Municipalities: a symphony orchestra with a score of their own

In the world of public service delivery, where the phrase “rapid innovation” is often met with skepticism, the Common Ground movement brings a refreshing shift. It aims for a digital government that is not only efficient and user friendly, but also built on the foundation of open source technology. You can compare it to conducting a symphony orchestra in which every musician used to play from their own sheet music. It is certainly a challenge, but the result is both harmonious and transformative.

With this spirit of renewal as the backdrop, WeAreFrank! introduces the Frank!Gateway. This gateway, built on the open source Apache APISIX, is not simply a technological upgrade. It represents innovation and the philosophy of open source by default. It is designed to transform digital public services by enabling modern API management and ESB capabilities.

So as we prepare to explore NLX and FSC, Haal Centraal, and our own Frank!Gateway, I invite you to join a clear and practical journey. I will walk through real examples that show how your public sector organization can replace the old and embrace something modern, collaborative, and aligned with the principles of Common Ground. Open source, more effective, and more affordable. I especially want to highlight that this is not only renewal; it is also replacement.

Federated Service Connectivity (FSC and NLX) and Haal Centraal

At the heart of the digital transformation within Dutch government, Federated Service Connectivity (FSC) and Haal Centraal play an essential role. This section looks at what these initiatives are and how they reinforce one another to create a smarter and more connected government.

What started as an application (NLX) has evolved into a standard (FSC) that goes beyond software and implementation. Since both terms are still used, I will refer to both.

Federated Service Connectivity (FSC): a new era of interoperability

FSC marks a turning point in how government organizations communicate and share data. It is an open source, peer to peer system that enables federated authentication and secure connectivity within a broad API ecosystem. Built on the vision of Common Ground, FSC belongs in the integration layer of the five layer model and focuses on separating applications from data. This approach promises increased technical interoperability across national programs such as Data at the Source and Regie op Gegevens. It promotes a standardized way of exchanging data without standardizing the data itself.

FSC is not a complete solution to every integration question. It is an important part of a full integration layer. A useful metaphor is that FSC acts as a gatekeeper. While your API gateway functions as the city wall and city gate, FSC verifies the certificates, the passports, of any connection that wants to pass through that gate.

Haal Centraal: efficient access to base registries

Alongside FSC, Haal Centraal demonstrates how open standards can simplify access to government data. By enabling direct access to key registries, Haal Centraal aims to improve data exchange between government entities and to strengthen services for citizens and businesses. This reduces unnecessary duplication and encourages more efficient use of public data. It also lays the groundwork for improved digital services by retrieving data directly from the source through a modern, open standard.

The synergy between FSC and Haal Centraal

The combination of FSC, the Frank!Gateway, and Haal Centraal’s streamlined access to data creates a strong platform for the Dutch government to build innovative services. The synergy promises increased efficiency and better user experiences. It also significantly improves how citizens and businesses interact with public services.

These developments go far beyond technical enhancements. They represent a shift in thinking within the public sector. With a strong focus on open standards, interoperability, and accessible data, FSC and Haal Centraal help create a more transparent, connected, and user friendly government. As we move deeper into this digital transformation, it becomes clear that these initiatives form the foundation for a future in which public services are not only responsive but also intuitive to the needs of all Dutch citizens.

Integratie van NLX & FSC met Frank!Gateway

Bringing NLX and FSC together inside the Frank!Gateway creates a technological symphony that raises the security, interoperability, and scalability of government services to a higher level. This integration is not simply a step forward. It is a significant leap in the digital transformation of the public sector.

The technical harmony

WeAreFrank! has embedded the NLX inway directly into the Frank!Gateway. If you run the NLX outway and manager alongside it, you have a full stack for API management and certificate handling, complete with security and logging. WeAreFrank! provides the entire suite as part of our services with full support under an SLA.

Practical examples

Imagine a municipality needing access to data from the land registry. Traditionally, this would be a complex and time consuming process. With FSC integrated within the Frank!Gateway, this becomes a simple and secure query that meets all standards and protocols. The user does not have to worry about any of the underlying complexity.

Benefits of the Frank!Gateway

Security, management, and logging: All data exchange flows through standardized and secure channels.

Interoperability: Different systems and services can communicate seamlessly.

Scalability: The architecture can easily grow with the needs of the organization.

Open source and supported: The entire stack is open source and offered by multiple vendors, including Frank!Partners. This prevents vendor lock-in and ensures ongoing support under an SLA.

Getting started with replacing your API gateway or ESB with the Frank!Gateway

Are you dissatisfied with your current API gateway or ESB, or are you looking for a more transparent and open source solution for your citizens? Are you seeking cost savings or simply a solution that works better? I am happy to discuss how the replacement of systems such as Layer7 could work.

Working with Haal Centraal through the Frank!Gateway

Implementing Haal Centraal through the Frank!Gateway, supported by FSC, is like laying a digital highway that provides direct access to base registries.

Success stories

Municipalities such as The Hague already have Haal Centraal running in production. Municipalities such as Sittard-Geleen and Leeuwarden are beginning their implementation of FSC and the Frank!Gateway to access base registries using Haal Centraal. This process is supported by WeAreFrank! as service provider, implementation partner, and support partner.

These municipalities are looking for colleagues to join them. By combining efforts, the total cost goes down, the support community becomes larger, the time to market becomes shorter, and the solution becomes stronger due to more collaboration and shared expertise.

Interested in joining?

We are happy to explain how your municipality or collaborative group can take part in this informal partnership. Feel free to contact us and we will connect you with your peers and tell you more about what is possible.