Big Blue’s Secure Second Life Fortress

IBM is putting its heft behind a project that could morph into new way of doing business in Second Life, Linden Lab’s virtual 3-D community. The two have partnered to build a protected enclave in Second Life where the company can conduct serious business without fear of marauders. While there are more than 100 corporate storefronts in the virtual community, none operate behind a firewall. Now, though, IBM employees — or rather, their avatars — can collaborate and communicate in a secure Second Life zone.