Instant Messaging: AOL Embarrassment Perfect Example of Why Business Should Not Rely on Public Networks

The story is simple. AOL was trying to purge old unused AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) accounts. In the process, they inadvertently blocked access to up to 10,000 active users. To make matters worse, no explanation was posted by AOL. Talk about a double whammy.

So as I have said before, I will say again: Businesses that rely on the instability and insecurity of public instant messaging networks deserve what they get. Apparently, David Morgenstern of eWeek agrees. But he also says that the big winner in the debacle "may be Microsoft and its Office Live Communications Server 2005 platform. Microsoft is working to support all three of the primary IM protocols: AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo Messenger and MSN Messenger."

Sorry David, building a server to support these protocols may be a good marketing move, but it hardly is supportive of sound IS Governance. And what about IBM Instant Messaging (formerly known as Sametime)? Why are it not a winner also?. Yes, it supports AIM and we are still waiting for a Sametime client for the MAC. But when it comes to companies deploying an officially sanctioned IM product that satisfied their legal, regulatory and security  requirements, what product leads the way?

Related Links

AIM Outage: You Get What You Pay For?
AOL: IM Glitch Blocks as Many as 10,000
The Business Controls Caddy: Corporate Instant Messaging: Can the Risks Be Managed to Support a Business Objective?