Collaboration and Microsoft's Business Productivity Offerings
Microsoft provides Business Productivity framework and tools related to it for enterprises. Let's see in this blog what does it provides and what offering are available from Microsoft in this field.
- IT Process and Compliance.
- Identity and Security Services.
- Client Services (Desktop client, Thin client etc.).
- Datacenter Services.
The BPIO model sits on top of this Core IO model and leverages optimal utilization of basic IT infrastructure.
(Courtesy: Microsoft Corporation)
Figure 2: BPIO
- Basic
- Standardized
- Rationalized
- Dynamic.
A organization as it progresses and grows in IT infrastructure, moves from Basic towards Dynamic organization. Important part of BPIO at the application level is Collaboration. Effective collaboration between employees within an organization and within teams is important. For that, Microsoft has offering for functionalities like, Workspaces, Portals, Social Computing and Project Management.
One important product that provides it all is: SharePoint Server. Specifically with the coming of SharePoint Server 2010, Social Computing incollaboration stack has increased.
BPOS (Business Productivity Online Services suite)
After the success of BPIO model and Microsoft came with BPOS (Business Productivity Online Services suite). This is a set of collaboration and messaging suite provided by Microsoft as subscription and SaaS. It includes Microsoft SharePoint Online, Exchange Online, Office Comunication Online and Live Meeting online. This offering has got discontinued now.
Office 365
As more and more organizations are adopting Cloud based services, Microsoft along with its cloud offering Azure, introduced, cloud productivity service microsoft Office 365. In Office 365, Microsoft provides, Office Professional Plus, Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Lync Online and Office Web Apps.
Summary
Figure 3: Microsoft Collaboration Business Productivity Tools / Applications
- Infrastructure Optimization.
- Multi-generational workforce.
- Distribute workforce.
- Mobile Information workers.
By including IT and Collaboration in their Enterprise model and growing from one level to another level of Collaboration optimization, today's organizations can reduce overhead costs and improve their Business Productivity.
Due to the above issues, there is a negative reflection of productivity and high costs within enterprise and it becomes very complex to manage information collected and attributed by each team member. Also the management and milestone progress of these teams is difficult for their managers. If not properly collaborated, team members loose a vision of the work they do and this reflects in their delivarables.
It should have also the capability to integrate with existing infrastructure and applications, thus enabling enterprise information search. Thus today's Dynamic Enterprise need a comprehensive architecture for employee and team collaboration. This will surely reflect in the revenues of the enterprise as increase in:
