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Messaging has come a long way from the early days of rudimentary chat programs, the DOS and Windows "NET SEND" command and the Novell NetWare "SEND" command.
The ideal corporate instant-messaging environment lets users communicate anything they choose, from simple typed messages to documents to video. It tells employees which colleagues are available for an impromptu meeting and which don't wish to be disturbed. The ideal IM environment offers impenetrable security that thwarts intrusion attempts, as well as IM-borne malware. It's nimble and responsive; intuitive to use and administer; and integrates seamlessly with other IM products and protocols, such as AOL Instant Messenger (AIM).
Preferably, it safely archives IM sessions for easy retrieval by an auditor, is highly scalable, exhibits rock-solid reliability and uses network resources frugally. A corporate IM product taps into a Windows Active Directory or a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) back end for grouping and authenticating users. And finally, it provides the necessary VoIP capabilities to turn a chat session easily into a telephone call.
In short, the model platform makes holding meetings via IM as productive as - or even better than - meeting face to face.
To test the state of corporate IM tools we invited all vendors in this space to send products. We received Extensible Communications Platform (XCP) 5.2 from Jabber, Lotus Sametime 7.5.1 from IBM and Openfire Enterprise Edition 3.2 from Jive Software. We downloaded Gordano Messaging Suite (GMS) 5.0 from Gordano's FTP site and Mirador Instant Messenger for Windows 3.0 from Serial Scientific International's (SSI) Web site, and we accessed Cisco's WebEx AIM Pro Business Edition via the Internet.
Microsoft also plays in this space with its older Live Communications Server 2005 platform and will be forging ahead with enterprise IM as part of its Office Communication Server platform running on Exchange 2007. As this product was still in beta during our testing Window and won't be available until next month, we could not include it in our head to head test. We have, however, test early beta code to help give readers a feel for what they can expect from this unified messaging platform. (See OCS tests here and here.)
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IBM Lotus Sametime earned our Clear Choice Award for its superior messaging, high level of integration with other applications, ease of use, scalability and excellent security. Nearly as excellent and carrying a much lower price tag is Jabber's XCP. Cisco's WebEx AIM Pro is a great choice if you prefer to outsource server operations and your users have reliable Internet connections.

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Comments (7)
I too wonder why Microsoft was ignored.By Anonymous on November 6, 2007, 8:18 pmAfter all, it is the number 1 software maker in the world and it just came out with the 2007 version. And I am not affiliated with Microsoft! Julie
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I would have posted ananymous then... wouldn't you think?By Deepak on September 12, 2007, 1:28 amNo. In fact I deal extensively in the IM space and specialize in EIM's. Which is why a comparison that includes EIM's but not OCS was a bit surprising. Moot point...
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Deepak, do you a vested interest there?By Anonymous on September 7, 2007, 11:21 amI see by your profile that you're a "Product Manager" in the VoIP and IM space...
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Fair, I was expecting a mention of it thoughBy Deepak on September 7, 2007, 1:08 amThe article itself is fairly comprehensive and a good eval of the IM Space. I would think that omitting the No.2 and the fastest growing (per Osterman Reserach,...
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Did you not read the article?By Christopher Byrne on September 5, 2007, 8:38 pm"To test the state of corporate IM tools we invited all vendors in this space to send products." If MS does not respond to an invitation, how can they be evaluated?
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