diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-macos.yml b/.github/workflows/build-macos.yml
index 5e06ba8ccf..b016953f12 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-macos.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-macos.yml
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ jobs:
         -DECAL_USE_NPCAP=OFF \
         -DECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_CMAKE_FUNCTIONS=ON \
         -DECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_PROTOBUF=OFF \
+        -DECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_ABSL=OFF \
         -DECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_SPDLOG=ON \
         -DECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_TINYXML2=ON \
         -DECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_FINEFTP=ON \
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-ubuntu.yml b/.github/workflows/build-ubuntu.yml
index dc47fd5344..b24628437c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-ubuntu.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-ubuntu.yml
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ jobs:
         -DECAL_INSTALL_SAMPLE_SOURCES=ON \
         -DECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_CMAKE_FUNCTIONS=ON \
         -DECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_PROTOBUF=OFF \
+        -DECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_ABSL=OFF \
         -DECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_SPDLOG=ON \
         -DECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_TINYXML2=ON \
         -DECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_FINEFTP=ON \
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-windows.yml b/.github/workflows/build-windows.yml
index 55b9c42b50..0cbaf19f25 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-windows.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-windows.yml
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ jobs:
         -DECAL_USE_NPCAP=ON ^
         -DECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_CMAKE_FUNCTIONS=ON ^
         -DECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_PROTOBUF=ON ^
+        -DECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_ABSL=ON ^
         -DECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_SPDLOG=ON ^
         -DECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_TINYXML2=ON ^
         -DECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_FINEFTP=OFF ^
@@ -165,6 +166,17 @@ jobs:
       run: cmake --build . --config Debug
       working-directory: ${{ runner.workspace }}/_build/sdk
 
+    - name: SDK Integration test
+      run: |
+        cmake --install "${{ runner.workspace }}/_build/sdk" --prefix "${{ runner.workspace }}/_install/sdk" --config Debug
+        cmake -G "Visual Studio 16 2019" -A x64 -T v142 ^
+        -S serialization/protobuf/samples/pubsub/person_loopback ^
+        -B _integration_test_build ^
+        -DCMAKE_CONFIGURATION_TYPES="Debug" ^
+        -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH="${{ runner.workspace }}/_install/sdk"
+        cmake --build _integration_test_build --config Debug
+      shell: cmd
+
     - name: Build Release
       run: cmake --build . --config Release
       working-directory: ${{ runner.workspace }}/_build/complete
diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index 2c401a82e1..43c33a1c63 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -55,3 +55,6 @@
 [submodule "thirdparty/tsl-robin-map/tsl-robin-map"]
 	path = thirdparty/tsl-robin-map/tsl-robin-map
 	url = https://github.com/Tessil/robin-map.git
+[submodule "thirdparty/absl"]
+	path = thirdparty/absl/absl
+	url = https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp.git
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 64d3360ed8..987e82000a 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -274,18 +274,47 @@ file(TO_CMAKE_PATH "${CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH}" CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH)
 message(STATUS "Module Path: ${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}")
 message(STATUS "Prefix Path: ${CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH}")
 
