Nov2Written by:
Kathy Nguyen
11/2/2009 8:24 AM 
IBM is venturing into the cloud based email service business. The company is expected to introduce it LotusLive on-demand mailbox and email service. This is a new collaboration service designed specifically for enterprise use. With LotusLive, you will be able to get 1 Gigabyte of storage space.
LotusLive iNotes is IBM’s new cloud based service. It is the company’s first baby step into the world of cloud based computing market. The service will include all the essential functionalities of enterprise email service.
Specifically, IBM’s product will include enterprise email service, contact management system, and calendaring tools. LotusLive iNotes can interface with your current on-site email. It can also be used as a standalone platform for business users. Subscription to the service is really affordable. It will cost your company $3 per month per user.
The IBM Brand Makes a Big Difference
The new cloud based email service of IBM is not really groundbreaking. In reality, this service is no different from the services being offered by established players like Yahoo and Google. The interesting fact is that IBM is venturing into cloud computing.
There is no doubt that IBM is one of the biggest names in the technology industry. And its entry into the on-demand email service is a big endorsement for cloud computing and cloud based or hosted services.
The Real Benefits Cloud Based Services
According to IBM, there is an increasing demand from customers today who are looking for strategic cloud based services and solutions. Through hosted services or cloud computing, the cost of IT infrastructure and maintenance can be greatly reduced.
As companies take advantage of hosted solutions, they will be able to rationalize the operations of their IT infrastructure. The latest product of IBM is now being prepared for all types of enterprises.
The Driving Force behind IBM’s Decision for Venturing in the Cloud
IBM’s venture into hosted service and cloud computing platforms is primarily driven by the fact that IT people are now shouldering increasing responsibilities. The elite group of in-house IT professionals are also becoming more dependent people outside of their companies.
There is a growing need today for IT experts to allow access or share files and documents with their peers. So there is a need for on-site collaboration tools that can be used by IT professionals to enhance sharing.
The technology that is being offered by IBM is working along this principle. Specifically, LotusLive is primarily designed to enhance collaborative efforts within the enterprise from the basic levels up to the upper echelons of the organizations.
IBM is also banking on its established brand name. The new service is being packaged as one of the solutions in the long roster of Lotus Family.
According to IBM, brand recall is very important. The company knows that more than 50 percent of listed companies in Fortune 100 are using IBM collaboration tools. Such collaboration tools include Lotus Notes. That is why IBM is using a familiar brand in order to attract these probable customers.