Enterprise instant messengers make the grade

If an organization is already using Microsoft networking and rich media messaging, then LCS is the obvious choice. It leads the pack in messaging media options and integrates almost instantly with other Microsoft server applications. Groups that have built on other networking platforms have a harder decision, since LCS installation and management will be trivial compared to the infrastructure that will have to be put in place to support it.

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Novell GroupWise Messenger

In the great groupware battles of the ’90s, Novell entered GroupWise in the three-way race for first place with Microsoft’s Exchange and Lotus Notes. GroupWise Messenger is the IM application in Novell’s groupware platform, and it provides basic text messaging in surprisingly flexible ways.

First, although GroupWise Messenger is only sold with GroupWise, it doesn’t require that GroupWise actually be installed for Messenger to run. For that matter, GroupWise Messenger doesn’t require NetWare — there is a fully functional version available on the Windows platform. We decided for a variety of reasons to install GroupWise Messenger along with GroupWise on a Netware 6.5 platform, but other options exist for organizations that need specific configurations.

Although GroupWise Messenger will install and run under Windows, the eDirectory integration under Windows is poorly documented. The installation process simply assumes that an eDirectory (Novell eDirectory 8.5.1 or NDS eDirectory 8.78 or later) tree is running or that the administrator has gained experience in setting up a tree from other sources. The tree is critical for messaging functions and must be logically visible to all clients. The software generates an RSA key pair on install, so the process of running a self-signed SSL server is invisible to the administrator.

Once installed, GroupWise Messenger provides server logs with three levels of verbosity for error confirmation and debugging. The product supports message archiving, so HIPAA- and SEC-regulated companies can demonstrate compliance.

GroupWise Messenger’s client is the simplest of the three we looked at, providing basic text messaging with few frills or distractions. This text-only messenger doesn’t support file transfers or rich media. Contacts can be sorted or placed in folders, but there are no rules about notifications or actions when users come online. One nice touch is a dialogue that asks whether the user wants to save the chat each time a Messenger window is closed.

GroupWise Messenger is less developed than Lotus IM and Microsoft LCS. Novell, however, is in the middle of a beta cycle for a new version that will leverage the company’s extensive investments in Linux by running on both Red Hat and SuSE Linux distributions. The new version will support a GAIM (GNU AIM) client and offer features like multiple media types, whiteboarding, and application sharing.

The current version of GroupWise Messenger is a relatively inexpensive solution for organizations that are already running NetWare or NDS, and GroupWise. Companies still considering an IM solution might want to wait until the next version is available; the platform, functionality, and client improvements should be considerable.

Jabber XCP

Jabber is a company that has an interesting relationship with the open source community. The name Jabber refers to both an open source instant messaging package and a commercial system, though the two share no code. Jabber (the company) supports Jabber (the open-source project) and sells Jabber (the commercial software). Got it? Good, because the commercial product we tested has a great deal to offer organizations looking for flexibility in the infrastructure requirements for IM.

Like GroupWise Messenger, Jabber provides text-only messaging. We installed the software on a Red Hat Linux 8.0 server after downloading the messaging server and client from the Jabber Web site. Installation was quick and straightforward, requiring on the order of three minutes to reach full configuration. We ran into only a single snag, when clients could not find the server, which was resolved by the form of the domain name we had entered in the configuration screen. The configuration is done using CLI, which is fast and efficient, but somewhat unfriendly for those who are accustomed to a GUI for every task. Configuration files are stored as XML documents, following a growing trend in applications. On the plus side, our domain-name fix was effected using the VI Unix editor to edit a single file. On the minus side, XML files can be large, difficult to navigate, and about as intuitive as the Windows Registry.

Jabber supports SQL-based archiving with Oracle, PostgreSQL, MySQL, and other databases used to store the message contents and histories, but doesn’t require a database for the messaging server to function. Jabber’s IM server requires a directory system, but doesn’t force you to choose a particular directory. It can integrate with a variety of directory services including Novell’s eDirectory, Microsoft’s Active Directory, Sun’s iPlanet, OpenLDAP, or a flat XML file.