A company called WorkLight, Inc. is hoping to bridge the gap between the ease-of-use of the social applications consumers use at home and the complexity of the enterprise applications that are used in business. To do so, WorkLight isn't just taking enterprise applications and adding web 2.0-like features, they are actually taking the social applications and tools that already exist and are adapting them for business use. Currently, the company works with fourteen of the most common social networks and social tools, including MySpace, Facebook, Netvibes, iGoogle, RSS, del.icio.us, and more to create enterprise-grade applications. The software, which was previously Linux-only, has now been made available for Windows servers, too.
Yesterday, we looked at the growing tech populism trend in IT, now let's look in more detail at this specific example and see how WorkLight brings social computing tools into the enterprise environment.
The WorkLight software is a secure, scalable, server-based application that is what allows workers to view their enterprise data in any of a number of web applications and forms, both inside and outside the firewall.
The WorkLight server, which would run in the customer's own data center, previously only worked on Linux platforms, but a Windows version is now available. (Note: their web site has not yet been updated with this information.) The architecture used to build WorkLight is standard Java and a J2EE framework, so it can be deployed on any J2EE-compliant platform.
To extract the data from the enterprise applications and/or other internal data sources, WorkLight uses application "adapters." These adapters can be for common interfaces, like SQL or web services, or can be designed for specific applications. The software comes with many standard application adapters "out of the box," but an included API allows for custom-built adapter creation. Once the adapters are connected to the data sources, configuration is done, programming-free, via XML documents.
The company's employees can then display the data through tools like RSS, web-based homepages, desktop gadgets, social bookmarks, application mashups, and more. In total, WorkLight works with fourteen consumer technologies: MySpace, Facebook, iGoogle, Netvibes, Microsoft Live, Yahoo widgets, Apple Dashboard, Google Desktop, Windows Vista Sidebar, del.icio.us, RSS, Google Gears, and Adobe AIR.
WorkLight Gadget Accessing SAP Data
The company, WorkLight, Inc., has developed four specific solutions using their WorkLight software:
WorkLight's WorkBook application
The WorkLight solution provides security functionality so the enterprise data stays safe. WorkLight securely integrates the data with web-based aggregators, so no data is being stored on 3rd party servers. SSL encryption is used while the data is in transit and several different authentication methods are supported, including HTTP basic, form-based, multi-factor, or the company's existing authentication schemes can be used, like single sign-on. The cached data on the WorkLight servers can be encrypted, if desired, and user requests for information are logged with time stamps, user info, and identifiers of the data accessed.
With WorkLight's customized tools, businesses could increase employee productivity since the staff would either already know how to use the social applications and tools or would be able to learn them quicker than the traditional enterprise applications. Companies that choose to embrace this growing trend will ultimately be one step ahead of their competitors. Says Chris Shipley, executive producer of DEMO, where WorkLight was on display in December of '07, "We are breaking away from putting technology at the center and we are putting people at the center who have the authority to influence technology." WorkLight is certainly proof of this new shift.
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is this really a good idea ? Im trying to avoid work at home.
Posted by: cmdrNacho | February 28, 2008 10:56 AMThere is a social network called RSS? I am missing something?
Posted by: kuldeep | February 28, 2008 11:22 AM@kuldeep: Ahem, I believe I said social networks *and* social tools...And yes, you could consider RSS social, esp when you look at Google Reader! :)
Posted by: Sarah PerezIntegration to the enterprise existing Identity Management platform would be key in selling this capabality to IT Leadership. So when I read, "The WorkLight solution provides security functionality so the enterprise data stays safe," I would hope that existing security infrastructure can be leveraged as opposed to introducing yet another username/password store to the enterprise.
I'm a big fan of the using all these tools at work, but afraid of the nightmare it may cause if its core capability is standalone.
Posted by: Banky the Hack | February 28, 2008 2:04 PMWe can provide a full range of social networking applications strategy, design, development and marketing for your business. Our service offerings will allow you to maximize and leverage the social networking social graph of 200+ Million users.
Posted by: social security | March 11, 2008 12:49 AMAre you in need of a custom Facebook application or an OpenSocial application for social network? We are happy to build even the most robust applications to help promote your company in the realm of social media across any social network.
http://www.opensocialfactory.com/
We can provide a full range of social networking applications strategy, design, development and marketing for your business. Our service offerings will allow you to maximize and leverage the social networking social graph of 200+ Million users.
Posted by: social security | March 11, 2008 2:43 AMAre you in need of a custom Facebook application or an OpenSocial application for social network? We are happy to build even the most robust applications to help promote your company in the realm of social media across any social network.
http://www.opensocialfactory.com/