The messaging system is becoming the foundation for a variety of business applications such as routine business correspondence, order processing, distribution of organizational information, customer service, marketing communications and direct marketing. To provide the requisite scalability, accessibility and reliability required as these new applications expand, the messaging system must become a true infrastructure on the scale of the telephone system or power grid. To become a true infrastructure means delivering universal access, dialtone reliability and the ability to easily serve as a platform for numerous applications. The power grid is a good analogy.
All plugs are the same.
The voltage is universally 110 or 220. Any appliance can easily plug into this reliable system and work instantly. The entire system is operational 99.9 percent of the time. It is dead simple. This general, standard availability has unlimited diverse applications hairdryers, toothbrushes, can openers, computer systems, lights, industrial machinery.