Enterprise IM: A Mid-Year Report, Part I
July 12, 2002
By Bob Woods
New Enterprise IM Products
You've heard it from me before. Now, you're going to hear it again. The future of EIM lies in applications. Sure, there's still some short-term concerns with security and interoperability. But in a year or two, we'll be talking about EIM systems like we discuss office phone systems -- needed items, yet boring in nature.
That's where applications come in. Attaching the concept of IM to applications like eCRM, portals, and who knows what -- if I knew, I'd be doing it and making oodles of money rather than writing "who knows what" -- is where the EIM market will go in the years down the road.
Some EIM companies are already thinking along those lines. Probably one of the more innovative announcements along those lines came last April from Communicator Inc.. The White Plains, N.Y.-based firm implemented what it called -- it can back up that claim, too, from what I can tell -- the world's largest multi-enterprise IM service for the corporate market. Communicator Hub IM joins more than 30,000 professionals at eight of the world's largest financial institutions as well as over 2,000 money-management firms for secure instant messaging and one-click access to authorized content and applications.
The system consists of a secure, "gated" community where all companies maintain control of their own employee and customer directories. At the same time, workers among all of the firms in the gated community can converse with one another. The new system can be accessed either via a stand-alone application or from a Web browser. While it has all of the features of a standard IM system, its advantages over public IM nets controlled access to content and applications, interoperability of corporate directories and the ability to comply with audit and regulatory requirements. Communicator Hub IM also guarantees message delivery and operates without requiring network or firewall changes.
Concepts like this, and the companies that think "out of the box," are what will propel the EIM market in the future.
Other significant application-related announcements so far this year include:
Message archiving and auditing. Several companies, including Cordant, WiredRed and FaceTime Communications, among others, came out with archiving and auditing solutions for EIM users. For companies involved with financial securities and healthcare, such features are mandated by federal and other authorities. Other companies, however, may want to archive and log all IM conversations for the same reasons they record phone conversations -- legal protection, productivity tracking, and so on.
Collaboration software. No, we're not talking about Kazaa, Napster and other consumer peer-to-peer programs. We're talking about full collaboration software solutions that combine file sharing, instant messaging and other features to create online workspaces. Groove Networks, for example, released its Groove Workspace 2.0, which includes tools like IM, text-based chat sessions, threaded discussions and live voice over the Internet. Groove also uses "joint activity tools" like co-browsing, PowerPoint presentation walkthroughs and group calendaring. With Groove Workspace, businesses communicate both internally and externally with customers, partners and suppliers.
Web-services integration. Microsoft integrates IM into its Exchange 2000 and .NET services. Also, Digi-Net Technologies last April introduced its new Hubz product as a Web-based IM system that uses an interactive Java-based Web applet that lets visitors on the same Web site or page to see and interact with one another without using special programs, plug-ins or client-side software. Hubz' features include IM, an expanded buddy list where every site visitor instantly becomes part of a user's online buddy list, and a total community package that also includes messaging and bulletin-board components. And at least one other company, Parlis, has a Web-based IM system that doesn't require plug-ins.
Of course, not all of the "out-of-the-box" ideas will work -- the same way that many dot-coms flamed out. But innovation, and not just hooking up enterprises with IM, will thrust the EIM field into the IT spotlight.
Next week in Part 2: A look at the strides in wireless messaging, IM marketing to consumers and the future of IM.
Add www.instantmessagingplanet.com to your favorites Add www.instantmessagingplanet.com to your browser search box IE 7 | Firefox 2.0 | Firefox 1.5.xReceive news via our XML/RSS feed
Images
IE 7
Firefox 2.0
