AOL Developing Workplace AIM

America Online is developing a version of its instant messaging (IM) service for workplace use in an attempt to give the consumer-oriented AIM the security, collaboration, and IT management features businesses require, the Dulles, Virginia, company plans to announce today.

Developed with online meeting specialist WebEx Communications, the new AIM Pro will be available in the second quarter. Pricing details haven't been finalized, but the service will probably be offered as a monthly subscription on a per-user basis, executives from AOL and WebEx say.

AIM Security Issues

AIM, the most widely used IM service, is designed for personal use, but many workplaces have adopted it. This causes IT departments problems when they can't manage, secure, and log their users' IM communications.

To address this issue, AOL has partnered with IM gateway providers, whose software gives IT departments some control over the medium. AOL also collaborated with Microsoft to make AIM compatible with Microsoft's LCS enterprise IM platform. Similar support is in development for IBM's Sametime enterprise IM platform.

However, with AIM Pro, AOL is moving into competition with IBM, Microsoft, and other enterprise IM providers, the executives acknowledge. AIM Pro's hosted, on-demand model will be an attractive alternative to the platform approach of IBM and Microsoft, which costs more and requires in-house installation and management of an IM server, they say.

AIM Pro Specs

AIM Pro will come in two editions. The Professional version is for individuals at work and for small to mid-size businesses. The Enterprise version is for large organizations and comes with IT administration tools.

Both will link up with enterprise directory services and calendars, and let users launch conference calls, conduct online meetings, chat using video and VoIP (Internet telephony), and share desktops. Both will also encrypt sessions and provide auditing, logging, and regulatory-compliance features.

Background

In mid-2004, AOL launched AIM Business Services, a suite that includes a looser integration with WebEx called AIM Web Meetings and that lets users initiate an online meeting from their "buddy list."

Shortly after launching AIM Business Services, AOL discontinued its IM gateway product, saying it didn't want to be a software provider to enterprises, preferring instead to partner with gateway vendors, such as Akonix Systems and FaceTime Communications. That decision is congruent with AIM Pro, which is a hosted, on-demand service, not packaged software, the executives say.

As with the consumer version, AIM Pro's ability to interoperate with other IM services will be limited, because it's based on proprietary technology. Though AOL has linked AIM with some other services, it can't interoperate with the other two large IM networks: Yahoo's Messenger and Microsoft's MSN Messenger. Yahoo and Microsoft are in the process of making their services interoperable.