-# --------------------------------------------------------
-# detect qt library
-# --------------------------------------------------------
-if(MSVC)
-  if (ECAL_USE_QT)
-    find_package(QT NAMES Qt6 Qt5 COMPONENTS Core QUIET)
-    if (NOT "${QT_FOUND}")
-	  include("cmake/qt_msvc_path.cmake")
-      autodetect_qt_msvc_dir()
-    endif()
+# -------
+# Select C++ standard
+# Abseil requires everything to be built with a consistent C++ standard.
+# If abseil is built with C++14 but a component building with C++17 tries to use
+# abseil (eg: via protobuf) there will be a mismatch and possibly a build failure.
+# This is most prevalent with string_view where C++14 will use the abseil type
+# but C++17 use std::string_view
+# -------
+
+# C++14 is the baseline required standard
+set(_ECAL_CXX_STD 14)
+
+# Some dependencies require C++17, which we must detect and push to everything
+if(ECAL_USE_QT)
+  find_package(QT NAMES Qt6 Qt5 COMPONENTS Core QUIET)
+  if(MSVC AND NOT "${QT_FOUND}")
+    include("cmake/qt_msvc_path.cmake")
+    autodetect_qt_msvc_dir()
+  endif()
+  if("${QT_VERSION_MAJOR}" VERSION_GREATER 5)
+    # QT6 has C++17 usage requirements
+    set(_ECAL_CXX_STD 17)
   endif()
 endif()
+if(ECAL_USE_FTXUI)
+  # FTXUI requires C++17
+  set(_ECAL_CXX_STD 17)
+endif()
+
+if("${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}" STREQUAL "${eCAL_SOURCE_DIR}" AND NOT DEFINED CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD)
+  # eCAL is being compiled as the root project, and no standard version is set
+  set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD "${_ECAL_CXX_STD}")
+  message(STATUS "eCAL is using C++ ${_ECAL_CXX_STD}")
+else()
+  # eCAL is part of a larger build or the standard was externally set
+endif()
+
+set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
+if("${CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD}" VERSION_LESS "${_ECAL_CXX_STD}")
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "eCAL requires CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD to be at least ${_ECAL_CXX_STD} (got: ${CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD})")
+endif()
 
 find_package(CMakeFunctions REQUIRED)
 
@@ -635,6 +664,7 @@ message(STATUS "ECAL_BUILD_TESTS                                    : ${ECAL_BUI
 message(STATUS "ECAL_INSTALL_SAMPLE_SOURCES                         : ${ECAL_INSTALL_SAMPLE_SOURCES}")
 message(STATUS "ECAL_USE_NPCAP                                      : ${ECAL_USE_NPCAP}")
 message(STATUS "ECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_ASIO                          : ${ECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_ASIO}")
+message(STATUS "ECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_ABSL                          : ${ECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_ABSL}")
 message(STATUS "ECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_CMAKE_FUNCTIONS               : ${ECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_CMAKE_FUNCTIONS}")
 message(STATUS "ECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_CURL                          : ${ECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_CURL}")
 message(STATUS "ECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_FINEFTP                       : ${ECAL_THIRDPARTY_BUILD_FINEFTP}")
diff --git a/NOTICE.md b/NOTICE.md
index 84fbc809a8..b779372f20 100644
--- a/NOTICE.md
+++ b/NOTICE.md
@@ -295,6 +295,15 @@ yaml-cpp
     - Binary distributions for Windows
     - Binary distributions for Linux
 
+abseil
+  - License: Apache 2.0
+  - Project: https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp
+  - Copyright: 2017 The Abseil Authors.
+  - Included in:
+    - Git submodule `/thirdparty/absl/absl`
+    - Binary distributions for Windows
+    - Binary distributions for Linux
+
 ## Cryptography
 
 Content may contain encryption software. The country in which you are currently
diff --git a/app/mon/mon_cli/CMakeLists.txt b/app/mon/mon_cli/CMakeLists.txt
index f4923bdf0e..82bfd21abc 100644
--- a/app/mon/mon_cli/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/app/mon/mon_cli/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE
   eCAL::protobuf_core
   eCAL::string_core
   eCAL::core_pb)
-target_compile_features(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE cxx_std_17) 
+target_compile_features(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE cxx_std_14)
 
 ecal_install_app(${PROJECT_NAME})
 
diff --git a/app/mon/mon_plugins/protobuf_reflection/CMakeLists.txt b/app/mon/mon_plugins/protobuf_reflection/CMakeLists.txt
index 36614267a3..7026b2a0eb 100644
--- a/app/mon/mon_plugins/protobuf_reflection/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/app/mon/mon_plugins/protobuf_reflection/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ target_link_libraries (${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE
   MonitorTreeView
   eCAL::mon_plugin_lib
 )
-target_compile_features(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE cxx_std_17)
+target_compile_features(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE cxx_std_14)
 
 if(MSVC)
   set_target_properties(${PROJECT_NAME} PROPERTIES COMPILE_FLAGS "/wd4127 /wd4714")
diff --git a/app/mon/mon_plugins/signals_plotting/CMakeLists.txt b/app/mon/mon_plugins/signals_plotting/CMakeLists.txt
index 6d6f0f0c96..fc574dc212 100644
--- a/app/mon/mon_plugins/signals_plotting/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/app/mon/mon_plugins/signals_plotting/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ target_link_libraries (${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE
   CustomQt
 )
 
