The future of Web-based e-mail

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June 5, 2000
Web posted at: 10:37 a.m. EDT (1437 GMT)

by Michael Osterman

(IDG) -- Web-based e-mail systems are associated primarily with consumer-oriented e-mail, but there is a growing trend toward using Web-based e-mail for enterprise messaging.

Many enterprises would like to implement Web-based messaging systems because the administration and management efforts for Web-based messaging are significantly less than those for systems in which a client is located on the desktop. Web-based e-mail can save time and money because upgrades are easier, technical support requirements are reduced, and so forth. For example, an upgrade of a Web-based e-mail system to thousands of users can be accomplished in less than an hour, far faster than with a client-based system.

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However, in order for Web-based e-mail to be an effective alternative to client-based systems, high bandwidth is necessary for performance of these systems to be on a par with that of client-based systems. Further, many current Web e-mail interfaces lack features offered on client-based systems, such as drag and drop capability. For these reasons, we anticipate that a large percentage of high-volume e-mail users will continue to prefer client-based systems for the near term.

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In some ways, security is a more significant issue with Web-based messaging than it is with client-based messaging, because the former often uses shared access devices, such as multiuser computers or kiosks. It's important to have the capability to quickly purge any information from a Web-based e-mail system.

Web-based e-mail will become increasingly important for certain types of workers who use mainstream messaging systems, including Notes/Domino, Exchange and GroupWise. These workers will include remote employees, employees whose workplace is not a desktop (pilots, warehouse staff, delivery personnel, doctors) and others who need the flexibility that Web-based messaging can provide.

In short, Creative Networks believes that Web-based e-mail will grow significantly in importance at the enterprise level and will be driven by its lower total cost of ownership and greater flexibility.

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