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Web 2.0 meets the enterprise in a new suite of applications from Dallas-based Telligent. Building off its Community Server online networking suite, the company has created Community Server Evolution, an intranet-focused lineup.

Telligent was founded four years ago by Rob Howard, a Microsoft veteran who focused on community-building products. The company's public-facing online suite, Community Server, launched that year. When creating Community Server Evolution, the Telligent developers began thinking about the special needs of enterprises.

The goal of the new suite is to let employees use social networking tools as they would normally -- so that the tools integrate with natural working and networking styles -- and then to give business a way to harness that information. How people access tools is flexible. For example, younger workers might prefer to engage in live IM discussions, while older workers might prefer to participate through e-mail. Either way, both are taking part in the same exchanges.

Sharepoint companies should give a long look at the suite, as it offers Sharepoint integration (both Web parts and documents) and works with Microsoft Active Directory. It also offers LDAP integration, as well as e-mail and Exchange integration. We spoke with Christian Vanderbeck, product sales manager for Community Server Evolution, who said that the product would continue to offer deeper and deeper integration with Microsoft technologies in the future.

Web 2.0 technologies built into Community Server Evolution include blogs, forums, and wikis. The suite also offers groups (which are customizable sub-communities that can be built around projects or even social interests) and deep media support (allowing users to insert online media, such as videos, into their postings; users can also upload their own videos).

One unusual feature of Community Server Evolution is the ability to monitor "activity streams." Users can view activity streams of other employees, meaning they can see where those employees are posting or participating. By allowing others to view these streams, Vanderbeck said, employees can keep track of what others are working on and then join in relevant discussions.

The suite offers easy customization controls, so administrators can match it to the look of an existing intranet. While some users are linking Community Server Evolution off a startup portal, others are using it in place of a company intranet.

The Telligent user interface.

The company has already announced an aggressive schedule for updates, and is committed to delivering three major releases per year for both Community Server and Community Server Evolution. Telligent has even taken the bold step of announcing what upcoming updates will be, offering total transparency to users. The next update will extend group functionality and will offer a way to search for experts. It will also deliver integration with Microsoft Live Communication Server, which shows online presence. This update will be released around January/February of 2009.

Community Server Evolution is a software-only product that requires Windows Server 2003/2008 and Microsoft SQL Server for installation. Subscriptions are on a per-seat basis, and pricing starts at $15,000 per year for 250 seat licenses.

"The release of Community Server Evolution is a big win not only for Telligent, but for our clients as well," says Rob Howard, CEO of Telligent. "With our new Enterprise 2.0 technology, we're taking communities of collaboration one step further and helping organizations cut development and operational costs."

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