Cloud-based emergency workstation: consultation process launched

Consultation process on openDesk as an emergency workstation has begun

What happens if a public authority’s entire IT system fails or is compromised? German social security providers have run through this scenario and tested openDesk as a cloud-based emergency workstation for crisis communication.

The background: the CKKI project

As part of the EU-funded CKKI collaborative project, German social security providers have tested openDesk for crisis communication – operated by three cloud service providers.

The outcome goes beyond a successful trial: the trial has given rise to a genuine need. Participating institutions are preparing for its operational deployment, and openDesk is set to be available as an emergency workstation from Q4 2026. The findings of the collaborative project are being directly incorporated into this.

What the consultation process is about

The process aims to deepen the insights gained from the project and scale up the use of openDesk as a reliable emergency workspace beyond the circle of project partners. The focus is on questions such as:

What requirements do other public sector organisations place on a crisis-resilient collaborative workspace?

How can operational and operating models be designed that combine reliability and vendor independence?

Who can participate?

The invitation is open to anyone from the public sector who is interested, particularly those working in local government, operators of critical infrastructure and IT service providers in the public sector. No prior knowledge is required.

How to participate

To take part in the consultation process and for further information on how it works, please visit https://notfallarbeitsplatz.opendesk.eu/. The process is open until 24 September 2026. If you have any questions about the process, please contact Malin Roppel (malin.roppel@zendis.de).