GSM/SMS users to benefit from "pervasive messaging" technology in new IEMS Version 6

San Francisco, August 30,2001. Pervasive messaging is the ability to connect people through anywhere-anytime messaging via any kind of device. This is the vision software developer International Messaging Associates (IMA) shall put within reach of millions of GSM/SMS network users as it announced plans for the release of Internet Exchange Messaging Server (IEMS) Version 6 within the next two to three months.

The core of this new technology is the Messaging Application Framework. It is an application development environment where administrators can build simple messaging enabled applications, linking them to Internet email, SMS, and/or the World Wide Web.

"While many messaging vendors are concentrating their efforts on technologies with little to no industry acceptance, IMA has instead chosen to listen to what customers are asking for - namely tight integration of their main messaging infrastructure with the existing GSM/SMS network," IMA President Tim Kehres said during the Linux World Show in San Francisco.

The impact of these new features of IEMS 6 to business applications is endless, whether under corporate or SOHO environments. Take sales force automation, for instance. Through IEMS 6, field sales personnel can access home office databases and retrieve information while also allowing them to submit back management or market intelligence reports on the move, using either their SMS enabled cell phone or any web enabled device. Meanwhile, home users using IEMS6, can likewise remotely monitor home network devices regardless of their location.

"With IEMS6, messaging is no longer isolated to simple text messages between people, but a pervasive ingredient to the way business and people's personal lives are conducted " Kehres said.

Complementing enhanced messaging integration capabilities, IEMS6 offers calendaring and scheduling functions that not only supports the traditional Microsoft Outlook backend server, but also non-Microsoft server environments including Linux, Solaris, and HP-UX.

To address this IEMS6 is introducing enhanced SSL support for its SMTP and SMTP Auth Support, added an attachment removal filter, and a message store encryption module. SMTP SSL support ensure link level encryption to protect from message-snooping third parties monitoring traffic. Meanwhile, extending SSL support to SMTP Service Authentication, ensures security while still allowing the server's capability to receive messages from all sources which is typical under integrated messaging environments. This authentication system simply verifies valid server users before permitting mail relays from them.

As a further security reinforcement, IEMS6 makes use of an open source Attachment Removal filter to protect against viruses transported through message attachments. Stored messages on the backend message store server, meanwhile, are stored in encrypted form making it difficult for anyone to read stored messages in the disk.

The "open-shut" capabilities of IEMS6 takes pervasive messaging to the limit without sacrificing on security, a delicate balance which may spell success or failure for a messaging system aiming to excel in areas where most servers turn in mediocre performances.

Asked about its retail prices, IMA revealed that IEMS6 preliminary pricing is set at US$1,495 and will be released by the end of the year. For present IEMS5 users, IMA disclosed that customers who purchase IEMS 5 now at US$995 will be entitled to a free upgrade to version 6.

This article can also be found at Carriboo Computer Magazine, Linux PR, Press Box UK, Press Release Bulletin Board, and Linux Voodoo.

IMA unveils Solaris / HP-UX - supported IEMS 5.1 at Linux Show

San Francisco, August 28,2001.Not only does it run on Windows and Linux, but now it also runs under Solaris and HP-UX operating systems. This is one among the many new features that International Messaging Associates (IMA) made public during the launching of its enhanced Internet Exchange Messaging Server (IEMS) 5.1 in the Mandrake Pavilion at the Linux World Expo.

The enhancement comes less than three months from IEMS 5’s official release last June. While this may be regarded as exceptional in the industry, it also reflects the dynamic pace of development in the messaging technology market.

Aside from the added capability and compatibility to run across multiple Operating Systems, IEMS 5.1 also added features to reinforce user and administrative security as well customization qualities. To ensure the privacy of confidential data passing through its system, IEMS 5.1 has added SSL and TLS support for its IMAP4 / POP3 protocols working with an SSL supported Apache server. Meanwhile, by opening up IEMS 5’s preprocessor API, third party developers can now build custom filter modules (such as archiving agents, content filters, etc), or gateway modules.

Apparently, its thrust to capture the SOHO market has also made IMA re-strategize the manner by which it is marketing IEMS 5. In a move that what most industry observers say is a competitive maneuver targeted not only to gain a foothold of the SOHO market but also gain a share of the Linux market from Sendmail, IMA now offers a free scaled-down option for IEMS 5.1 – an MTA packaged with a three-user license in its message store but with several of its key features disabled.

"Market dictates practically defined the kind of enhancements we added in IEMS 5.1" IMA President Tim Kehres said. "Our inroads to the China market has made us decide to add a simple and traditional Chinese language support for our Web Mail Client and Administrative interfaces aside from French, German and Spanish GUIs IEMS5.1 now has. Offering a three-user free version of IEMS 5.1 is just an option we want to offer SOHO customers who simply need the bare essentials of a cost-effective messaging system, " Kehres said.

IMA sources say that more enhancements can be expected beyond IEMS 5.1. In fact, Kehres is looking forward to announce plans for an IEMS 6 that are targeting release in the next two to three months. In relation to this, IMA also announced that it would be giving free 5.1 upgrades to current IEMS 5 users.

"It is a must to innovate continuously, but we also have to prepare our customers to cope with the pace with minimal disruptions," Kehres said.

This article can also be found at Carriboo Computer Magazine, Linux PR, Press Box UK, IT Toolbox, Press Release Bulletin Board, and The Linux Voodoo.