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HANNOVER, Germany—Novell Inc. took instant messaging a step further into the enterprise world this week at CeBIT here with the launch of an enhanced, security-conscious communications platform, GroupWise 6.5. Next month, the company will add a messenger feature to the platform, allowing an enterprise to secure its IMs within the organization.
While instant messaging is no longer the purview of teenagers, many enterprises remain concerned about its security and complexity of use. The latest version of Novells e-mail/calendar/workflow services software attempts to respond to these concerns.
With GroupWise 6.5, mobile workers can get to their information through a Web browser on a desktop or laptop computer, wireless telephone, or PDA. Since Novell charges for the product per user, enterprises can allow their workforce to access information via any device without having to buy additional licenses. “This is built for the way people really work,” a Novell spokeswoman said about the latest product.
GroupWise 6.5 boasts an easier user interface and improved integration tools for developers as well. The company emphasized open standards and new APIs for developers to create innovative features tailored for specific industries or enterprises.
Today, more than 34 million people use GroupWise, according to Novell.
GroupWise Messenger is in beta tests and will be available in April, free to current GroupWise 6.5 users, the company said.
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