Startup Crafts IM Monitoring Tool

At-work instant messaging addicts beware: Web security firm Blue Coat Systems is preparing an application that can monitor, log, and manage employees' consumer IM use.

IM Traffic Control, which is scheduled for release in the third quarter, will give technical administrators access and control of users' messaging applications from leading consumer providers America Online, Yahoo, and Microsoft.

Messaging Monitor

The company said its product is one of the first to offer businesses the capability to rein in rogue use of consumer IM products in the workplace. Instant messaging in business has been growing by leaps and bounds in recent months, say analysts.

According to research done by Gartner, 70 percent of companies it surveyed said they were inundated with instant messaging in 2002. Furthermore, the researcher predicts this year companies will attempt to take back control.

Blue Coat's IM Traffic Control application is due to be announced Monday. It will be available as a stand-alone product or as part of the company's Web security platform, which also includes content filtering, Web virus scanning, and proxy caching.

Existing IM Goes to Work

Companies' newly declared battle against employees' unsanctioned IM use comes when the leading consumer messaging providers are also attempting to distribute corporate versions of their products.

All of the major IM vendors have recently announced corporate IM products, in a race to stake claim of the emerging market. All are expected to become available early this year.

Microsoft has announced MSN Messenger Connect for Enterprises, designed to support both internal communications and IM with approved clients. AOL is marketing the AIM Enterprise Gateway, which builds on its popular consumer product. Also, Yahoo is developing Yahoo Messenger Enterprise Edition, which targets the business market.

Those enterprise versions of the consumer products include security functions, and other third-party monitoring tools are available. With companies' antennae raised to the spike in IM use at work, employees should consider themselves warned--their IT administrator is probably watching.