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WebEx Communications Inc. is a Cisco company that provides on-demand collaboration, online meeting, web conferencing and videoconferencing applications. Its products include Meeting Center, Training Center, Event Center, Support Center, Sales Center, MeetMeNow, PCNow, WebEx AIM Pro Business Edition, WebEx WebOffice, and WebEx Connect.

History[link]

WebEx was founded in 1996^[1] under the name ActiveTouch^{[2][verification needed]} by Subrah Iyar and Min Zhu. Zhu had co-founded Future Labs (one of the first companies to produce multi-point document collaboration software) in 1991.^[3] Zhu met Iyar, then a vice president and general manager of Quarterdeck, when Quarterdeck acquired Future Labs in 1996. Iyar was named president of Future Labs, which had been made a Quarterdeck subsidiary, and the same year Iyar and Min went on to co-found WebEx. On March 15, 2007, Cisco Systems announced it would acquire WebEx for $3.2 billion.

Traveling Software, now known as LapLink, originally owned a software product called WebEx, which shipped to the public in June 1996. The LapLink product called WebEx was a utility to be run as a companion to be used for offline web browsing, a feature which is now integrated inside of most commercial modern day internet browsers.^[4]

Traveling Software originally registered the WebEx trademark in May 1996.^[5]

However, in 1999, after the original founder of LapLink returned as CEO, Traveling Software/LapLink.com sold the rights to the WebEx name to the company that is known today as WebEx.^[6]

Securities[link]

Before the purchase by Cisco, WebEx featured in the NASDAQ Global Select Market.^[7]

Cisco acquisition[link]

On March 15, 2007, Cisco Systems announced that it had agreed to pay $57 per share to acquire WebEx. The deal values WebEx at about $3.2 billion, or $2.9 billion when WebEx's cash reserves are factored into the price. WebEx's largest stockholder is Jan Baan with 9% of outstanding shares. In a press release Cisco said WebEx would "become a part of Cisco's Development Organization while maintaining its unique business model".^[8] Cisco has also said that its long-term plan is to absorb WebEx at both a technology and a sales level.^[9]

There is also increased use of WebEx as an online learning platform and classroom for a diverse set of education providers.^{[citation needed]} The platform has worked for educational institutions because of real-time collaboration using an interactive whiteboard, chat, and VOIP technology that allows audio and video sharing. In distance-learning situations, while replacing the classroom with features, institutions have also looked for security features that are inherently strong in a Cisco powered collaboration environment^{[citation needed]}. The downside is that WebEx is not a free platform like WiZiQ or Moodle and fees are paid per "host" of a classroom or a meeting. Some organizations are, however, beginning to integrate WebEx with Moodle.^[10]

Services[link]

All WebEx applications are built on the MediaTone platform and supported by the WebEx MediaTone Network (originally called the WebEx interactive network),^[11] a global network intended for use with on-demand programs. The network was designed by Shaun Bryant, WebEx's Chief Network Architect,^[12] and Zaid Ali Sr, Network Architect, to be one of the first SaaS platforms on the internet.

WebEx Application Suite The firm provides a suite of applications designed for business processes such as sales, support, training and marketing processes:

• WebEx Meeting Center – recreates face-to-face meetings with real-time data, application-, voice- and video-sharing capabilities.
• WebEx Sales Center – features automatic attention notification to alert sales professionals when they are losing a prospect’s attention, branded prospect portals providing a secure location to share information, and real-time sales analytics and reporting.
• WebEx Training Center provides facilities for trainers, including breakout-session support and learner testing, tracking and reporting. In 2010 an on-demand LMS module was added, a component of the overall E-learning Suite
• WebEx Support Center – allows support agents to identify, resolve and track customer issues within a secure, online support session
• WebEx Event Center – intended for web seminars and events; WebEx Event Center includes automated lead-scoring, email-invitation management and an event-producer dashboard
• WebEx LiveStream – intended for large events (100 – 200,000 attendees) that require onsite production, TV-quality video, voice, and powerpoint.
• WebEx Consulting Services – expert teams can provide education, content, and delivery related to building online sales teams, universities, marketing programs, etc.
• WebEx WebOffice – an on-demand collaboration suite designed for small businesses, with a document manager, group calendar, database manager, task manager and other collaborative business tools.
• MeetMeNow,PCNow and QB Remote Access
  • MeetMeNow – a lightweight web meeting application for individuals, allowing them to conduct unlimited instant meetings with up to 15 attendees. Does not include custom-branded site.
  • PCNow – allowing users to securely access remote computers by using a mobile phone or web browser.
  • QB Remote Access – allowing users to securely access QuickBooks Application from anywhere.

The company acquired Intranets.com in 2005, providing entrance into the small- and mid-size business market through the company's customer base of businesses with fewer than 100 employees. It acquired the ability to offer online collaboration tools such as discussion forums, document sharing and calendaring while Intranets.com provided access to the WebEx communications environment for its customers.^[13]

On February 21, 2006, AOL and WebEx announced plans to launch a business version of AOL's instant-messaging software, AIM Pro, with additional features to help workers collaborate using conferencing tools offered by WebEx.

On September 26, 2006, the company announced plans to offer a web collaboration "mashup" platform called "WebEx Connect".^[14]

Legal proceedings and inquiries[link]

Goldman Sachs securities fraud investigation[link]

As a result of a securities fraud investigation initiated by the SEC and by various state Attorney General offices, Goldman Sachs faced charges of issuing unfair research, including coverage of WebEx, and IPO violations. WebEx management allegedly dictated to Goldman Sachs analysts what the research should and should not include. WebEx maintains the management's information was accurate.^[15] Another charge accuses Goldman Sachs of violating securities law in its allocation of shares in WebEx's initial public offering.^[16]

Raindance lawsuit for patent infringement[link]

On September 27, 2005, WebEx sued Raindance Communications, Inc., a competitor, for patent infringement. On October 14, 2005, Raindance filed a countersuit against WebEx for patent infringement. Both parties sought both damages and an injunction enjoining further acts they claim to be infringing on patents.^[17] On March 31, 2006, the parties agreed to the dismissal of both actions, releases of claims for past infringement, payments associated with those releases, and cross-licenses to each other's patents. The agreement resulted in Webex receiving $1.0 million from Raindance.^[17]

See also[link]

• Comparison of web conferencing software
• Comparison of remote desktop software
• Collaborative software

References[link]

External links[link]

• WebEx website