The State IT Center (RIT) manages government computer workstations. They primarily use Microsoft 365 services. In the second half of the year, RIT will begin testing whether it would be possible to use other solutions that do not depend on US companies such as Microsoft, Google, or Amazon.
RIT director Ergo Tars says that discussions with European colleagues have taken place about whether it is necessary to reduce dependence on US technology. Currently, there is no good alternative, but RIT is working on it. This autumn, they plan to test solutions free from US technology.
If the European Union decides that US products cannot be trusted, then European-based solutions must be considered. There are two important aspects here: technology and user-friendliness. Government employees will need to get used to new tools that are not Excel, Outlook, or Word.
During the test, tools such as LibreOffice or OpenOffice and the Linux operating system may be used. Using Windows is currently not possible. Europe is working on such a solution, but it is still in its early stages.
Currently, there is no comprehensive alternative to Microsoft services. Government employees use multiple tools on their computers, and Microsoft is currently the best solution. Cloud-based workstations move employees' data to the cloud, where it is more secure.
RIT is working on transitioning government computer workstations to cloud-based services. Currently, 53 institutions and approximately 8,500 workstations use RIT services. By the end of the year, there could be up to 12,500 workstations.
Cloud-based workstations do not save the government money because alternative solutions must be maintained for emergencies. Critical components are built in a hybrid manner, partly in the cloud and partly on-premises.
Microsoft servers, where Estonian data is stored, are located in Europe. The risks are related to disruptions in Microsoft services, although the likelihood is low. Authentication mechanisms exist both in the cloud and on-premises.
The annual cost of one computer workstation is approximately 2,000 euros. Microsoft receives about 400 euros of this. Would the amount be smaller if free software were used? Tars says probably not, because a support provider must be found, and user support requires more work.