FileNet

FileNet Corporation was an American company that developed software to help enterprises manage their content and business processes. FileNet P8, their flagship offering, is a framework for developing custom enterprise systems, but it can be used as-is. It was acquired by IBM in 2006.

The company was based in Costa Mesa, California, and marketed Enterprise Content Management (ECM) and Business Process Management (BPM) services both directly and via a network of resellers, system integrators and application developers.

History

1980s

FileNet was founded in 1982 by Ted Smith, formerly of Basic 4.

He saw the potential of the new 2.6GB laserdiscs, compared to then current 150 MB disk drives, to hold data required by scanned images. Paired with workflow software, this replaced paper-based methodology. Smith's company designed and built their own 64 laserdisc jukebox (OSAR: Optical Storage and Retrieval), their own FileNet Distributed Operating System (FDOS), and their own servers, based on Motorola 68000 series processors with 8 to 32 MB of RAM.

The networking subsystem implemented the Xerox Network Standard (XNS) with Network Clearing House (NCH) as the directory service. The first systems shipped to beta customers in 1985 was FDOS version 1.6 with 1.8 released in 1986 and 2.2 in 1987.

2000s

In January 2001 FileNet released Acenza as an entrée into the applications marketplace, which was poorly received and later rebranded as FileNet Case Manager for Image Management (CMIM).

Development

In January 2002 FileNet announced BrightSpire, an application that was eventually rebranded as FileNet P8 ECM. There are a number of FileNet P8 ECM suites that leveraged the experience gained from integrated document management, web content management, and workflow into an integrated Enterprise Content Management (ECM) platform.

In April 2002, FileNet acquired eGrail Corporation, a company based in Bethesda, MD, to add Web Content Management (WCM).[4]

In April 2003, FileNet added eForms capabilities to the Panagon and P8 products with the acquisition of long time form software vendor Shana Corporation of Edmonton, Canada.[5]

Also in 2003, FileNet extended the P8 suite extending compliance capabilities with the P8 Records Manager tool which helps companies solve regulatory compliance and records issues.

In 2004 FileNet added Team Collaboration Manager, built on the P8 platform it is an out-of-the box application that helps organizations to be more agile and competitive by allowing virtual team members to work together across functional and geographical areas.

Late in 2005, FileNet acquired Yaletown Technology Group of Canada, formerly a FileNet ValueNet Partner; this allowed them to further their capabilities in managing different types of content in the FileNet P8 ECM platform with the Email Manager product (which they had been exclusively marketing in an OEM agreement and was formerly sold as eCW) and furthered their reach into compliance with Records Crawler, formerly known as Universal File Importer or UFI.

They also extended their Business Process Management capabilities releasing the Business Activity Monitor (BAM) application, which provided real-time event management and visibility of business performance data to enhance operational responsiveness and decision making.

IBM acquired FileNet in 2006;[6] by early 2008, an iPhone version of the P8 client was available.[7]

fate	Acquired by IBM (2006)
foundation	1982‡R1R‡
locations	Costa Mesa, California, Paris, France and Wimbledon Village (later Stockley Park), England and Bad Homburg, Germany and Sydney, Australia.
key people	Lee Roberts, CEO Ted Smith, Chairman and Founder
industry	Computer software
products	FileNet P8 Platform
homepage	http://www.ibm.com/software/ecm/filenet

History

1980s

1990s

Acquisitions

Panagon

Acquisitions

Panagon

2000s

Development

Development

P8 Versions and Editions

External links

References