IM Becoming Corporate Standard

Instant messaging in corporate environments will more than double this year, from 10 million at the end of 2002 to 23 million in 2003, says Ferris Research. It makes sense when you look at the trends among major IM service providers and enterprise software vendors. In the first part of 2003, alliances were formed between AOL and Hewlett-Packard and between IBM and AOL to make instant messaging services available to corporate users. Yahoo and Microsoft have also announced their plans to pursue enterprise IM.

Another factor increasing growth is that IM is being integrated into collaborative software packages, including IBM Lotus Notes, Microsoft Exchange, and Novell GroupWise. Additionally, the perception of IM in the corporate environment is shifting from a tool for the perpetuation of youth culture to a legitimate and useful corporate communications tool.

IM Won't Ease the Burden of E-Mail TCO

If you're thinking IM will reduce the volume of e-mail people send and receive and therefore cut down on the total cost of ownership of an e-mail system, unfortunately you're mistaken, according to a report by Ferris Research. When corporate users choose to communicate via instant messaging instead of e-mail, it does reduce e-mail volume, but the e-mail messages that IM generally replaces are short textual exchanges that don't take up much bandwidth. In addition, a common IM exchange is to request a file, which is then sent via e-mail.

Even if IM reduces the e-mail volume by 10 percent, it won't have much impact on e-mail costs. Where IM might be successful in reducing costs is in decreased phone traffic, because you can get an immediate response. Two parties can also IM prior to a phone call to determine availability.

Product Watch

Mobilize Your Workforce

NotifyLink Enterprise Edition, GroupWise version supports the recent release of Novell GroupWise 6.5. NotifyLink gives you secure push notification, access, and management of your e-mail, calendar, contacts, and tasks from a variety of wireless devices using GroupWise 5.5, 6.0, or 6.5 in real-time synchronization.

Wireless handheld devices supported by NotifyLink include Handspring, Kyocera, Motorola, Nokia, Palm, Pocket PC, and RIM Blackberry.

Three components make up NotifyLink: the server software, Web interface for admin and client configuration, and a smart device client interface. The server software stores information behind a corporate firewall. NotifyLink's Smart Device Client software was designed to eliminate the need for WAP or HTML browsing.

In addition, NotifyLink provides the following features for IT professionals:

• Centralized configuration, administration, and control behind the corporate firewall
• Centralized control and management of global settings
• Encryption using AES and Triple DES
• Enterprise scalability system architecture
• Multiple device support
• Multiple network support

• Native integration with Novell GroupWise, using the GroupWise API
• PC/telephone configurable voice prompts and delivery options
• Multiple fax delivery options
• Sending and receiving multimedia messages (combinations of voice, fax, and e-mail)

• Real-time access to the GroupWise inbox, including the ability to read, reply, delete, and forward messages in realtime
• Remote printing to fax
• Text-to-speech (TTS) reading of e-mail, Internet mail, and fax header information
• Multimedia message forwarding options
• Recording and listening to voice mail messages

• 30-day trial version of the Formativ Business Solutions Pack -- Includes stationery, Stationery Creator, personalized mass e-mail, and Address Book Publisher.
• Web-style calendar views
• No Junk Mail solution -- Helps you eliminate spam.
• Web site manager -- Lets you configure Web sites and display them via Formativ portals within the GroupWise client.
• Formativ Portal Manager -- Lets you display local and remote Web/HTML content and forms, including Web-style display of a GroupWise mailbox and system information.
• Active Web-style dialogs and forms
• Stand-alone operation -- Formativ supports a local workstation operation mode. It doesn't require the presence of the NetWare client for installation and operation.
• Extended support for Formativ applets
• Novell eDirectory access via the NetWare client or LDAP
• Formativ Registration utility
• Improved non-English GroupWise client support