Real-Time Collaboration Architecture

I found an article on Gartner which describes the architecture for collaboration systems, here is the summary:

Information management employees often work in distributed environment across different locations. Quick access and communication are critical. With e-mail overload, Information Management was the way to provide real time interaction models. However, IM had some benefits like presence across multiple application, the possibilities of integration with new products and diverse vendors were limited and proprietary presence protocol further limits deeper integration of presence. What a organization need is a collaborative solution which extends beyond IM.

Many real time products have many points of access and common concept connecting them is presence which among vendors is tied directly. Due to directness of connection there is lack of context which is essential to real collaboration and without it what workers do stays unfocused and gets lost. In case when different communication and collaboration tools are linked in contextual way and the output generated by people is more valuable. For example collaborative discussion started with received email which through context leads to video conference based on the email. However it is important that each component of such system provides seamless interaction with other components.


The Layers of Abstraction

In the reference architecture for presence, dynamic links connect the layers. Architecture provides view at the presence as a core service, irrespective of the application where application layer does not play important role. Being able to manipulate presence and have interaction form any to any point is the key. It does not matter which application is being used but the ability to switch as directed presence to any collaboration context which suits the situation is crucial. The presentation layer manipulates interface between user and applications according to user needs. Visualization and manipulation could be used to create flow of data, interaction across the application and switching control. The best way to look at the concept is to look at it as unified architecture which includes every communication and collaboration channel. The good part about it is that vendors need to follow the architecture to stay on the market.

The key benefits

The architecture is helpful in developing collaboration infrastructure for:

• Less lock-in - separated layers imply that different vendors could be used.
• More flexibility - ease to integrate mobile and other devices since having detailed services separated from client which could be run by multiple client applications.
• Less redundancy - one presence engine service - many client applications.
• Better integration - less monolithic approach leads to easier integration of presence based services.
• Ideal fit for Service Oriented Architecture.