OTRS Community Edition Archive | OTRS https://otrs.com/blog/otrs-community-edition/ Wed, 26 Nov 2025 13:21:02 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://otrs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/cropped-OTRS-LOGO-without-tagline-32x32.png OTRS Community Edition Archive | OTRS https://otrs.com/blog/otrs-community-edition/ 32 32 (Lack of) Security of the ((OTRS)) Community Edition https://otrs.com/blog/otrs-community-edition/security/ Fri, 12 Sep 2025 07:13:10 +0000 https://otrs.com/?p=219797

(Lack of) Security of the ((OTRS)) Community Edition

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(Lack of) Security of the ((OTRS)) Community Edition

The OTRS Group stopped supporting the ((OTRS)) Community Edition (CE) at the end of 2020. Since then, it has not received security updates or patches to fix vulnerabilities.

The free version of the ticket system is still being developed by unauthorized gray market providers. These developments are not authorized by OTRS Group. They are based on an old system that has not had professional security updates for many years.

Many users continue to rely on the ((OTRS)) Community Edition, while ignoring—whether consciously or unconsciously—the dangers behind it. For some, missing updates may sound like a risk they can comfortably accept, but this way of thinking is far removed from reality.

In fact, simply using the ((OTRS)) Community Edition is likely a violation of data protection regulations. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) says software must meet the latest security standards. This is clearly not true for CE. It’s more than five years out of date.

Learn more about the ((OTRS)) Community Edition

The Relevance of Security

In general, there is currently an urgent need to implement cybersecurity standards and guidelines. Recent surveys show that only a small number of cybersecurity professionals think their company is ready for security incidents. This is concerning as the number of incidents keeps increasing.

In other words: companies are facing more and more threats, yet remain unprepared for much of what is coming.

Good protection starts with security awareness. It should always be a focus to stop outside threats and protect sensitive data.

Why the Security Situation Is So Concerning

This is the problem with using the OTRS Community Edition: it lacks common protection features. In some cases, there are severe ((OTRS)) Community Edition security vulnerabilities. This leaves a large attack surface. As a result, the ((OTRS)) Community Edition cannot meet security and compliance requirements.

Despite the advantages of open source software, using it is strongly discouraged in this case. The reasons are clear: technological obsolescence, insufficient data protection, and a lack of coordinated, reliable security updates.

Deficits Caused by Using the ((OTRS)) Community Edition

There are several security deficits that arise from using the ((OTRS)) Community Edition. Here are the most important and critical ones:

  1. Unpatched security vulnerabilities: Gaps and weaknesses have not been professionally or reliably fixed for a long time. Even when they are known, that doesn’t mean anyone is actually closing them. In this situation, attackers—who are becoming increasingly sophisticated—have an easier time.

  2. Attack surface for cybercrime: Hackers can compromise the ((OTRS)) Community Edition. The data stored there is not secure and can be spied on or manipulated. In some cases, hackers could even fully take over the system.

  3. GDPR risks: Things get particularly critical when users process personal data with the ((OTRS)) Community Edition. The software and its security measures do not meet current standards.
    Using it still breaks the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
    This not only risks unauthorized access and data loss but also harms a company’s reputation. It can lead to legal issues, like fines.


In short, companies still using the old ((OTRS)) Community Edition are taking a massive risk.

Neither GDPR-compliant operation nor the protection of sensitive data can be guaranteed. Alongside technical issues, there are also legal uncertainties.

Why Forks Do Not Provide Sufficient Security

Since the OTRS Group left, several independent forks have appeared. These are the gray market providers mentioned earlier. Their work is based on the source code of the ((OTRS)) Community Edition. These projects offer further developments as well as their own security fixes.

Nevertheless, they cannot guarantee the security of the original ((OTRS)) Community Edition, as the following points show:

  • Individual forks must discover and fix vulnerabilities in OTRS CE on their own. There is no centrally coordinated, reliable security process.

  • Security updates often appear late.

  • Different forks develop in different directions (there is no centrally coordinated approach), meaning companies are dependent on finding a sustainable and trustworthy community.

The Key Security Advantages of Modern OTRS

Modern OTRS continuously provides new features, improvements, and advancements, keeping the software solution at a high technological level. In addition, bug fixes and security advisories follow a consistent process.

Customers also benefit from comprehensive service and professional consulting, which address security and compliance along with other important topics.

Users gain access to specialists and experts who leverage years of experience to keep OTRS secure, compliant, and reliable. For this reason, companies with strict security and compliance requirements especially trust OTRS.

In short: organizations should urgently begin the transition to OTRS to avoid security incidents and legal consequences.
Explore the Success Stories

Conclusion: Security Deficits Necessitate Change

Security should become a focus before incidents occur. Ignoring it risks severe damage to the business.