-target_compile_features(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE cxx_std_17) 
+target_compile_features(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE cxx_std_14) 
 
 if(MSVC)
   set_target_properties(${PROJECT_NAME} PROPERTIES COMPILE_FLAGS "/wd4127 /wd4714" )
diff --git a/app/mon/mon_tui/CMakeLists.txt b/app/mon/mon_tui/CMakeLists.txt
index 24208ac2a3..0818de5a2b 100644
--- a/app/mon/mon_tui/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/app/mon/mon_tui/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE
   ftxui::dom
   ftxui::component)
 
-target_compile_features(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE cxx_std_17) 
+target_compile_features(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE cxx_std_14)
 
 ecal_install_app(${PROJECT_NAME})
 
diff --git a/app/util/config/CMakeLists.txt b/app/util/config/CMakeLists.txt
index 175743666e..b6fd16f5c5 100644
--- a/app/util/config/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/app/util/config/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 #
 # ========================= eCAL LICENSE =================================
 
-project(config)
+project(ecal_config)
 
 set(ecalconfig_src
   src/ecal_config.cpp
diff --git a/cmake/submodule_dependencies.cmake b/cmake/submodule_dependencies.cmake
index c96caa62ab..2cd61e92e7 100644
--- a/cmake/submodule_dependencies.cmake
+++ b/cmake/submodule_dependencies.cmake
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.24)
 set(ecal_submodule_dependency_provider_root_dir ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR})
 
 set(ecal_submodule_dependencies 
+  absl
   asio
   CMakeFunctions
   CURL
@@ -72,4 +73,4 @@ endmacro()
 cmake_language(
   SET_DEPENDENCY_PROVIDER ecal_dependencies_provider
   SUPPORTED_METHODS FIND_PACKAGE
-)
\ No newline at end of file
+)
diff --git a/cpack/innosetup/ecal_setup.iss.in b/cpack/innosetup/ecal_setup.iss.in
index a09074936e..5ac583575b 100644
--- a/cpack/innosetup/ecal_setup.iss.in
+++ b/cpack/innosetup/ecal_setup.iss.in
@@ -115,7 +115,6 @@ Source: "{#ComponentStagingDir}\libprotobuf-lite\*";  DestDir: "{app}";
 Source: "{#ComponentStagingDir}\libprotoc\*";         DestDir: "{app}";                   Flags: ignoreversion recursesubdirs;     Components: sdk\protobuf
 Source: "{#ComponentStagingDir}\protobuf-export\*";   DestDir: "{app}";                   Flags: ignoreversion recursesubdirs;     Components: sdk\protobuf
 Source: "{#ComponentStagingDir}\protobuf-headers\*";  DestDir: "{app}";                   Flags: ignoreversion recursesubdirs;     Components: sdk\protobuf
-Source: "{#ComponentStagingDir}\protobuf-protos\*";   DestDir: "{app}";                   Flags: ignoreversion recursesubdirs;     Components: sdk\protobuf
 Source: "{#ComponentStagingDir}\protoc\*";            DestDir: "{app}";                   Flags: ignoreversion recursesubdirs;     Components: sdk\protobuf
 
