EMC World – 2011 – Day Three – ECM Strategy and Roadmap – 2011/2012 – Mark Arbour – Head of Product Management – ECM Applications

Attended another roadmap session focused on next 18 months.  This post will try to summarize and present TSG thoughts. 

Summary

General Roadmap Summary.  Mark mentioned that items in the roadmap include both committed items and strategy items.  List of roadmap items include:

Committed Items – First half 2011

• Webtop 6.7
• Centerstage 1.2
• xPlore 1.1
• Retention Policy Services (RPS) 6.7
• Content Server 6.7

Committed Items – Early Second half 2011

• MyDocumentum for Outlook 6.7
• MyDocumentum Desktop 6.7

Uncommitted Items in Roadmap – Early Second Half 2011

• Mobile Client iPad (July date)

Uncommitted Items in Roadmap – Late Second Half 2011

• Mobile (iPhone)
• MyDocumentum for SharePoint RM Activator
• CenterStage OnDemand
• SDL Tridion Integration
• eRoom 7.4.4

Uncommitted Mid First Half 2012

• Mobile (Android)
• MyDocumentum Desktop Cloud Enabled

Uncommitted Early Second Half 2012

• Unified Cleint
• RPS 7.0
• Webtop 7.0
• MyDocumentum 7.0
• Content Server 7.0

All of the above are subject to some change and are presented for rough planning purposes only.

Question and Answer

A couple of questions after the presentation that should be shared early on as they represent some significant questions for users.  Questions included:

“What is the mobile application written in and how will it be shared Open Source?”  (my only question of the conference- a pretty good one I thought).

Mobile is written in the native application.  Planning on a future composing approach to render to the device (would be web-based).  Haven’t decided how to release OpenSource yet but will be free.  Not sure if going to take contributions back into the base.

“What would be the charge for the Unified Client?”

Existing Webtop users will get granted to upgrade to Centerstage and Unified Interface.  Unified client – will be an upgrade from current client at no price.  (This is extremely welcome news to existing Documentum users)

Overall

IIG is looking at synergies between groups (case management, information governance and overall enterprise content management).   Presentation focused on Enterprise Content Management.

ECM Focal Areas

• Choice Computing and Client Unification
• Cloud/OnDemand
• Enterprise Worthiness – Transformation
• Information Governance

Client Unification

Mark mentioned that IIG/Documentum have a mishmash of multiple clients lacking common architecture and customization model. 

• Webtop – will around for minimum of 4 years.  Supporting but will not be adding a lot of new features.  Continue to certify on different browsers but not adding new features.
• eRoom – still around – new versions – no rush to get off.
• CenterStage – 1.2 released earlier this year.  Unified approach a knowledge workers needs to do (Search, Share, Bulk Load) – will be taking the best of different clients (Webtop, Centerstage…) for the Unified Interface.

IIG is trying to build best of all functions into Unified Interface without it becoming overwhelming and overly complex.  Interface needs to be intuitive and simple.  Mark mentioned that IIG has “learned from our Webtop over time.”

Next Generation User Experience

• Library management and Project Management
• Integrated security and workflow
• Team workspaces and collaboration
• Rich media composition
• Social content management
• Search and information portals

Will be based on EXT-JS, Visual Builder with business logic encapsulated at services or process level.  xCP builder will be used for all – (Will eventually be called Client Builder).  Over next couple of releases new interfaces will be constructed on this builder.  Clients will have ability to configure flexible wise by configuring components.  Not sure if Unified Interface will be called Centerstage – might be rebranded.  UI is based on the Centerstage model, back-end build on the xCP Builder.

Customers and partners will have sample code, templates and accelerators available to them.  Have plans to partner with partners to build out specific applications.

TSG Take – one concern would be the conflict between the collaboration versus document management needs that are typically different interfaces.  Adding collaboration components (Wiki, comments on documents) to approved records is typically not allowed.  Hoping that the new interface addresses this concern. 

Mobile

Planning to iPad application ship on July 15^th.  Goal would be to ship a new client about every 3 or 4 months.  Prototyping Android and other items.  Focus on consumption and, as discussed in last session, and will be free for licensed Documentum users.  Will be Open Sourcing the code (love that idea – TSG has been Open Source for 5 years to allow partners/developers to change.  Order of development priorities.

1. iPad
2. iPhone
3. Android
4. WindowsMobile-Playbook

Cloud/OnDemand

First phase is to get current clients on the cloud.  (Captiva, Documentum, Document Sciences, xCP, SourceOne).  More discussion about getting applications up quick as well as VCUBE as discussed in Rick keynote.  ECM Cloud offerings

• Centersttage – end of year
• Media Workspace
• Partner Solutions (e.g. Contract Management)
• Unified Client when comes out next year

TSG Take – we struggle here with sharing the excitement from EMC/IIG.  Is this something clients are asking for and will software like xCP run as well in a SAAS model as things like Box.net and Salesforce?

Information Governance

Just shipped Retention Policy Services 6.7

• Ability to Copy, Export, Import Retention Policies
• Al reports can be  exported to CSV
• Customizable columns

D7 Release

• Scalability/Parallel processing/Multi-node
• Apply policies/Disposition

Enterprise Worthiness/Connectivity

CMIS – See previous post for more detail.

Search – 6.7 Stack Release
Federated Search

• Adapter for Exchange 2007 & 2010
• New Adapter for SourceOne 6.6
• CMIS Adapter (coming…)

xPlore Search Engine 1.1

• New search infrastructure
• Key performance & search improvements
• Lower TCO & higher scalibity
• Native Analytics & faceted navigation support
• New, dedicated admin UI
• Full virtualized support

MyDocumentum Roadmap

• MyDocumentum Desktop – Q2/2011 – will include SSO, Metadata update, Auto check-in
• MyDocumentum Outlook – Q2/2011 – will include SSO, Search enhancements
• My Documentum SharePoint – Q4/2011 – will include full declaration of formal and informal records
• MyDocumentum Suite – Q2/2012 – Focus on Simplicity, Cloud and Enterprise Support

Cloud will be difficult given that some of the the products run on desktop – will have to connect to the cloud.

Web Experience ( Term for old Web Publishing)

Announcing continuing to support but announcing partner vendors.  Announced FatWire – decided about a month and a half ago to add SDL Tridion and will be adding one more that is a true cloud based vendor.  Priority this year will be working this year on SDL on a variety of priorities.