ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Eric Krapf
Eric Krapf is the Program Co-Chair of the Enterprise Connect events, helping to set program content and direction for the...
Read Full Bio >>
SHARE

Eric Krapf | January 18, 2008 |

 
 
share
 

Should Cisco Compete with IBM for Second-Place in the Desktop Market?

Should Cisco Compete with IBM for Second-Place in the Desktop Market? We've posted a new feature over in the right-hand column, by Brent Kelly of Wainhouse Research. In mid-2007, Brent and Wainhouse did a pretty thorough survey of end user attitudes about Unified Communications, and the results were pretty revealing. Among other things, it supports the notion that Siemens--and almost everyone who's not Microsoft or (to a lesser degree) IBM--is going to lose the desktop battle. Yet it also makes me wonder if Cisco isn't an exception to this rule.

We've posted a new feature over in the right-hand column, by Brent Kelly of Wainhouse Research. In mid-2007, Brent and Wainhouse did a pretty thorough survey of end user attitudes about Unified Communications, and the results were pretty revealing. Among other things, it supports the notion that Siemens--and almost everyone who's not Microsoft or (to a lesser degree) IBM--is going to lose the desktop battle. Yet it also makes me wonder if Cisco isn't an exception to this rule.

We've posted a new feature over in the right-hand column, by Brent Kelly of Wainhouse Research. In mid-2007, Brent and Wainhouse did a pretty thorough survey of end user attitudes about Unified Communications, and the results were pretty revealing. Among other things, it supports the notion that Siemens--and almost everyone who's not Microsoft or (to a lesser degree) IBM--is going to lose the desktop battle. Yet it also makes me wonder if Cisco isn't an exception to this rule.I posted about this a couple of days ago, after doing a podcast interview with Mark Straton of Siemens. Mark played down OpenScape, Siemens' UC client, while playing up HiPath 8000, the company's carrier-grade core call control engine. If you look at Figure 2 in Brent's article, you'll see why this is the right move:

As the figure shows, very few enterprises in Wainhouse's survey were using or considering any UC client other than Microsoft's or IBM's. For most of the voice platform vendors, close to half or more of the respondents were actively "not considering" these vendors' UC clients.

What's interesting is that this data doesn't look nearly as bad for Cisco, which scored 40% on the "not considering" line, and a total of 35% either using or considering its UC client. That actually compares not too badly with Microsoft OCS 2007, where 48% are using or considering, and 26% are "not considering." And it compares really well with Lotus, where 24% are using or considering Sametime and 27% are using or considering Notes--versus 51% and 56% respectively who aren't considering Lotus.

Things look even better for Cisco when you consider that presumably a chunk of those who are "not considering" Cisco clients aren't Cisco Unified Communications Manager shops anyway, so they really wouldn't be candidates for the UC client.

It almost makes me wonder if Cisco should make a bid to replace Lotus as the desktop alternative to Microsoft. Unlike IBM, they have an installed base of IP-PBX customers who'd be natural adopters for their client.

Maybe Cisco is the one "voice" vendor that shouldn't concede the desktop.

And, maybe that's why we keep hearing those rumors about IBM buying Siemens Enterprise....



COMMENTS



Currently we allow the following HTML tags in comments:

Single tags

These tags can be used alone and don't need an ending tag.

<br> Defines a single line break

<hr> Defines a horizontal line

Matching tags

These require an ending tag - e.g. <i>italic text</i>

<a> Defines an anchor

<b> Defines bold text

<big> Defines big text

<blockquote> Defines a long quotation

<caption> Defines a table caption

<cite> Defines a citation

<code> Defines computer code text

<em> Defines emphasized text

<fieldset> Defines a border around elements in a form

<h1> This is heading 1

<h2> This is heading 2

<h3> This is heading 3

<h4> This is heading 4

<h5> This is heading 5

<h6> This is heading 6

<i> Defines italic text

<p> Defines a paragraph

<pre> Defines preformatted text

<q> Defines a short quotation

<samp> Defines sample computer code text

<small> Defines small text

<span> Defines a section in a document

<s> Defines strikethrough text

<strike> Defines strikethrough text

<strong> Defines strong text

<sub> Defines subscripted text

<sup> Defines superscripted text

<u> Defines underlined text

Did you know you can style comments using HTML tags and upload your avatar photo? To upload your avatar photo, first complete your Disqus profile. Once your profile is complete, you may add your avatar photo. (Hide this hint)

Sign up to the No Jitter email newsletters

  • Catch up with the blogs, features and columns from No Jitter, the online community for the IP communications industry. Each Thursday, we'll send you a synopsis of the high-impact articles, podcasts and other material posted to No Jitter that week, with links for quick access.

  • A quick hit of original analysis by the experts who bring you Enterprise Connect, the leading event in Enterprise Communications & Collaboration. Each Wednesday, this enewsletter delivers to your email box a thought-provoking, objective take on the latest news and trends in the industry.

Your email address is required for membership. For details about the user information, please read the UBM Privacy Statement

As an added benefit, would you like to receive relevant 3rd party offers about new products/services and discounted offers via email? Yes

* = Required Field
Enterprise Connect Orlando 2012
Keynote Speakers Announced
Enterprise Connect is proud to announce the following industry leaders will deliver keynote addresses at Enterprise Connect Orlando:
--Steven J. Bandrowczak, Vice President & General Manager, Avaya Networking
--OJ Winge, Senior VP/GM,Video & Collaboration, Cisco
--Kirk Koenigsbauer, Corporate VP, Office Business Group, Microsoft
--Alistair Rennie, GM, Lotus Software and Collaboration Solutions, IBM Software Group
Enterprise Connect Webinars
Building Cloud Grade Data Center Networks
Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2 PM EST/11 AM PST

This presentation reviews best practices and tools for implementing data center clouds, including how to pin-point and resolve problems, and minimize cost while maximizing performance and usability.
Virtual Enterprise Connect
Implementing Microsoft Lync in the Enterprise--REGISTER NOW!
This in-depth Virtual Event will feature detailed presentations by technology experts who can help you plan your Lync-based UC migration and get the most out of all that Lync has to offer..
Enterprise Connect Orlando 2012
Orlando Conference Program Announced
The Enterprise Connect conference program has been published! Our confernce is designed with one over-riding objective: To help you make the best decisions as you migrate your enterprise communications and collaboration.
Trending Now
Upcoming Events
Webinars Virtual Events Live Events
Mobile Collaboration: Faster, Smarter, Better
February 15, 2012
For employees away from the office—whether on the go, at a remote location, or telecommuting from home—success depends on connecting the right people with the right information anywhere to a...
A Proven Approach-Four Steps to Drive Organizational Video Adoption
February 1, 2012
Have your video implementation projects fallen short of your expectations in user satisfaction or utilization? Reaping the benefits depends on not only on selecting the technology, but on careful plan...
Real-World Lessons for Your UC Migration
January 18, 2012
As your enterprise moves into its Unified Communications migration, you’ll need to meet short-, medium- and long-term goals that provide investment protection, return on investment, and real bus...
More Webinars
More Virtual Events