Endeavors Links AIM, MSN
March 26, 2003
By Christopher Saunders


Endeavors Technology this week took the wraps off its first-stage implementation of secure, cross-network public instant messaging.

The product, dubbed Magi Secure XIM, acts as a desktop-based proxy that controls outbound and incoming IM traffic. This week, the product gained the ability to link AOL Instant Messenger and MSN Messenger (AKA .NET Service) traffic. Benefits to the end-user include being able to retain a client with which they're familiar, and retain their existing Buddy Lists while using encrypted IM.

Businesses, meanwhile, get network-level control over users' Screen Names and the ability to authenticate users against local Lotus Notes or Exchange servers, and are able to police IM access, enforce virus-scanning, and log conversations and chat sessions. Enterprises also can assign namespace identification to users' IM handles (albeit namespaces not sanctioned by America Online or MSN, which offer their own namespace controls.)

"This allows users to keep the same client, gives IT control of instant messaging, and corporations full control of the directory," said Endeavors' vice president of marketing, Kapi Attawar. "Companies who can't afford to afford to buy a fully compliant IM solution will probably have to interface with many different companies with many different religions of IM. As a result, you build up a Buddy List on your IM client and you get asked to change the client, you now have to figure out how to migrate all of those."

The interoperability is handled through the Magi desktop proxy and a centrally administered DNS server. The setup maps incoming or outgoing AIM or MSN usernames -- for instance, in updates about Buddies' presence, or to start an IM session -- to a format that's appropriate to whichever client is installed locally. To the end user, this activity is invisible.

"We control all the network content and traffic coming into and out of the client, so we can dynamically substitute any content that we want," said Endeavors Chief Technology Officer Greg Bolcer.

Irving, Calif.-based Endeavors has offered non-interoperable secure instant messaging since last year as part of its Magi Secure IM products. Within coming months, the firm plans to add Yahoo! (Quote, Company Info) interoperability to its Secure XIM offering. Closer to the end of the year, we should also see compatibility with IBM (Quote, Company Info) Lotus Sametime usernames.

Already, Attawar said the company has several pilot programs in place, and is lining up partners to promote the technology to new clients.

But one hurdle could emerge in that some companies don't like having locally installed proxies -- preferring instead to oversee traffic at the network proxy level, which makes deployment easier and gives sysadmins peace of mind that desktop users can't override settings. To help combat that, Magi Secure XIM offers notifications to IT staffs that users have disabled their desktop proxy.

The company also said that it expects to not step on any toes with its product. That became an issue with other interoperability players like Cerulean Studios' Trillian, which has periodically lost connections to AIM OSCAR and Yahoo!, as those networks retaliate for unauthorized access.

"We've bent over backwards to make sure we're end-user-agreement compliant," Bolcer said. "We're not changing the client or the service."

Added Attawar, "We're not trying to disintermediate either Microsoft or AOL or the other guys. We're using their directories, their presence, and their client, and with those clients comes the ads and everything else that people are used to ... we still send presence information between the translated services."

At any rate, client-to-client interoperability like that offered by Endeavors sidesteps the prickly issues surrounding server-to-server compatibility in the public IM space. While enterprise offerings like Lotus Sametime and Microsoft's upcoming Greenwich technology support server interoperability based on Session Initiation Protocol, the main public networks have thus far resisted calls to open their servers to the outside.

Christopher Saunders is managing editor of InstantMessagingPlanet.com.

cool quotes.......


Already, Attawar said the company has several pilot programs in place, and is lining up partners to promote the technology to new clients.




"We've bent over backwards to make sure we're end-user-agreement compliant," Bolcer said. "We're not changing the client or the service."

M

some soundbites for those taht are interested


"making IM talk is a serious bussiness"- cnet comment

"bridge the world of instant messaging" Kapi attawar

"tested with 100s of users"- kapi attawar, wonder were they got all those users -)

"Im embedded into bussiness made the eyes light up of attendees at Sunguard"- Kapi attawar

I see there are two tadpole threads, which is the official one?

Ian2

both are, one is a trading thread, this is more a news thread.

Ainsoph posts on both I post on both.

Information is King. see you at the AGM.

M

thanks

From Shares Mag


Chief executive of 'punters favourite' resigns

Shares in punters favourite Tadpole Technology were rejuvenated by the resignation of long serving chief exec Bernard Hulme this week. The shares rose 13% to 5.6p, indicating the decline in Hulmes standing in the city.
David Lee, the non exec chairman appointed by Hulme five years ago is taking over the reins as exec chairman. Hulme has agreed to be a consultant for the next 6 months.
The company recorded a record deficit of 11 million last year. It sold the declining hardware division at christmas, while the enterprise software side has increased sales to 1.8 million but is still unprofitable.
Hulme never quite convinced institutions that he was tough enough to turn around this stricken company. Though he bought 647,000 shares they were purchased at prices much higher than the current level and his options at a strike price of 10p are also under water. Whether Tadpole will ever return to profit remains a moot point.
The shares are for gamblers only.


M

problem with outfits like shares magazine is that i am ure they have no idea at all what TAD really does, christ knows it is diffcult enough for us to have an understanding

how on earth they can focus on last years sales but no qualify them with the profitability of cartesia and the other developments post year end is beyond me

they should either write a full and balanced argument and discussion of not at all

Most of the casual coverage gets it wrong ..... unfortunately ..... but guess they don't really have the time


ains

you mean shares mag with its huge circulation doesn't have hundreds of well informed knowledge writers who are well briefed in all areas writing for it but goes for the easy soundbite?

perish the thought

I used to subscribe to Shares Magazine but became fed up with their shallow and less than reliable analysis - so I cancelled.

I see from the above that nothing has changed !.

:-)) ...... I think you get the idea dick ..... are you going on Monday - should be an interesting afternoon



ains

ainsoph

i am in town but shares in a nominee account so too lazy/working/can't be bothered etc

sure it will all be written up on the boards although i know that is no excuse

i think it will be interesting but all they have to say is "its on course" i.e. profitability in 12 months that is all they need and even if another few mm GEM needed no problem

if anyone is going to ask questions i would like to know about Leica and how much Webex and Autodesk generate and what happened to healthcare wins

but i assume they will be said anyway....

;-)

contra - i agree

but doesn't make it right - its no diferent to ramping or deramping on a bulletin board

I take your point about the nominee accounts ..... some brokers still arrange for you to be able to vote them - but not most.

I rarely go to AGM's but this one might be a little different. There are no big institutional holders who have declared their interests and I understand several of the well know retail holders will be attending




ains

well then - they should vote of TC and not raqtify the accounts if the directors' bonuses are too high (in fact if there are any, they have options at 10p)

that would get em moving

its held down the road from me as well!!!!!!!! - the product of a playstation generation is my defence

I think TC is in for a rough ride and none of the agenda items is guaranteed to be passed without comment ..... bring the playstation with you :-)) .... you can always leave after a bit albeit the after meeeting discussions could go on a bit and may be useful



ains

LOL!!!!

that would be rude, zelda is out on the gameboy on monday and to sit through an AGM playing it.....

DD

bring the play station, be something to ammuse us all.


M

I hope you blokes give them stick at the AGM, they deserve it

best of luck

Iain