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Internal Instant Messaging Client / Server Combo?

Posted by kdawson on from the this-message-is-being-recorded dept.

strongmantim writes "I manage an internal help desk (25-30 people) for a medium-large company in the healthcare industry. We're looking for an internal, secure, FOSS (if possible) instant messaging / presence awareness client and server combo. Transmission of Protected Health Information is a sensitive issue, so the server has to be able to log any conversations that occur. It is preferred that the client not support outside protocols such as AIM, MSN, Yahoo, etc.; if it does, I will have to promulgate and enforce yet one more policy that my techs not connect to them. All of the computers that will connect run Windows XP. The system should be scalable up to ~100 people (in case we decide to include our entire office in the roll-out). Hardware and OS for the server are not an issue. Oh, and one more thing: It has to be free. Suggestions?"

6 of 360 comments (clear)

  1. SILC by Zapotek · · Score: 5, Informative

    You can setup a SILC server.
    That's what we used to use in a company I worked for and it worked quite nice.

    1. Re:SILC by hgesser · · Score: 5, Informative

      This post was rather short, but I think it is one of the best suggestions. I played a bit with SILC some years ago: From a user's view it looks a lot like an IRC client, so users can talk to one another privately or join a channel to meet with several other users. What's most important is: It meets all the criteria,
      - it encrypts all communication
      - it is no multi-protocol thing, i.e. you cannot connect to other services.
      I can't remember whether you can run connections to several silc servers at the same time, but if so, that's at least better than having to restrict a program that can connect everywhere. Even though I haven't heard much of silc lately, the software is still actively developed. The last release is from March 19, 2009.

  2. Openfire by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://www.igniterealtime.org/projects/openfire/index.jsp

    Works very well. Meets all your reqirements. Client supports Mac, Win and Linux but is a resource hog. It's jabber though so you can use many clients.

  3. Re:Jabber is what you need by craagz · · Score: 5, Informative

    Openfire.. so easy you will be surprised. I've just come off a successful implementation at our workplace.
    hack out the pidgin plugins. Pidgin Portable 2.5.5 is around 23MB and I removed all languages except English, plugins of everything except Jabber. Compressed it and 8MB.

    --
    My Blog | Badsh
  4. Re:Not another one by harryk · · Score: 5, Informative

    I agree.

    The OpenFire Jabber server is rock solid and integrates with LDAP, has the ability to log conversations and generally speaking is very elegant and easy to maintain.

    We also use the Spark client, which is made available by the same group.

    Very solid setup if you ask me.

    --
    think before you write, it'll save me moderator points.
  5. Re:Not another one by jwilson27 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Another vote for OpenFire. I am the IT manager at a healthcare facility and I have implemented this successfully. The latest version was very easy to setup and integrate with Active Directory. It has been working like a champ for almost 8 months now. I also enabled the web client and Red5 video plugin for video chat. This saved us quite a bit of cash in travel fees since we have numerous clinics spread out over the area. We did not eliminate traveling (nothing beats face-to-face time). Instead we do weekly video meetings and monthly travel.