This reminds me of when everyone was hooked into a central server and had workstations - the administrator would broadcast messages to everyone and the messages would come on top of whatever they were working on. The method has been around for awhile, just not used much.
Users have the software running on their machine - and I suspect this kind of window is always open:
Once you click the type of alert - the system broadcasts to everyone else.
There are some obvious shortcomings with the system (what if I'm not at my desk?) - and they are the kind of shortcomings that a lot of initial solutions have so many critical areas are already going with more far-reaching options (PA system - chime sequence).
All and all I would consider this a useful piece of an overall system. But - you wouldn't need to buy this system to achieve the same effect. Just take your systems admin out to lunch and ask them to set up message broadcasting. You'll probably have more options at your disposal if your system admin does it anyway --- plus they know the subtle details of your situation. You're systems admin could also help integrate other features like SMS, email etc. which may be difficult in a pre-packaged product. Either way you've got to have some very solid procedure in place that's tested - practiced and works. That's way more important than anything like this.
The product here is LANalarm
If you need a pre-packaged system like this, that's what they offer. I don't know much about them.
I'm recommending that every new construction project has PA systems built in to the TELECOM package - that gives you more options, is more reliable and probably more cost effective than anything else. You don't have to say "everyone get out and avoid the dude in the trench-coat" over the PA system, just a series of chimes. And in a pinch you do have the option to just talk over the system as well. When you're in the department store and you hear the chimes come over the PA - you have no idea what they mean but the staff sure does.
