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      The public sector is undergoing a digital transformation, and at the heart of this shift lies a powerful enabler: open source technology. Once seen primarily as a tool for startups and tech giants, open source is now becoming the cornerstone of government modernization efforts around the globe.

      This blog post was written in conjuction with Brentley Thomason from TD SYNNEX.
      The public sector's adoption of open source technology is driving innovation, collaboration, and efficiency, while addressing data management and security challenges.

      In this blog post, we’ll explore how governments are driving the adoption of open-source technologies, the benefits they unlock, and the challenges they must navigate on this transformative journey.

      Seize the opportunities, watch out for the challenges

      From cost savings and transparency to innovation and collaboration, open source offers a wealth of opportunities for public sector organizations to improve how they deliver services and overall citizen engagement.

      However, there are challenges such as ensuring data security and managing integration with existing systems, which is why the adoption of PostgreSQL has become a major part of this transformation.

      As the public sector takes the lead in embracing open source solutions, it’s setting an example for how technology can create a more efficient, inclusive, and future-ready society.

      Data management in the public sector

      In the public sector, database management brings on several challenges when innovation and collaboration are being considered. Some of the challenges are noticed by the presence of data silos, where data is stored in separate systems. This fragmentation can lead to difficulties in accessing and integrating information, resulting in inefficiencies and potential inconsistencies across departments. As a result, obtaining a comprehensive understanding of the data becomes difficult, which can hinder decision making and reduce overall productivity.

      Often, data shared amongst governmental departments hinders true analysis and accountability. Sharing data in this way tends to lead to poor data quality and inconsistent practices for data management, causing privacy concerns with the possibility of unwanted sharing of sensitive data.

      Decoding data: Understanding the different types

      The public sector is guided by regulations and policies to protect the data they collect, store, and use. There is a wide variety of data collected that can generally be classified into ten types.

      • Census datahalo-list-with-check-box-and-person-01

        Citizen demographics or residents and families

      • Criminal recordshalo-badge-01

        Arrests, convictions, prisoner demographics

      • Education recordshalo-book-03

        Schools, programs/data related to education

      • Employment datahalo-organizational-chart-01

        Labor force stats, employment/unemployment information

      • Environmental datahalo-leaf-with-0s-and-1s

        Climate, pollution levels, natural resources

      • Financial datahalo-graph-02

        Taxes, benefits, payments

      • Health records (HIPPA)halo-heart-with-pulse-graph-01

        Vaccination history, insurance

      • Personal Identifiable Information (PII)halo-badge-02

        Name, address, SSN, national identifiers

      • Public safety informationhalo-hand-holding-cube-01

        Emergency response, safety control stats

      • Transportation datahalo-truck-01

        DMV registration, traffic, public transit

      A shifting data landscape

      As public sector systems become increasingly AI-centric, the way data is used is also undergoing a drastic transformation. The types of data collected are expanding, and modern systems must support their varied and dynamic use cases.

      These shifts can be categorized into three key areas:

      • Big Dataroundel-funnel-with-file-with-0s-and-1s-01

        Analytics performed on larger data sets

      • Cloud computingroundel-cloud-with-computer-circuitry-02

        Storage of data in the cloud to allow for better analytics and data sharing

      • Open data sharing / classificationroundel-diverging-arrows-01

        Data is shared and made available to the public

      This evolution demands robust, scalable, and secure systems that can harness data effectively. Fujitsu Enterprise Postgres is a leading solution in addressing these needs, excelling at managing large datasets for real-time decision making. For example, public safety and transportation data can be integrated to automate emergency response coordination, improving outcomes and efficiency. To achieve such results, governments must adopt comprehensive data governance frameworks that ensure data accuracy, accessibility, and actionability.

      Increased focus on data protection

      With greater reliance on data comes increased responsibility for its protection. Governments handle sensitive data types, including PII, health records, and financial information, which are prime targets for cyberattacks. Protecting this data requires a multifaceted approach, encompassing the following key areas:

      • Compliance with regulationshalo-check-mark-02

        Adherence to standards like PCI-DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR to ensure secure data usage

      • Encryption and secure storagehalo-shield-with-computer-circuitry-02

        Data is encrypted at rest and in transit to prevent unauthorized access

      • Access control and identity managementhalo-person-and-interconnected-dots-02

        Role-based access and multi-factor authentication to safeguard data accessibility

      • Audits and monitoringhalo-file-with-pencil-01

        Continuous monitoring and AI-driven threat detection to identify vulnerabilities in real-time

      • Disaster recovery and redundancyhalo-hand-with-triangle-and-warning-sign-01

        Backup solutions and recovery protocols ensure data availability during failures

      • Data anonymization and maskinghalo-spy-01

        Sensitive data is anonymized or masked to prevent privacy breaches during sharing

      Public sector – Paving the way for a secure and transparent future

      By implementing these measures, the public sector can safeguard its data assets while fostering public trust. Ensuring the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of data is not just a best practice — it is a fundamental responsibility in the digital age.

      As governments lead the journey toward open source adoption, they are demonstrating how innovation and collaboration can transform public services. By harnessing the power of open source technology, fostering robust data governance, and ensuring stringent data protection measures, the public sector is paving the way for a more efficient, transparent, and secure future.

      The move to open source represents not just a technological shift but a cultural one—one that prioritizes inclusivity, adaptability, and shared progress. With solutions like Fujitsu Enterprise Postgres at the forefront, the public sector is well-positioned to navigate this era of rapid digital transformation and set a global standard for excellence.

      img-splash-fujitsu-enterprise-postgres-01-hover

      Topics: PostgreSQL, Fujitsu Enterprise Postgres, Open source, Digital Transformation, Data management, Public sector

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      Tim Steward
      Principal Data Enterprise Architect, Fujitsu
      Tim has more than 20 years of experience in the industry with significant expertise in RDBMS, including but not limited to Postgres and Oracle, helping customers understand their architectural landscape and how they can leverage open-source database technology.
      Acknowledged as an experienced Technical Leader, Tim has spoken frequently in conferences and written numerous papers and blogs.

       

      Brentley Thomason
      Solutions Architect, TD SYNNEX
      Brentley is an experience full-stack developer and Solutions Architect with a strong focus on database technologies. 
      Leveraging his experience to optimize database performance and scalability, Brentley integrates modern application architectures with PostgreSQL. His work includes an AI-driven focus and providing enablement on emerging technologies to empower organizations with data-driven insights.
      Our Migration Portal helps you assess the effort required to move to the enterprise-built version of Postgres - Fujitsu Enterprise Postgres.
      We also have a series of technical articles for PostgreSQL enthusiasts of all stripes, with tips and how-to's.

       

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