With the ((OTRS)) Community Edition, there is no guarantee of adequate security. It exposes its users to high risks—particularly regarding data protection. No official security updates have been implemented for a long time. This makes OTRS CE very vulnerable to serious threats.

The ((OTRS)) Community Edition was once quite popular. Today, however, it must be viewed as highly problematic in terms of security. Technological progress has been significant, making the basis of the Community Edition—OTRS 6—long outdated.

In addition to the new OTRS features and appealing interfaces of the modern OTRS, security aspects are a compelling reason to switch to OTRS immediately. Fair pricing models, simple migration, and comprehensive customer service make the path to significantly improved security straightforward.

Request a demo
Tobias Kortas
]]> OTRS Features Compared to the ((OTRS)) Community Edition https://otrs.com/blog/otrs-community-edition/otrs-features/ Tue, 22 Jul 2025 07:11:45 +0000 https://otrs.com/?p=217544

OTRS Features Compared to the ((OTRS)) Community Edition

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OTRS Features Compared to the ((OTRS)) Community Edition

OTRS continuously delivers new features and enhancements for its users. These go far beyond the basic functions of a ticketing system, creating significant value. Customer-specific requirements and modern focus areas like AI services and automation are key to simplifying work and increasing efficiency.

The ((OTRS)) Community Edition does provide some essential functionality, but it lacks many of the core capabilities expected in a modern service management system. This gap becomes even more apparent in today’s fast-paced tech landscape, where real leaps in productivity and performance matter more than fleeting trends.

This article provides a concise overview of how modern OTRS features make the switch from the ((OTRS)) Community Edition worthwhile.

Learn more about the ((OTRS)) Community Edition

Key Advantages of the New OTRS Features

Since the ((OTRS)) Community Edition is based on older versions of OTRS and has not been supported by OTRS AG since 2020, it serves as a basic foundation but lacks modern features and critical developments. Only the new managed OTRS provides professional-grade security with regular updates and patches.

Here are the key OTRS functionalities that the ((OTRS)) Community Edition lacks – and the major benefits that come with them:

#1 Workflows and Automation

Process management, web services, and the Generic Agent enable automated workflows and seamless data exchange within OTRS or between OTRS and other systems. This reduces manual effort and increases efficiency.

In the Process Manager, users can simply position activities on the screen and connect them with sequence flows. These flows may require user input or automatically execute tasks such as pushing/pulling data, setting attributes, sending emails, creating articles, or linking tickets.

Thanks to web service support, OTRS can even send data directly to ERP or CRM systems.

Watch the video

#2 Kanban View and Resource Planning

The Kanban view offers clarity, flexibility, and greater efficiency. It can be organized by status, priority, and more. Users can drag and drop tickets between collapsible columns with ease.

The improved OTRS calendar keeps you informed and provides a clear view of all appointments – whether meetings, workshops, or absences. Multiple views allow you to tailor the display to your specific needs.

For example, the resource calendar gives a complete overview of your team’s availability and lets you assign appointments like field service visits to agents via drag and drop.

Watch the video

#3 Translation Management

Our interface supports over 40 languages. Each agent can choose their preferred language in their personalization settings. In the ((OTRS)) Community Edition, custom translations had to be done via command line and required access to the file system.

In contrast, OTRS allows you to add translations directly through the admin interface – no special knowledge or access rights needed. Agents can add translations themselves if required.

Watch the video

#4 Updated User Interface

With customizable widgets, the dashboard offers a comprehensive overview of business objects and statistics. Tickets can be created quickly and dynamically using dropdown menus and input fields.

Depending on the selected input, additional fields appear to collect more information. The external interface functions as a self-service portal for customers and employees, featuring knowledge base articles, updates, and more. The service catalog lets users create process tickets for their requests.

Agents can use the sidebar organizer to create and label lists of tickets, customers, and other business objects. These lists are accessible from any screen.

Watch the video

#5 CMDB Integration with Other Tools

The Configuration Management Database (CMDB) supports asset management by showing relationships between configuration items (CIs), incidents, and changes. It tracks CIs and their status, linking them to relevant tickets and change processes. This gives teams full visibility into their IT environment.

A recent OTRS enhancement allows the CMDB to connect easily with tools like EV Reach. This provides an instant central view of IT assets and comprehensive monitoring—a major step toward robust, full-scale IT security.

 

#6 REST API

The REST (Representational State Transfer) API makes it easier to integrate OTRS with other systems. By enabling communication between OTRS and external applications, workflows can be automated. Improved interoperability leads to smoother operations and more efficient data exchange.

 

#7 Enhanced Reporting and Statistics

The latest OTRS version includes robust tools for generating reports and statistics on Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and ticket volumes. A statistics module lets users create various reports – e.g., total tickets by type, priority, status, queue, or service.

