Editing Instant messaging (section)

== Business application ==
Instant messaging products can usually be categorised into two types: Enterprise Instant Messaging (EIM)<ref>{{cite web |date=2012-04-10 |title=Better Business IMs - Business Technology |url=http://im.about.com/od/imforbusiness/a/topbizims.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430235442/http://im.about.com/od/imforbusiness/a/topbizims.htm |archive-date=2011-04-30 |access-date=2012-05-11 |publisher=Im.about.com}}</ref> and Consumer Instant Messaging (CIM).<ref>{{cite web |date=2008-03-15 |title=Reader Questions IM Privacy at Work |url=http://im.about.com/b/2008/03/15/reader-questions-im-privacy-at-work.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100825135258/http://im.about.com/b/2008/03/15/reader-questions-im-privacy-at-work.htm |archive-date=2010-08-25 |access-date=2012-05-11 |publisher=Im.about.com}}</ref> Enterprise solutions use an internal IM server, however this is not always feasible, particularly for smaller businesses with limited budgets. The second option, using a CIM provides the advantage of being inexpensive to implement and has little need for investing in new hardware or server software. IM is increasingly becoming a feature of [[enterprise software]] rather than a stand-alone application.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

Instant messaging has proven to be similar to personal computers, email, and the [[World Wide Web]], in that its adoption for use as a business communications medium was driven primarily by individual employees using consumer software at work, rather than by formal mandate or provisioning by corporate information technology departments. Tens of millions of the consumer IM accounts in use are being used for business purposes by employees of companies and other organizations. The adoption of IM across corporate networks outside of the control of IT organizations creates risks and liabilities for companies who do not effectively manage and support IM use.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}} IM was initially shunned by the corporate world partly due to security concerns, but by 2003 many had started embracing these new services.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Message in a bottleneck |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/message-in-a-bottleneck/ |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=CNET |language=en}}</ref>

=== Software ===
In response to the demand for business-grade IM and the need to ensure security and legal compliance, a new type of instant messaging, called "Enterprise Instant Messaging" ("EIM") was created when [[Lotus Software]] launched IBM Lotus Sametime in 1998. Microsoft followed suit shortly thereafter with [[Microsoft Exchange Server|Microsoft Exchange]] Instant Messaging, later created a new platform called [[Microsoft Office Live Communications Server]], and released [[Office Communications Server]] 2007 in October 2007. [[Oracle Corporation]] also jumped into the market with its [[Oracle Beehive]] unified collaboration software.<ref name="Oracle Beehive offers enterprise instant messaging">{{cite web | url=http://www.cmswire.com/cms/enterprise-20/oracle-buzzes-with-updates-for-its-beehive-collaboration-platform-004538.php | title=Oracle Buzzes with Updates for its Beehive Collaboration Platform | publisher=CMSWire| date=May 12, 2018 | access-date=October 16, 2018 }}</ref>

Both IBM Lotus and Microsoft have introduced federation between their EIM systems and some of the public IM networks so that employees may use one interface to both their internal EIM system and their contacts on AOL, MSN, and Yahoo. As of 2010, leading EIM platforms include [[IBM Lotus Sametime]], [[Microsoft Office Communications Server]], [[XMPP|Jabber]] XCP and Cisco Unified Presence.{{third-party inline|date=July 2016}} Industry-focused EIM platforms such as [[Reuters Messaging]] and [[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg Messaging]] also provide IM abilities to financial services companies.{{third-party inline|date=July 2016}}