With demand for corporate-class instant messaging expected to soar over the next few years, start-up Linqware this week will try to help satisfy the demand with a product aimed at thin-client terminals.
Meanwhile, established corporate instant-messaging provider Jabber will take the wraps off its newest Web-based instant-messaging client, which will let the technology be integrated into corporate applications and portals.
The number of users of corporate instant messaging is expected to grow to 200 million by 2006, according to a forthcoming report by Ferris Research. Currently there are nearly 20 million corporate users.
"There is a growing awareness of the benefits of instant messaging," says Michael Sampson, an analyst with Ferris. "Growth will be fueled by incorporation of instant messaging into other applications, such as supply-chain systems and CRM."
But observers say network executives are still assessing lingering security concerns about the technology, especially opening holes in their firewalls to accommodate instant-messaging traffic.
Regardless, Gartner predicts that by 2005, instant messaging will be integrated into 50% of the applications that businesses use to directly interact with channel partners and customers.
It's in that environment that Linqware is introducing its Collabrix platform, which in-cludes a server that manages, tracks and archives instant-messaging usage. The client software, while suitable to run on a desktop, is being targeted for use in a Citrix thin-client environment.
"We use Citrix to support access to our systems from our remote franchises," says Dave Malys, directory of instant messaging for Miralink Group, an outsourcer of payroll, benefits and other employer services. "We tried AOL but blocked it because of vulnerabilities, and we couldn't use in-stant messaging through [Micro-soft's] Exchange 2000 because our franchise offices don't run that software." He says Citrix was a natural for instant messaging.
A key feature is a unique "co-pilot" option that lets users share an application from within the Collabrix client, Malys says.
The Collabrix server, which runs on Windows 9X, NT and 2000, also lets Malys archive instant-messaging threads, another key demand by corporate users.
Others vendors, such as WiredRed, are beginning to offer similar features.
The Collabrix platform, including server, costs $100 per user.
Jabber, meanwhile, is introducing Version 1.3 of Jabber WebClient, which can now be embedded in other applications. Previously, WebClient, which does not require any client-side software, popped up as a separate window.
"If you want to build chat into a portal, your customers stay within that portal. They don't go to another application," says Paul Hemming, product manager for Jabber client software.
Jabber, which competes with such instant-messaging platforms as Lotus Sametime and Windows Messenger, also has added text conferencing and sound notification to WebClient, along with support for Secure Sockets Layer.
WebClient is included with Jabber IM Server, which costs $3 to $16 per seat depending on volume.
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