About the project
Project Name: OpenXPort
Open export of data across different systems and providers
With its Article 20, the EU GDPR has codified a “Right to data portability”, which aims to reduce user’s “lock-in” with a service provider and to increase the freedom to move to another provider.
audriga, the company behind OpenXPort, was founded in 2011 with the vision of empowering email users to keep their data when switching to another service provider. As a pioneer in data portability, audriga is well aware of its many pitfalls, gaps, and challenges.
The OpenXPort project will start by providing two main results. First, a best practice document which supports developers and policymakers to address and shape the future of data portability will be created. Second, an Open Source framework for the portability of core PIM data types (Personal Information Management data; e.g.: contacts, calendars, takes, notes, files) will be defined. Given the ubiquity and key role of PIM data and prior work in this field, such an open framework has a huge potential for bringing data portability into widespread practice and also to serve as a blueprint for data portability in other domains.
Website: https://www.audriga.com/en/Data_portability/OpenXPort
Achievements from the first phase of the DAPSI programme
We started the project by talking to customers interested in Roundcube and introducing the OpenXPort project to the community. We also attended the CalConnect conference and IETF meeting 109 for discussions about extending JMAP standards. As the JMAP family of standards, which OpenXPort builds upon, is defined by a set of IETF RFCs, the project participated in the IETF JMAP working group.
Furthermore, several apps to add JMAP support to popular Webmail software such as Nextcloud, SquirrelMail, and Roundcube systems have been published. On the client side, we extended a Java Open Source library with code to support JMAP for Contacts and Calendar (https://github.com/iNPUTmice/
Achievements from the second phase of the DAPSI programme
Based on our Open Source implementations, we could successfully deliver proof of concepts for a large platform migration project and the migration of a German University.
Subsequently, we included additional features for those projects, such as initial support for the migration of files, notes and email filter rules using JMAP. We also started to develop a JMAP extension for Horde Groupware, which is another widely used Open Source solution.
We submitted an initial draft for JMAP for Tasks to the IETF, which was initially discussed at IETF meeting 110 in March 2021.
We also used our existing customer base to present our results and discuss their customers’ needs. Currently we are working with two European hosters to launch a Roundcube self-service migration which would help their customers to exercise their data portability rights more easily.
Pitch
Testimonial
DAPSI has done a fantastic job in bringing together and fostering exchange between various projects in the emerging field of data portability. Being part of DAPSI, we could benefit from a wide set of mentoring and support activities from both business and technical experts. DAPSI is a unique opportunity and a strong action for stressing the EU’s dedication to facilitate data portability.
Hans-Jörg Happel, OpenXPort project lead / CTO audriga GmbH
Entities
