How we did it

How we tested the various collaborative applications.

Our tests involved using two different hardware systems – For the iCohere and Groove, we installed Windows 2000 Server and SQL Server 2000 on an HP ProLiant DL360 G3 server, with twin 2.8-GHz Intel Xeon processors, 1G-byte of RAM and a mirrored 36G-byte disk array. The eRoom server was installed on an RLX Technologies 800i server blade running Windows Advanced Server 2000, with an 800-MHz Mobile Pentium III, 1G-byte of RAM and two 38G-byte disks.

For each product, we created at least two workspaces. One was used to simulate a coordinated product launch, and the other simulated an engineering project group. Testing was held from three different remote locations (Massachusetts, Kansas and California), in addition to local usage.

Tests were conducted in four categories:

• Asset management – create documents, use version controls, manage editing process, create calendars and manage other digital assets to store within a workspace.

• Real-time communications – instant messaging and/or chat, whiteboard and application sharing, online presence and collaboration.

• Non-real-time communication – off-line editing and synchronization, meeting and process planning, workflow, voting/polling, threaded discussions, and individual or group messaging and announcements.

• Information dissemination – Examining facilitation tools during a live (one to many) event and the ability to retrieve event archives on demand.