IBM clouds up for UC

Last week at the annual Lotussphere conference, IBM announced it would make its Lotus collaboration software family available in a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, using its cloud services project as the delivery platform.

Announced last week, LotusLive will include hosted services such as messaging, conferencing and networking with a user interface that looks like Lotus's enterprise offerings. Plug-ins will connect online and on-premise software.

IBM appears to have its work cut out for it in the unified communications arena. It needs to integrate the online messaging technology it recently purchased from Outblaze, tie together the online suite offerings with on-premise software, woo the SMB market, and establish a reseller channel.

The company also needs to clarify and deliver various parts of its vision. A beta of LotusLive Engage was introduced, but critics say the product is "ill-defined, immature and reactionary." Engage is a web-based bundle of services including email, IM, web conferencing, file sharing, charts and forms. IBM has promised bundles targeted to specific industries and needs, with delivery on bits and pieces occurring throughout 2009.

In addition, IBM also announced partnerships with LinkedIn, Salesforce.com and Skype to integrate those services into LotusLive. Analysts say IBM is in a race to deliver its vision against Microsoft, Google and other cloud players.

For more:
- Network World article [1].