Reports can be scheduled and automatically generated in formats such as PDF, providing valuable insights into performance metrics. This supports better decision-making.

These features give companies the data-driven insights they need to monitor performance, ensure SLA compliance, and identify areas for improvement – ultimately boosting customer satisfaction.

New AI Services

In addition to the above features, OTRS users can access a range of AI services. Using AI credits, you gain access to cutting-edge tools that enhance service quality, increase productivity, and save valuable time in daily operations.

Available AI features include:

  • Ticket classification and service descriptions
  • AI-powered response generation
  • Sentiment analysis
  • Real-time translations
  • Unified knowledge access
Learn more

How to Start Your OTRS Project

With OTRS, you benefit from regular updates, exciting new features, and top-tier customer support. We offer a personalized solution tailored to your requirements.

There are three flexible ways to get started with OTRS:

 

1. Project Transition (SaaS)

Enjoy the full benefits of our SaaS offering. We update your system to the latest version hosted in our OTRS Private Cloud.

Automatic updates, patches, and backups keep your system current. Location doesn’t matter – you can access OTRS from anywhere.

 

2. Project Migration (On-Premise)

With OTRS On-Premise, you retain full control. We update your system to the latest version while all data remains on your servers. You maintain full autonomy and can access OTRS from any device.

 

3. New System or Preconfigured Solution

We’ll build a system for you – either from scratch or as a preconfigured solution. A brand-new OTRS system is tailored to your exact requirements, and you can choose between SaaS or on-premise.

Our turnkey solutions come preloaded with helpful features, making them fast to implement and highly reliable from day one.

Explore the service packages

Conclusion: Why Switching to OTRS Makes Sense

Users of the ((OTRS)) Community Edition are several years behind the times. While it may be sufficient for basic tasks, it falls short in terms of productivity, time savings, and service quality.

In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, every new development brings progress. OTRS is no different. Its new, improved, and technically advanced features offer capabilities that ((OTRS)) Community Edition users can only dream of.

But why dream when you can make it a reality? Switching to OTRS is a smart move. Beyond just security, design, and scalability, the modern features provide plenty of reasons to make the leap. The biggest one: work gets easier and more effective.

In short, OTRS is a powerful driver of business value creation.

Request a demo
Tobias Kortas
]]> ((OTRS)) Community Edition: Why it makes sense to switch to OTRS https://otrs.com/blog/otrs-community-edition/switch-to-otrs/ Tue, 06 May 2025 09:09:47 +0000 https://otrs.com/?p=212794

((OTRS)) Community Edition: Why it makes sense to switch to OTRS

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((OTRS)) Community Edition: Why it makes sense to switch to OTRS

The ((OTRS)) Community Edition is a popular ticket request system. However, it has some significant downsides compared to the managed system known as OTRS.  

Specifically, ((OTRS)) Community Edition: 

  • Increases your security risk,  
  • Requires more work and  
  • Offers little support in case of problems.  

In addition, many community users don’t know what the current version of OTRS has to offer. For example, teams work faster and more efficiently with its modern agent interface. They enjoy personalization options and a wide selection of features. 

This article sheds some light on the subject by briefly and concisely comparing the two versions. It highlights how the managed OTRS version leads users to a more effective, stress-free and enjoyable working day.   

Request a demo

What is the ((OTRS)) Community Edition?  

The ((OTRS)) Community Edition is an open-source helpdesk and ticket system based on the foundation of today’s OTRS. Any company that has the necessary in-house resources to install, customize and maintain it can use it freely.  

However, the Community Edition is no longer maintained by OTRS Group. This means that updates and security fixes are no longer available. There is also no documentation or support available.   

What is OTRS?  

As a professional service management solution, OTRS offers extended functions, comprehensive support and regular update services. Important components include a configuration management database (CMDB), a knowledge base, process automation, chat functions and powerful integrations.   

Companies using an OTRS system automatically have a team of developers, consultants, support staff and trainers at their side. These experts can perfectly integrate the solution into existing system environments. This allows businesses to provide effective, clear and well-organized service and support.  

Reasons why community users switch to OTRS  

There are many different reasons for such a switch. The benefits of the managed OTRS solution are best seen first-hand. 

Request a demo

Improve user and customer experience 

An obvious, outstanding benefit is the modern and customizable user interface of OTRS. This exists in the agent interface. Customers access it via the customer service portal.  

OTRS 8 Modern Interface

Avoid skill gaps and reduce internal resources 

Anyone using the open-source version of OTRS needs internal resources to handle maintenance and use the system adequately. This often depends on individual employees whose skills cannot be replaced. If the employee who has OTRS knowledge leaves the company, the business becomes stuck. 

When using the Community Edition, teams are dependent on forum discussions for problems and urgent questions. Working together with the software provider ensures that knowledge is always available to help move the business forward. 

