever the advantages of FOSS and proprietary software are comparable FOSS will be implemented • Whenever FOSS is not implemented, then reasons must be provided • The South African Government will migrate current proprietary software to FOSS whenever comparable software exists. • All new software developed for or by the South African Government will be based on open standards, adherent to FOSS principles, and licensed using a FOSS license where possible. • All Government content and content developed using Government resources is made Open Content • The South African Government will encourage the use of Open Content and Open Standards within South Africa.

  4. FOSS Initiatives in Limpopo Developed a Strategic Performance Monitoring Tool in PHP & PostgreSQL, the system is also used by the department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, the Limpopo department of Transport and Limpopo department of Public Works. The PERMIS system (Performance Management Information System) won the CPSI innovation award! This system is developed in PHP and PostgreSQL. The above mentioned applications as well as the department’s Intranet & Websites are hosted on Red Hat Linux servers. Asterisk is used for a VOIP solution. The department also took the initiative to conduct an Open Source assessment in the department. CoGHSTA

  5. FOSS Initiatives in Limpopo Health Information System implemented in 41 Hospitals, base operating system is Red Hat Enterprise Linux, 80 servers operational and running for 6 years. Department of Health Office of the Premier • Office of the Premier implemented IBM Domino server on SuseLinux, the website of the Office of the Premier is developed in Joomla/ mySQL and is hosted on a SuseLinux server. • Currently planning the implementation of Alfresco as enterprise content management system. Department of Sports, Arts and Culture Department of Sports, Arts & Culture installed Ubuntu & Linux Mint in 10 Libraries across the province.

  6. FOSS Initiatives in Limpopo WordPressis used for an internal portal phpScheduleIt is used for resource booking The following FOSS systems are currently being piloted: • sLiMsLibrary management system • OsTicketfor a customer helpdesk system • CuteFlow for workflow in the department Limpopo Department of Roads & Transport Limpopo department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism LimeSurvey is used to process questionnaires

  7. FOSS Initiatives in Limpopo FOSS applications used • Internet and Intranet sites are developed in Joomla. • Desktop GIS used is Quantum GIS. • 3D Virtual Learning Environment using OpenSim is implemented on UbuntuLinux in 8 schools. • CloneZilla is used for cloning of workstations • Web2Project is used as project management solution • Mantis is used for bug tracking and reporting Other Open Source solutions used in the FOSS Lab • Plone is used as a document repository • Cyn.inis used for knowledge management • OpenNMS is used as network monitoring tool • Ubuntu, Centos, Mint, Fedora • OpenERP • VirtualBox • ClearOS LEDA

  8. Provincial approach

  9. Free and Open Source Lab Objectives and functions of the FOSS Lab • Ensure Limpopo becomes a producer of FOSS and an informed user of FOSS. • Introduce FOSS systems to the Province • Contribute to the FOSS community • Enable departments to test solutions in a lab environment before they are deployed in critical environments. • Test new FOSS Installations • Test backup & restore procedures • Test new technology in complex environments • Assist FOSS developers and users to develop/test applications • Provide hands-on training to developers and users

  10. Free and Open Source Lab

  11. FOSS Technologies in the Lab

  12. Planned projects • E-Heritage • Security assessment for departments • FOSS awareness • Extension of the SMME Database • Cloud • Alfresco Enterprise ECM • Library systems • Localized spin of Linux for Limpopo • FOSS Training across all levels in the LEDA ICT Academy

  13. ICT Governance Risk Management Do not assume FOSS systems are risk free, manage FOSS risks just like any other risks Risks that should be considered: • Availability of the source code • Version control in the development of the software • Certification • Interoperability (MIOS) • Intellectual property rights • Community support v. Vendor support Configuration management Document configurations Follow a formalized configuration change process Security management Enforce security policies Ensure critical security patches are installed Know and understand, which services are active and why

  14. Challenges & Lessons Learned • Lack of awareness of FOSS is problematic • No set guidelines or standards exists • Open Source skills not readily available • Certified training not easily available • If FOSS is not well supported implementations become unsustainable • Implementation of FOSS can disempower the traditional power-users and support personnel • The concept of FOSS is not well understood • Departments use different sets of rules for FOSS and proprietary software • Stability of FOSS is remarkable • Departments are keen to use FOSS but reluctant to produce FOSS • Diversity of FOSS is its strength but it is also problematic

  15. Recommendations • Conduct readiness assessments in all departments • Develop FOSS implementation Roadmaps • Implement FOSS based on departmental readiness and product maturity • Do not shy away from mixed environments • Use same standards for FOSS as for proprietary equivalents. (update, patch, monitor, etc) • When proprietary systems are implemented make sure they use compatible standards (MIOS) • Consider to release some developed systems as FOSS • Promote community involvement and create active forums

  16. Thank you!

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