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Enterprise Messaging: Linking Minds Together Across The Enterpriseby David Matthiesen and Stacy Hunt
Companies have come to the realization that efficiently disseminating and
organizing information is vital to their success. If Lotus' model of the
three Cs- communication, collaboration and coordination-defines the work
that groups do, then e-mail and high-end groupware systems are the obvious
panacea for many IT managers. The problem: Most companies that have e-mail/groupware
systems are burdened with pockets of unconnected end users.
The real trick at this point in the pr ocess is to successfully implement the right system while avoiding the technological and/or financial abyss. This article focuses on the technological side of the fence. Different companies have different issues in moving to a new enterprise messaging solution, but the following thumbnail sketches of different-sized companies are generally accurate. Very large companies (more than 10,000 users) typically are riddled with disparate e-mail systems, incompatible directories, troublesome gateways and multiple network operating systems, and usually have some investment in a groupware system, such as Lotus Notes or Collabra Share. They tend to be multinational and have installations across several time zones. These are always the biggest challenges. The IT manager may be stuck with a migration strategy that includes no allowances for server downtime, mail loss, user disruption and formal end-user training. He or she usually has a budget that will allow him or her to accomplish one-third of what needs to be done, and the authority to dictate zip. We have seen this exact scenario too often to ignore mention of it here. Large companies (2,500 to 10,000 users) usually have the same problems of a very large company with the possible exception of multiple network operating systems. This scenario is just as painful, but the pain does not last as long. An IT manager with complete authority and budgetary flexibility makes all of the difference in these organizations. Midsize companies (100 to 2500 users) rarely have a common solution either, but they are less likely to be entrenched in the myriad of political fortresses, "sunk cost" killjoys and old school managers who need to impede progress in technology. Typically, the big holdup here is financial considerations. Licensing software (with maintenance), implementing systems and supporting the infrastructure can get expensive in a hurry. Often, a large training expense for support personnel or the hi ring of contractors or consultants raises the ante here. Again, a well-positioned IT manager can do wonders in these companies. Small companies (less than 100 users) may not even have an e-mail system in place. A few of the techies usually have their CompuServe or America Online accounts, but most small organizations move to e-mail and/or groupware only because their customers have it. These systems tend to be the easiest to install, but financial restraints can be the barrier to nirvana once again. Most small companies settle for a lesser solution because they lack both the funds and a clear direction of what they want from their system. Regardless of company size and complexity, it's a lucky IT manager who is allowed to start from scratch, scrap the old baggage and migrate to a new solution. Since this is a rare occurrence in most organizations, we will address not only this "field of dreams" scenario, but also the more typical "reality bites" installed-base scenario where most organizations languish. The primary sections cover the most important considerations of any IT manager choosing and/or deploying an enterprise messaging system. Is Your Network Ready? Some questions to answer before contemplating a network-intense application. Choose the Winner. Which enterprise messaging/groupware system to deploy and migrate to from disparate or older systems. Deployment Planning. How to deploy the chosen system. Support. Prerollout, migration and long-term support structures. Application Development. Adding value to your company beyond e-mail and shared schedules. David Matthiesen (davidm@evinet.com) of Matthiesen Integration Services (www.evinet.com/mis) and Stacy Hunt of Fire Opal Technologies and InfoWorks have sp ent most of their seven-year IT careers planning, deploying, maintaining and supporting enterprise e-mail/groupware systems and LANs at some of the largest West Coast companies. They are assisting Pacific Bell with their companywide Microsoft Windows NT/Exchange deployment. Updated November 15, 1996
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