Denmark is embarking on a significant digital transition by choosing to adopt Linux as the primary operating system for its government infrastructure. This measure is part of a stated desire to strengthen the country’s digital sovereignty while reducing its dependence on proprietary software giants, particularly Microsoft.
This strategy aims to modernize, secure, and optimize the Danish government’s IT management, while supporting the innovation and flexibility offered by the open source ecosystem. The gradual move away from Windows and Office 365 in favor of Linux and LibreOffice symbolizes a clear stance in favor of open source technologies, often praised for their robustness, transparency, and active community support.
Migrating to Linux: A Strategic Choice to Strengthen Digital Sovereignty in Denmark
The Danish government, through its Ministry of Digital Affairs, has announced the gradual replacement of Windows operating systems with Linux distributions across all its services. This decision also includes the replacement of the Office 365 suite with LibreOffice, a free and open source alternative. This transformation is taking place with caution, with a planned schedule aiming to migrate approximately half of all workstations to Linux by the summer. The main motivation is to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers for critical software solutions. As Caroline Stage Olsen, Minister for Digitalization, emphasizes, “We must avoid placing our entire public digital infrastructure in the hands of too few foreign players. This situation would leave us vulnerable to geopolitical and commercial risks.”
The concept of digital sovereignty implies increased control over the tools and data used by the government, which is facilitated by Linux, whose source code is accessible and modifiable. This contrasts with proprietary systems such as Windows, as open source solutions allow for transparent auditing, customization, and security of software.
A migration to Linux involves major technical aspects, such as:
The deployment and personalized configuration of the Linux kernel, the heart of the operating system.
- The integration of suitable package managers for secure and regular updates (APT, DNF, Pacman, depending on the chosen distribution).
- The training of IT teams in new administration methods and support for Linux environments.
- The adaptation of business software to run perfectly on this new infrastructure.
- This change underscores a desire for innovation in administration, embracing a more flexible system capable of evolving rapidly according to needs. Additionally, the open source community will play a vital role in providing ongoing support and continuous improvements, as demonstrated by numerous experiences in other European governments (see examples here).
Discover Denmark through the lens of Linux. Dive into the world of open source solutions and explore how this operating system is transforming the Danish technology landscape, fostering innovation and collaboration.Technical Advantages and Security: Why Linux is Denmark’s Operating System of ChoiceLinux has long been recognized for its advantages in performance, stability, and, above all, security—three key criteria in government IT management. Linux plays a major role in many critical systems thanks to:
allowing advanced customization and effective process isolation.
A rigorous permissions and rights system
- significantly reduces the risk of intrusion or privilege escalation. Frequent updates
- and an active community that quickly detects and fixes vulnerabilities, as with Linux 6.16-rc2 and its numerous fixes (fix details). Source code transparency
- fosters unprecedented trust in the IT world, far removed from closed and proprietary systems. The switch to Linux also allows for the integration of advanced IT security mechanisms, such as SELinux (Security-Enhanced Linux), AppArmor, as well as robust network solutions leveraging nmcli for network connection management. Amid current threats, mitigating critical vulnerabilities and exploits is easier thanks to Linux’s modular architecture. Beyond software security, using Linux offers the ability to deploy less resource-intensive servers and client workstations. This optimization allows for better management of IT budgets and an extension of equipment lifespan.All of this fits perfectly into a broader innovation strategy in Denmark, where the stability and resilience of digital systems are a priority to maintain efficient and accessible public services.List of concrete benefits of Linux for government infrastructure:
- Enhanced security thanks to rapid updates and open source auditing. Reduced costs related to proprietary licenses.
Flexibility in adapting systems to specific local needs. Community and industry support for the ongoing evolution of solutions.Ability to benefit from recent Linux innovations and continuous IT monitoring (
Linux IT Watch
).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PtLsftCC70
- Technical and Organizational Challenges of Linux Migration in the Danish Public Sector
- The transition from an operating system as widely implemented as Windows to Linux is not without its challenges. Indeed, it is not just a software replacement, but a profound change in IT practices. Among the main difficulties encountered:
- Compatibility of business applications:
- Many specific proprietary software must be replaced or virtualized.
- Training and adoption:Government employees must be trained on the new Linux interfaces and commands, a system that operates very differently, particularly in file and directory management (file organization in Linux).Technical support:
Change management:
Communication and support to ensure end-user buy-in. Another important aspect is preparing network environments to accommodate secure and high-performance traffic compatible with Linux infrastructures. The IT team must ensure that each workstation, server, or device is configured to high standards consistent with current government security policies.
- To mitigate these issues, a phased approach is used, with a phased migration plan and a hybrid environment lasting several months. This breakdown allows for the creation of checkpoints, impact assessments, and configuration adjustments. Furthermore, orchestration around modern Linux container management tools complements this reorganization, enabling better deployment of business applications in virtualized and isolated environments, facilitating maintenance and updates (the concept of Linux containers).
- Discover Denmark through the lens of Linux: tips, resources, and exciting communities celebrating the open source operating system. Join us to explore Danish technological innovations and digital culture. Impact for users and opportunities offered by open sourceDenmark’s adoption of Linux paves the way for more inclusive and transparent digitalization. End users—whether government officials or citizens—will benefit from faster, more secure, and more customizable systems. The user experience, although evolving, is enriched by the diversity of tools available in the Linux environment.Office tools like LibreOffice offer functionality equivalent to proprietary suites, with the added bonus of efficient compatibility with standard formats. This software independence guarantees better management of public documents with increased sustainability.
- Among the opportunities offered by this transition: Easier access to software sources, allowing local developers to adapt and improve the tools used.
- An active community that offers useful extensions, modules, and patches to meet specific public sector needs. Long-term cost reduction and less burden related to license management.
Preparation for future uses, particularly around cloud servers, decentralized storage, and emerging Linux technologies.
Community support, a real asset for maintenance and continuous optimization, unlike proprietary solutions.
We also note an encouraging positive impact among system administrators, who benefit from the power of Linux command line tools, facilitating administration tasks as varied as user management, advanced automation scripts, and detailed system monitoring (Linux game migration after Windowsfor a fun and concrete parallel).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Igoaa9397rQ
The geopolitical and economic implications of Linux adoption in Denmark
In addition to the technical and organizational aspects, Denmark’s migration to Linux is part of a broader geopolitical context. The country wishes to assert its digital autonomy on the European and global scene, by reducing the preponderance of American multinationals in its sensitive information systems.
Denmark, thanks to its significant economic weight in Europe and its high GDP per capita, positions itself as a model to follow in terms of sovereign digital transformation. The approach may also influence its Scandinavian neighbors who share similar concerns around computer security and control of government technologies.
- Concretely, this transition should open economic opportunities for local and European free software players, with potential growth of Linux-based projects, promoting employment in the fields of IT and development.
- Reduced total costs of ownership related to proprietary licenses.
- Reinforced autonomy in systems and data management.
- Creation of a local ecosystem of support and innovation around free software.
- Positive influence on the European policy of adoption of open source software, a subject in full expansion (
example of a Linux alternative at European level). Strengthening intra-European tech partnerships focused on security and digital sovereignty.
With this choice, Denmark perfectly illustrates its ability to combine technological innovation and strategic challenges, setting a strong milestone in the digital transformation of European states. It remains essential to follow this development which could reshape the IT landscape of government infrastructures on an international scale.
