‘Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund’ (German Federal Pension Insurance) the largest of the country’s 16 pension insurers, is increasing its use of open source solutions. The fund uses Linux servers and Apache solutions on its x86 and mainframe computers. The pension insurer last week published a call for tender, seeking assistance for its Linux and Apache-based services and for other open source solutions it has in use.
The statutory corporation manages several hundred of Linux servers, according to Red Hat, provider of Linux and other open source services. Red Hat Linux is the default operating system on x86 and mainframe computers. The open source stack provide essential computer network and IT security services.
On 28 January, the fund published a request for tender for IT services. Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund is looking for assistance with its implementation of components related to web applications, including Apache Tomcat, Apache Tiles and Apache CXF. The fund also wants support for software development tools, including the open source solutions CVS, GIT, Apache Subversion and Apache Ant.
The deadline for submitting offers is on 8 March.
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Since 2010, the German pension fund makes available its statutory pension insurance documentation available on a DVD that can be used on workstations running Linux as well as proprietary operating systems. The fund also supports the use of card readers for Linux-based PCs. In July, the fund published an historical overview of the developments of it IT systems. It specifically mention’s Red Hat Linux patch management, which helps keep its IT systems secure.
Requests by phone and email to the pension fund about its approach for open source were not immediately answered. This article will be updated as more information becomes available.