Address compliance requirements with confidence 

For many companies, compliance is also a critical issue. These companies opt for the managed version because they receive comprehensive support.   

They always have access to competent, helpful consultants at their side. This reassures them that they are complying without having to make any significant effort themselves. OTRS Group also reassures companies because data center processes all comply with GDPR and other key regulations.  

Other problems solved by switching to OTRS 

The following are reasons to make the switch:  

  • Security risks are negligible. Official security updates for the Community Edition don’t exist.

    This has been true since 2021. Since that time, numerous security patches have been applied to the managed OTRS solution. 

    The managed version comes with regular patches, bug fixes and new versions.  

  • ITSM functions are easier. The managed OTRS contains ready-made ITIL®️ processes to manage problems, incidents and defects. The product team has also fully developed the CMDB, process automation and SLA management.
  • Scaling is simple. The managed version easily handles large ticket volumes. Plus, the business can easily adapt fields, processes and more to its business requirements.  
  • Interfaces are stronger. OTRS has improved options for connecting external systems. It is compatible with modern reporting tools as well as MDM solutions. 
  • Compliance audits are handled more easily. The managed version supports functions for compliance, audit security and documentation. This is particularly important for regulated industries.  
     

Investing in Performance, Support and Scale 

Another huge benefit for businesses is that OTRS has such a favorable price-performance ratio. Thanks to fair licensing model known as “concurrent agents,” teams keep costs within limit, even with frequent use.  

Concurrent agents means that you only pay for agents who access the system at the same time. You do not necessarily need a license for each user. 

What’s more is that you start getting value far more quickly than other professional service management solutions. First, this is because competent service and predefined processes get you up and running quickly – even when migrating. Second, experts can deploy over 2,500 configuration options for you, so your system works for you quickly.  

Making the switch is simple 

Switching from the ((OTRS)) Community Edition to the managed OTRS version requires only a few steps. It is much quicker and easier than many people think. Data and permission transfers save time too.    

How the switch works  

Migration to managed OTRS takes just a few days. The steps depend primarily on the option selected.  The following options are available.: 

  • Option A (on-premises migration): Within two to three days, experts upgrade the existing local installation. They recommend first scheduling a test migration. Businesses should plan for downtime. 
More information about the migration from OTRS On-Premise
  • Option B (migration to OTRS Managed): The customer switches to the SaaS version. OTRS Group completes the data transfer. This takes approximately one to two days of work, including a test migration. Downtime is required and interfaces may need to be adapted. 
  • Option C (new OTRS instance): Experts set up a completely new instance. Businesses take advantage of OTRS consulting and ticket transfer. The effort involves four to six consulting days without any downtime.  
  • Option D (OTRS solution scenario): Businesses select from predefined best-practice solutions. Several options are available to serve a variety of operational areas. With a standard configuration, experts need only two consulting days and no downtime.  

 

To the OTRS solutions 

Conclusion: The managed OTRS version pays off   

The ((OTRS)) Community Edition provides a solid basis, but users should be aware of its limitations. Security in particular is severely limited. If you use the software a little and don’t care much about security, the Community Edition is fine. 

However, the managed version offers a whole range of new features that increase performance and productivity immensely. The modern interface provides a good overview and good organization. Automation and predefined processes make life easier – and lead to better results.   

In general, large professional organizations should definitely use OTRS. However, smaller teams also benefit sufficiently when considering maintenance, support and security. Fortunately, fair pricing models and a high return on investment (ROI) let companies switch without hesitation.  

FAQs  

1. What requirements must my current system fulfill for migration?  

Your system should be based on a supported version of the ((OTRS)) Community Edition. If required, we will analyze the system in advance to determine the exact migration path.  

 

2. How does data migration work? Will you transfer all data (tickets, users, history, attachments, etc.)?  

Yes, we will transfer all relevant data, including users, tickets, attachments and history. Experts will confirm this in advance. 

  

3. Can we retain interfaces to third-party systems?  

In most cases, our team can transfer interfaces once they have checked and adapted them, if necessary.  Talk to an expert regarding specifics. 

  

4. Who takes over the maintenance and monitoring of the managed system after the migration? 

OTRS takes care of all monitoring, maintenance and updates, including security and function updates.  

  

5. What additional functions does the managed OTRS offer compared to the ((OTRS)) Community Edition?  

You get access to advanced features, such as the following:  

  • Automation 
  • Dynamic fields  
  • SLA management  
  • Reports  
  • All security updates and patches since 2021 


6. What are the costs of switching to the managed version?

The costs depend on the number of users and the desired features. A personalized quote can be provided.


7. Is there a test or pilot phase before going live?

Yes, a test platform integrating your data can be made available to validate all features before launch.

Request a demo
Tobias Kortas
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