Groove Server 2007

I know 2 people with Groove installed can interact, collaborate and communicate using the software, what is the server function?  Does it make it un-necessary for the 2 people to have Groove installed to operate in the same functions?  If so, that would be a cool tool to use for study groups and discussions.  As it is now, only my classmates who took advantage of the Ultimate Steal have the ability to join in on our group projects when we use that medium.

While Office Groove 2007 itself enables teams of information workers to collaborate directly in a more secure, decentralized manner, Office Groove Server 2007 provides the server software and tools that IT organizations require to deploy, manage, and integrate Office Groove 2007 across the enterprise.

Office Groove Server 2007 can help your organization:

·         Centrally deploy, manage, and monitor usage of Office Groove 2007 client software.

·         Efficiently extend Office Groove 2007 software usage across firewalls and network boundaries.

·         Take advantage of existing infrastructure investments by integrating Groove workspaces with line-of-business applications and data sources.

Office Groove Server 2007 is a set of three separately installed server software applications running on Microsoft Windows Server™ 2003 that extend Office Groove 2007 client software with specific centralized services. The three application components of Office Groove Server 2007 are:

·         Office Groove Server 2007 Manager, which provides management services such as account configuration, policy setting, and usage reporting.

·         Office Groove Server 2007 Relay, which provides data relay services to transmit data between Office Groove 2007 clients when they cannot connect directly.

·         Office Groove Server 2007 Data Bridge, which provides a centralized platform for integration services to enable developers to build custom solutions that connect Office Groove workspaces with centralized enterprise data sources.