 Source: "{#DebugSdkStagingDir}\libprotobuf\*";        DestDir: "{app}";                   Flags: ignoreversion recursesubdirs;     Components: sdk\protobuf
@@ -123,7 +122,6 @@ Source: "{#DebugSdkStagingDir}\libprotobuf-lite\*";   DestDir: "{app}";
 Source: "{#DebugSdkStagingDir}\libprotoc\*";          DestDir: "{app}";                   Flags: ignoreversion recursesubdirs;     Components: sdk\protobuf
 Source: "{#DebugSdkStagingDir}\protobuf-export\*";    DestDir: "{app}";                   Flags: ignoreversion recursesubdirs;     Components: sdk\protobuf
 ;Source: "{#DebugSdkStagingDir}\protobuf-headers\*";  DestDir: "{app}";                   Flags: ignoreversion recursesubdirs;     Components: sdk\protobuf
-;Source: "{#DebugSdkStagingDir}\protobuf-protos\*";   DestDir: "{app}";                   Flags: ignoreversion recursesubdirs;     Components: sdk\protobuf
 ; Source: "{#DebugSdkStagingDir}\protoc\*";           DestDir: "{app}";                   Flags: ignoreversion recursesubdirs;     Components: sdk\protobuf
 
 ; sdk\hdf5
diff --git a/ecal/samples/cpp/benchmarks/perftool/CMakeLists.txt b/ecal/samples/cpp/benchmarks/perftool/CMakeLists.txt
index c5c04de48f..1c2922ac8f 100644
--- a/ecal/samples/cpp/benchmarks/perftool/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ecal/samples/cpp/benchmarks/perftool/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE
 
 target_include_directories(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE src)
 
-target_compile_features(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE cxx_std_17)
+target_compile_features(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE cxx_std_14)
 
 source_group(TREE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}"
     FILES
diff --git a/ecal/samples/cpp/misc/time/CMakeLists.txt b/ecal/samples/cpp/misc/time/CMakeLists.txt
index fe9115cf1c..5b663a0cd0 100644
--- a/ecal/samples/cpp/misc/time/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ecal/samples/cpp/misc/time/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.15)
 
-project(time)
+project(ecal_time)
 
 find_package(eCAL REQUIRED)
 
diff --git a/serialization/protobuf/samples/pubsub/person_receive/CMakeLists.txt b/serialization/protobuf/samples/pubsub/person_receive/CMakeLists.txt
index 43f5846f26..8379de654e 100644
--- a/serialization/protobuf/samples/pubsub/person_receive/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/serialization/protobuf/samples/pubsub/person_receive/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME}
     eCAL::protobuf_core
 )
 
-target_compile_features(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE cxx_std_17)
+target_compile_features(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE cxx_std_14)
 
 ecal_install_sample(${PROJECT_NAME})
 
diff --git a/serialization/protobuf/samples/pubsub/proto_dyn_json_rec/CMakeLists.txt b/serialization/protobuf/samples/pubsub/proto_dyn_json_rec/CMakeLists.txt
index e25331ced8..0de12b7f6b 100644
--- a/serialization/protobuf/samples/pubsub/proto_dyn_json_rec/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/serialization/protobuf/samples/pubsub/proto_dyn_json_rec/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME}
     eCAL::protobuf_core
 )
 
-target_compile_features(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE cxx_std_17)
+target_compile_features(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE cxx_std_14)
 
 ecal_install_sample(${PROJECT_NAME})
 
diff --git a/serialization/protobuf/samples/pubsub/proto_dyn_rec/CMakeLists.txt b/serialization/protobuf/samples/pubsub/proto_dyn_rec/CMakeLists.txt
index ebb3e321d0..bf3b8511a2 100644
--- a/serialization/protobuf/samples/pubsub/proto_dyn_rec/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/serialization/protobuf/samples/pubsub/proto_dyn_rec/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME}
     eCAL::protobuf_core
 )
 
-target_compile_features(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE cxx_std_17)
+target_compile_features(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE cxx_std_14)
 
 ecal_install_sample(${PROJECT_NAME})
 
diff --git a/serialization/protobuf/tests/pubsub_proto_test/CMakeLists.txt b/serialization/protobuf/tests/pubsub_proto_test/CMakeLists.txt
index fbc3f81aae..266839f112 100644
--- a/serialization/protobuf/tests/pubsub_proto_test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/serialization/protobuf/tests/pubsub_proto_test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME}
 )
 
