Messaging analysis gets new tool
A new product from Tally Systems will tackle the vexing problem of analyzing messaging software use on corporate networks.
The Veranda Enterprise Messaging Reporter will track messaging, such as email usage, as well as Internet and fax activity, and will correlate information so that managers can locate network bottlenecks. The tool tells managers who is using what messaging tools and when, so that they can adjust bandwidth needs within their infrastructure.
Tally officials said they are the first to take an Internet usage tool and combine it with messaging and fax analysis so that a manager can get a complete view of how communications tools are used and what they cost to implement. Analysts said messaging systems are one of the booming markets in an industry that lacks accompanying management tools.
Veranda also allows a manager to charge for Internet usage, track security breaches, and govern messaging policies.
Electronic mail systems can be analyzed by sender, recipient, or message size, for instance. This information, as well as similar data from networked fax systems or browsing, is fed into a central database. From this point, administrators can choose customizable reports based on the data, such as the costs of fax servers or email trends on the network.
The Veranda Messaging Reporter will function in Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows NT desktop environments, with native support for most major messaging platforms and proxy servers. Support for Hewlett-Packard's OpenMail will be included in the next release. Prices start at $2,995 for a 50-user version.