09.26.06
WebEx Connect
I was invited to the VIP reception for Webex’s big splash announcement on Monday night after the SaasCon. I have a lot of respect for WebEx, because of its execution capability and talents within the company. Min Zhu, co-founder of WebEx, is probably one of the smartest technologists I know. I have been expecting a lot since I know there is something cooking. What is being announced is called WebEx Connect, a web collaboration platform that ties business process, application, data and users together beyond a company’s boundary (I would call it boundaryfree collaboration). WebEx is leveraging its strength in communication, collaboration and web meeting, together with the Cordys’s data and process integration, and put that together in multi-tenant hosting environment, and deliver it as SaaS.
Similar to other mesh-up applications, this is more of a composite app (as we call it in the enterprise world), that combines application context with data, plus process and people dimensions. It provides a way to build workspaces that tie IM and web meeting, with internal document repository, workflow, as well as internal/external on-demand enterprise systems like SugarCRM. Ismael’s ITRedux has some more details. Essentially, this would make it a AppExchange rival. The concept is cool, but I actually think it is a relatively tough space to move into. Unlike communication where knowledge worker can make more independent spending decision easily, data and process integration, especially within an enterprise, takes work and required IT department involvement. This would create a longer sales cycle and come head-to-head with other players like Salesforce.com, traditional middleware/App server players like Tibco, BEA, as well as external integration vendors like Cyclone commerce (now combined with Axway). Integration is a messy world with all the connectors and business data mapping. In addition, some of these competitors can partner with another voice and collaboration vendors and start to pull the same kind of solution. Instead of continuously horizontal expansion on collaboration, WebEx picks vertical stack packaging to compete. Now the world has a new player and hopefully it can do well.
