Poll #1 - What is your current position on Instant Messaging in your organization? We allow each user to choose the Consumer IM client of their choice. We have standardized on one Consumer IM client. We are investigating standardizing on an Enterprise IM solution in order to gain control. We have standardized on an Enterprise IM platform. We currently block all IM usage.

We allow each user to choose the Consumer IM client of their choice.

We have standardized on one Consumer IM client.

We are investigating standardizing on an Enterprise IM solution in order to gain control.

We have standardized on an Enterprise IM platform.

We currently block all IM usage.

Instant Messaging Tough Enough for Business: No Server Required Michael D. Osterman Osterman Research, Inc. September 26, 2006

About Osterman Research, Inc. A market research and consulting firm focused on the messaging industry Practice areas include email, instant messaging, presence, collaboration, security, archiving, voice-over-IP, outsourcing and related markets and technologies Clients include vendors and end-user organizations Based near Seattle

A market research and consulting firm focused on the messaging industry

Practice areas include email, instant messaging, presence, collaboration, security, archiving, voice-over-IP, outsourcing and related markets and technologies

Clients include vendors and end-user organizations

Based near Seattle

IM Use is Growing Rapidly

The Current State of IM in the Workplace Most IM use consists of consumer-grade clients AIM, MSN Messenger and Yahoo! Messenger are the ‘Big Three’ in the consumer IM space AIM, MSN Messenger and Yahoo! Messenger are also the ‘Big Three’ in the workplace

Most IM use consists of consumer-grade clients

AIM, MSN Messenger and Yahoo! Messenger are the ‘Big Three’ in the consumer IM space

AIM, MSN Messenger and Yahoo! Messenger are also the ‘Big Three’ in the workplace

Consumer IM Still Dominates

Why Use IM? There are a variety of business benefits associated with IM: More efficient communications Faster decision making Better and faster responses to customer inquiries Acceleration of information flows Presence is key

There are a variety of business benefits associated with IM:

More efficient communications

Faster decision making

Better and faster responses to customer inquiries

Acceleration of information flows

Presence is key

Poll #2 - What is your largest concern with allowing IM into your organization? Loss of productivity due to personal usage. Lack of security of information and intellectual property loss. Lack of protection against viruses, worms and SpIM Compliance concerns over logging and auditing IM conversations. All of the above are concerns.

Loss of productivity due to personal usage.

Lack of security of information and intellectual property loss.

Lack of protection against viruses, worms and SpIM

Compliance concerns over logging and auditing IM conversations.

All of the above are concerns.

The Problems with IM Most IM started with individuals, not IT This can lead to a variety of problems: Lack of encryption and local routing can lead to serious data security issues Worms and related threats Lack of namespace control No auditing or logging of IM conversations Loss of intellectual property Lack of corporate governance

Most IM started with individuals, not IT

This can lead to a variety of problems:

Lack of encryption and local routing can lead to serious data security issues

Worms and related threats

Lack of namespace control

No auditing or logging of IM conversations

Loss of intellectual property

Lack of corporate governance

What Are Your Options? IM is used in your organization whether you know it or not So, what are your options? Block it Establish a policy against the use of IM Manage it

IM is used in your organization whether you know it or not

So, what are your options?

Block it

Establish a policy against the use of IM

Manage it

What You Should Do If you’re going to allow the use of IM (which you should), you will need to do five things: Establish an IM system that will allow your employees to securely communicate internally AND externally IT is busy enough already: implement a system that is easy to manage Deploy a capability that can be compliant with internal and external policies Manage threats extremely well Minimize user disruption to the greatest possible extent

If you’re going to allow the use of IM (which you should), you will need to do five things:

Establish an IM system that will allow your employees to securely communicate internally AND externally

IT is busy enough already: implement a system that is easy to manage

Deploy a capability that can be compliant with internal and external policies

Manage threats extremely well

Minimize user disruption to the greatest possible extent

Key Elements of an IM Solution The solution should minimize IT’s involvement in evaluating, deploying and managing an IM system It should be inexpensive to deploy and operate It should be extremely reliable It should be scalable

The solution should minimize IT’s involvement in evaluating, deploying and managing an IM system

It should be inexpensive to deploy and operate

It should be extremely reliable

It should be scalable

For More Information Osterman Research, Inc. Tel: +1 253 630 5839 Fax: +1 866 842 3274 [email_address] www.ostermanresearch.com

Osterman Research, Inc.

Tel: +1 253 630 5839

Fax: +1 866 842 3274

[email_address]

www.ostermanresearch.com