Instant messaging world

From time to time I write about some tools we use here at VR to keep the business running. Today it's going to be about Instant Messaging. We use instant messaging here a LOT since we're on different floors and very spread out. Maybe too much. But it can be a really useful tool and very cost-effective since for the most part it's free. It stops our one-on-one email traffic and if we need to move quickly on something it's easy to do. But to most positives there are negatives to be aware of too. Here are a few that we've run into. Positives * It's great if you're in multiple locations and you need a cost effective way to communicate. * It saves us money on long distance. * You chat with someone while on a conference call to steer the conversation. * It's great if you can't leave your desk and need a quick answer to a question. * It saves you on foot traffic if you've got a long way to walk for a quick discussion. * Stops the...

Soft Security* newly released IMCrypto. What it does - IMCrypto protects your instant messenger conversations. It’s compatible with all of the popular instant messengers (IMs). IMCrypto uses one of the strongest and most reliable public key encryption algorithms ? RSA. Easy to Use - Just install the program and you’re ready to start secure conversations with anyone on your contact list. All incoming and outgoing messages will be encrypted and only the addressee will be able to read them. Features * The IMCrypto Toolbar makes it easy to access all the necessary functions in just one click * With the IMCrypto Control Center you can access additional options and settings * The IMCrypto KeyServer which will give you an opportunity to exchange keys with all your contacts easily and quickly Bottom Line: IMCrypto is easy-to-use and offers reliable protection for all your instant messenger conversations and keeps your confidential information secret. It’s affordable at $29.95 for 1...

Q: How do I ban MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, Skype and other chat programs on an enterprise LAN? My network connects to the Internet through a hub, and from the hub it connects a wireless router/modem to the Internet. I've tried blocking URLs and outgoing ports, but to no avail. I can't install any blocking software because I don't have a server in between the router and the network PCs. A: As you have discovered already, imposing controls on the use of Instant Messaging (IM) within an enterprise network is not easy, but let's review your options, starting with some non-technical aspects. The first step for an enterprise that wants to keep its network free of MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, Skype and other programs of that kind must be to establish an information security policy that outlaws them. Make sure all employees are aware of the policy and the penalties for violating it. In this phase, try to present the logic for the ban: the fact that IM is a serious attac...

A sufficiently strong business case for enterprise instant messaging has yet to be made We have just wrapped up a major study of the instant messaging, real-time communications and presence market. The goal of this study is to understand how real-time communications technologies, such as instant messaging and Web conferencing, are used by midsized and North American organizations. We asked organizations that have not deployed enterprise instant messaging as a pilot or in production why they have not done so. The most commonly cited reason is that no one has yet made a sufficiently strong business case for enterprise instant messaging – nearly one-half of decision makers indicated this as a reason for not yet deploying the technology. Another important reason for not deploying enterprise instant messaging is that about 30% of decision makers feel that consumer instant messaging clients – which are used in the vast majority of organizations – meet organizational requirements for real-tim...