 
-target_compile_features(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE cxx_std_17)
+target_compile_features(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE cxx_std_14)
 
 ecal_install_gtest(${PROJECT_NAME})
 
diff --git a/thirdparty/absl/absl b/thirdparty/absl/absl
new file mode 160000
index 0000000000..d9e4955c65
--- /dev/null
+++ b/thirdparty/absl/absl
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit d9e4955c65cd4367dd6bf46f4ccb8cd3d100540b
diff --git a/thirdparty/absl/build-absl.cmake b/thirdparty/absl/build-absl.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a24161c58c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/thirdparty/absl/build-absl.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+include_guard(GLOBAL)
+
+# Copied out of protobuf/cmake/abseil-cpp.cmake
+if(protobuf_INSTALL)
+  # When protobuf_INSTALL is enabled and Abseil will be built as a module,
+  # Abseil will be installed along with protobuf for convenience.
+  set(ABSL_ENABLE_INSTALL ON)
+endif()
+add_subdirectory("${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/absl" "${eCAL_BINARY_DIR}thirdparty/absl" SYSTEM)
diff --git a/thirdparty/protobuf/build-protobuf.cmake b/thirdparty/protobuf/build-protobuf.cmake
index 051470d838..eaa420f9d2 100644
--- a/thirdparty/protobuf/build-protobuf.cmake
+++ b/thirdparty/protobuf/build-protobuf.cmake
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
+# Protobuf 4(.25.X) is skipped because of a regression with msvc that never
+# had its fix backported.
+# https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/issues/14602
 set(Protobuf_PROTOC_EXECUTABLE protoc)
-set(Protobuf_VERSION 3.11.4)
-set(Protobuf_VERSION_MAJOR 3)
-set(Protobuf_VERSION_MINOR 11)
-set(Protobuf_VERSION_PATCH 4)
+set(Protobuf_VERSION 5.29.5)
+set(Protobuf_VERSION_MAJOR 5)
+set(Protobuf_VERSION_MINOR 29)
+set(Protobuf_VERSION_PATCH 5)
 
 include_guard(GLOBAL)
 
@@ -12,6 +15,10 @@ if(UNIX)
   set(protobuf_BUILD_SHARED_LIBS ON CACHE BOOL "My option" FORCE)
 endif()
 
+set(protobuf_BUILD_LIBUPB OFF CACHE BOOL "libupb is disabled" FORCE)
+set(protobuf_USE_EXTERNAL_GTEST ON CACHE BOOL "Do not use protobuf vendored gtest" FORCE)
+set(protobuf_ABSL_PROVIDER "package")
+
 if(MSVC)
   message(STATUS "supress thirdparty warnings for windows platform ..")
   set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_OLD "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS}")
@@ -23,10 +30,7 @@ if(MSVC)
 endif()
 
 ecal_disable_all_warnings()
-ecal_variable_push(CMAKE_POLICY_VERSION_MINIMUM)
-set(CMAKE_POLICY_VERSION_MINIMUM 3.5)
-add_subdirectory("${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/protobuf/cmake" "${eCAL_BINARY_DIR}/thirdparty/protobuf" SYSTEM)
-ecal_variable_pop(CMAKE_POLICY_VERSION_MINIMUM)
+add_subdirectory("${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/protobuf" "${eCAL_BINARY_DIR}/thirdparty/protobuf" SYSTEM)
 ecal_restore_warning_level()
 
 if (NOT TARGET protobuf::libprotobuf)
diff --git a/thirdparty/protobuf/protobuf b/thirdparty/protobuf/protobuf
index d0bfd52211..f5de0a0495 160000
--- a/thirdparty/protobuf/protobuf
+++ b/thirdparty/protobuf/protobuf
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit d0bfd5221182da1a7cc280f3337b5e41a89539cf
+Subproject commit f5de0a0495faa63b4186fc767324f8b9a7bf4fc4