So long Cisco Mail; we hardly knew ya.

According to a blog post from Cisco Systems, the technology behemoth will be kyboshing its cloud-based email service, a mere 13 months after its launch.

Writes Debra Chrapaty, Cisco’s senior vice president and general manager: “In the 13 months since, we’ve been market testing Cisco Mail via a controlled release. The product has been well received, but we’ve since learned that customers have come to view their email as a mature and commoditized tool versus a long-term differentiated element of their collaboration strategy. We’ve also heard that customers are eager to embrace emerging collaboration tools such as social software and video.”

She added, “That was the key factor in the decision, which we shared with customers today, to discontinue investment in Cisco Mail. As you would expect, we will assist our current trial customers with their transition to other email alternatives and support them for the length of their contract. Cisco will also continue to integrate to other email systems to protect our customers’ legacy communications investments.”

Cisco had the right idea with its cloud-based service but didn’t seem capable of competing with broader and cheaper alternatives such as those offered by Google.

Nevertheless, as reported by TechZone360.com from Cloud Expo in Santa Clara, Calif., enterprises are moving toward a much more rapid adoption of cloud services, as they seek to lower costs and need a more agile infrastructure that is almost as simple as any other “out of the box” service to implement.

Cloud may not be the answer for all, but it indeed is a viable solution – even a strategic decision for more companies – as the haze of cloud breaks open.