After criticism by Federal Audit Office: Bundeswehr plans redundant data center
The Federal Audit Office had criticized the lack of redundancy at a "mission-critical" Bundeswehr data center. The BMVg is planning a remedy.
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Following criticism from the Bundesrechnungshof for the lack of redundancy in the Bundeswehr's "mission-critical IT services", the Federal Ministry of Defense (BMVg) has announced that such redundancy is to be gradually created from 2026. The BMVg regularly examines the "organizational, structural and logistical requirements to be created in order to implement the demand for resilience and geo-redundancy for IT projects in line with requirements and taking into account economic efficiency aspects," said a spokesperson for the ministry.
Last week, the Federal Audit Office criticized the Bundeswehr for putting "mission-critical IT services" at risk. Among other things, the BMVg "operates a data center for mission-critical IT services at only one location – and therefore not geo-redundant". The Bundesrechnungshof was referring to a "mission-critical IT services" project, which is "technically designed in such a way that it can be operated at two locations," explained the BMVg spokesperson in response to a query from heise online. "This geo-redundancy in accordance with the location criteria for the data centers in the BMVg's business area is to be implemented step by step from 2026."
Redundant data centers to come
With regard to funding, the authority spokesperson explained that the "Regeneration and consolidation of IT in the Bundeswehr" is a sub-project of the Herkules follow-up project and will be funded via Section 14. It also explains the use of funds from the so-called "special Bundeswehr assets". However, there are no specific references to the construction and operation of the aforementioned data centers – only the costs for "satellite communication / data center network".
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However, by implementing the expansion and creating redundancy from 2026, the Ministry of Defense leaves open for years the risk mentioned by the Bundesrechnungshof that IT services for weapon systems will not be usable in the event of an operation.
(dmk)
