As OSOR approaches its 15th anniversary, we want to look back at past initiatives and projects to gain insights and learn from their evolution over the years. The series of “15 years” interviews will shed light on the elements that contributed to the durability and maintenance of open-source projects in government administrations. Today, open source projects can be found in all European administrations, but how was this made possible? 

This article takes us back to one of the first case studies published in 2004, focusing on the early days of what would later become OSOR . It examines the case of the province of Cremona and features an interview with Gianni Bassini, who was the system administrator for the province at that time. The project, known as "Rete Civica di Cremona" (RCCR - Cremona Civic Network), was initiated in 1997 with the objective of creating a civic network that would connect various organizations in the region and offer electronic services. The RCCR project relied on open-source technology and internet standards for communication.

The project consisted of two main components: content and infrastructure. The content component aimed to provide eGovernment services and information to users, while the infrastructure component focused on facilitating access to the civic network for all parties involved. The project team, primarily composed of individuals from the Technical University of Milan, had prior knowledge of open-source software and extensively utilized it in building and managing the RCCR.

Over time, the RCCR project evolved to adapt to the changing expectations and needs of users. In 2001, the project was discontinued, and new areas of service were established:

1. Intranet: The intranet expanded significantly to serve province employees, with additional functionality implemented on Linux using open-source software.

2. Internet Services: Internet services such as web and application servers, databases, and network and security services were hosted on Linux servers, predominantly relying on open-source software.

3. Rete Unitaria Provinciale (RUP): This portal catered to small organizations and municipalities within the province, initially providing email and web space and later extending its services to citizens. A dedicated team ensured seamless integration with internet services.

4. e-Cremona: A citizen-centric portal granting access to online information and services, including news, banking, and utilities. Content and services were managed by external parties.

The RCCR project and its subsequent developments served as valuable learning experiences for implementing open-source software. Leveraging open-source solutions allowed the project team to work within tight budgets while tailoring applications to meet user requirements. The implemented services were deemed reliable and gained the trust of the province's inhabitants.

 

In a recent conversation, Gianni, now almost twenty years later, shared his insights on how the situation has changed since then:

OSOR: Can you provide an overview of the use of the open source project led by the public administration of Cremona 15 years ago with the use of the RCCR (Rete Civica di Cremona)? Does it still exist today?

Gianni Bassini: The RCCR project doesn't exist any more. It was a community network that was initiated when the university was smaller. However, due to political reasons, it was changed to a public society, resulting in the creation of "E-Cremona." Currently, the company AtoA Energy has absorbed the initiatives through a merger. The connectivity of public services and players underwent changes with Italian reforms around 7-8 years ago, which aimed to reduce the power of the counties and provide more power to municipalities and regions. As a result, the initial community network was split between different actors.

OSOR: How has the use of open source evolved over the past 15 years? What significant milestones or changes have occurred during this time?

Gianni Bassini: The project has evolved step by step, gradually eliminating internally used proprietary software. The mission was to consistently improve our in-house infrastructure, primarily driven by financial considerations. We extensively use open-source software for servers and clients, except operating systems, where Windows is predominantly used.  The most significant change occurred during the pandemic when the focus shifted to cloud services. The public administration of Cremona was requested by the Italian government to adopt cloud-based services. The infrastructure has been transitioned to the cloud about a year ago. Prior to that, we used open source for their digital services, but often relied on closed-source components. ECremona integrates a single sign-on system, and while we prioritize open source for our internal projects, we first need to explore the availability of a cloud version.

OSOR: What were some challenges faced by the public administration in initiating and implementing this evolution towards cloud based services? 

Gianni Bassini: One of the challenges was the diversity among the 8,000 municipalities and their different approaches to ICT. The government needed to centralise the approach and reduce expenses, particularly related to data centres and the conversion of data. The second phase of digitalisation requires greater resources, which can be achieved through the coordination and utilisation of open source. Standardisation of procedures was also a challenge. These challenges still exist today, as coordination and standardisation remain ongoing needs. 

OSOR: How has this open-source project influenced other public administrations or similar initiatives? Has there been any attempts to replicate or build upon its success?

Gianni Bassini: Other municipalities, especially in the northern region, have had similar experiences regarding open source. While there are no particular collaboration projects drawn from our use of open source, the creation of Developers Italia has allowed us to share projects as well. We have for example shared a tool which serves as an XML dataset generator for communication to the Authority for the Supervision of Public Contracts .  

OSOR: Based on your experience with the use of open-source in public administrations, what advice would you give to other public administrations considering similar initiatives? What key factors should they keep in mind?

Gianni Bassini: Open source allows for quicker decision-making and flexibility, which is valuable, particularly in a bureaucratic context where decision-making processes can be challenging. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cremona's use of open source enabled them to swiftly set up local infrastructure for remote work, ensuring the team's productivity. 

Convincing stakeholders and demonstrating tangible results are crucial aspects. While open source offers versatility and standards, it also requires careful consideration of the associated costs. Freedom comes with a price, but it enables public administrations to accomplish more while keeping expenses in check.