Enterprise Instant Messaging
According to some industry estimates, there are more than 25 million
business users of instant messaging in the United States.
Most of those users are believed to be stealth users, firing up lightweight IM
clients from Yahoo!, AOL or Microsoft without the support, approval or
knowledge of their IT departments.
Industry observers believe the next 18 to 24 months will be the critical period when enterprises begin to clamp down on the use of unapproved IM networks and replace them with corporate IT-approved alternatives.
This series of articles will explore the benefits of IM, the pitfalls of both controlled and uncontrolled IM use in a corporate environment and the options for centrally managing IM.