Print Full Article Print This Page Download the PDF E-Mail This URL

Five and a half million business users pass messages back and forth with AOL's Instant Messenger (AIM). AIM is convenient, stable and free, which helps make it the de facto IM client for home and business users. Unfortunately, AIM transmits messages between the user's computer and the AIM server in clear text, and has been plagued with security problems over the years.

Secure alternatives exist. Asynchronous collaboration vendors, such as eRoom Technology, have ramped up to include real-time features, like chat, whiteboarding and application sharing, in their products, so you might be able to fill multiple collaboration needs from a single vendor. But what if you're looking for a secure, standalone IM product? We plugged in WiredRed Software's e/pop Professional Client and Enterprise Server and ran it through its paces at our Real-World Labs® at Syracuse University. We liked what we saw and heard.

First, e/pop is designed for corporate use. Administrators will appreciate being able to configure the client for use with their server only, enable and disable whichever features they want, and deliver a package to clients that can be installed with a single click already configured for corporate use. E/pop is compatible with both Microsoft's Active Directory and Novell's eDirectory.

Second, e/pop includes instant messaging, chat, voice conferencing, application sharing, status messages, out-of-the-office indicators, presence, file attachments, RSA security and helpdesk remote control, all of which can be centrally managed using an e/pop server. We were especially interested in voice conferencing. Face it: A spoken sentence is far more efficient than frantic messages typed back and forth via an IM client.

Voice conferencing works in two modes: push-to-talk or voice activated. We tested this feature over two broadband nodes connected to an Enterprise Server on a high-speed connection in the lab. Voice quality was very good. After spending a few minutes using voice conferencing, we decided we'd rather talk than type.

If you're looking to replace your "de facto" real-time client with a corporate strength real-time collaboration product, give a package like WiredRed Software's e/pop a look.