North Dakota State Government Instant Messaging

IM Home | Windows Messenger | Rules & Etiquette | IM FAQ | Support

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost?

$1.25/month/person. This price includes all related Microsoft Client Access Licensing and ITD hosting services.

Why would anyone pay for IM service when it is available for free on the Internet?

Using a client such as Yahoo, MSN, or AOL for business-related IM is equivalent to using Hotmail or G-Mail for business-related email. Consumer-based IM solutions transmit information openly across the public Internet. All bets are off regarding the privacy and integrity of the data, even if you are sending an IM to another person in your office. In addition, viruses and unsolicited messages (known as “SPIM”) cannot be controlled by enterprise means.

If I use the enterprise IM solution, can I communicate with people on Yahoo, MSN, or AOL?

Not at this time. The next release of Live Communication Server includes “gateways” that will facilitate this type of interaction. However, the state’s Enterprise Architecture process will need to determine if the business requirements warrant the associated cost and security implications.

Will installing Windows Messenger interfere with other IM clients?

Windows Messenger cannot be run in conjunction with the MSN Messenger client. However, Windows Messenger is capable of running both an enterprise Live Communications Server session and a public MSN session simultaneously. In addition, we have not experienced any issues running Windows Messenger along with Yahoo or AOL clients.