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In yet another sign that Web 2.0 technologies are finding their way from the consumer space into workplace settings, Intel today announced that it is spearheading the assembly of a software suite that includes blogging, wiki, and content syndication software.

The product, called SuiteTwo, will feature software from NewsGator Technologies, makers of RSS feed software; SimpleFeed, makers of a Web-based application that allows marketing departments to implement, manage, and modify customer communications programs; Six Apart, makers of blogging software; and Socialtext, makers of enterprise wiki software.

All of the companies are considered part of the Web 2.0 wave of Internet application makers. In general, Web 2.0 applications are those that were developed after the dot-com crash and that share certain traits: They are usually built on open-standards architectures, are browser-based, employ reusable components, and focus on encouraging collaboration and interaction among users.

SuiteTwo will be aimed at small- and medium-size businesses initially, with plans to place it later in the enterprise market as well, said Lisa Lambert, managing director of the software and solutions group at Intel Capital, Intel's venture capital organization.

SpikeSource will support the suite and will help Intel with its distribution.

Web 2.0 Gaining Business Steam

This move proves that Web 2.0 applications, most of which were originally developed to serve the consumer market, are increasingly being adapted for use in organizations, says Michael Goulde, a Forrester Research analyst. "It's the first time anybody has taken some of these new applications together and made them into a package that can be easily implemented," Goulde says.

IT departments are becoming more and more familiar with these Web 2.0 applications, but they aren't entirely sure how to deploy them in a safe and controlled manner. "With a lot of them, after you download them, it's up to you to support them, so [IT managers] are a little reluctant to make them a part of their regular business applications," Goulde says. "So having the support behind these new applications is very important."

Intel has chosen the applications well, since wikis, blogs, and content syndication applications are proving very convenient and useful in workplace environments, Goulde says. For Intel, it's good business to support any new technologies that users find useful. Meanwhile, the application vendors obtain a powerful distribution channel into the business market that helps them gain access to customers they may not otherwise reach, Goulde says.

Future Additions

Intel plans to grow the suite to include podcasting, social networking, and mobile applications, Intel's Lambert said. SuiteTwo will be positioned as an integrated set of tools for internal and external business communications.

The applications have been given a single sign-on feature and a common user interface. Intel will initially optimize them for its server hardware, and later possibly for its desktop PC and mobile platforms, Lambert said.

Intel will encourage its partners--such as resellers, distributors, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)--to adopt the suite and bundle it with their products.

The suite will be available to early-access customers by the end of 2006, with broad availability expected in the first quarter of next year. It will run on server operating systems from Microsoft, Novell, and Red Hat.

Intel is officially unveiling SuiteTwo at a press conference today at the Web 2.0 Conference in San Francisco.