The difference between a basic web site or so-called “Corporate Presence” (usually a HTML, Front Page or Cold Fusion style web) and a Portal is that a portal is database driven incorporating PHP, ASP, VB Script and Java Script.

 

These enable the web site to retain settings, data etc. in a database or XML pages, that make information available to users. The other main difference is Personal Pages - rule-based Personalisation.

 

This means that the user can personalise his online experience by choosing what he or she wants to see and how it looks when the user logs in.

One of the main reasons for the demise of HTML type web sites is the pain of continuously having to edit and update pages of news and information.

 

With a Portal the user can contribute directly or the admin can add or change and manage content online through interfaces.

 

This means that the user can manage documents, information and knowledge himself (depending on permissions), create hierarchical directories, use browser-based file uploads, edit online with a HTML Editor, use form-based publishing, send and receive e-Mail, publish newsletters and notifications, manage projects etc.

 

 

Modules are the Building Blocks of Portals and Personal Pages, predefined Modules, such as news feeds; event managers, member/customer records, polls and surveys etc. are some samples.

Applications are more than just modules. They include ready-to-run Web Applications such as discussions forums, gallery or photo albums, file downloads, dictionaries, personal calendar, group calendar, resource/project calendar and manager, e-Mail client and business chart generators etc.

 

Secure Full Text Search is the mainstay of any Portal. This is because of the complex database and structure. It needs to afford quick and easy site search.

 

Integrate Services and Applications from existing Systems such as Web-Search, Translations, News Feeds, document repository, SMS’s etc.

 

Because of its design Portals are ideal for scalability and extensibility – Admin can add or switch off any module or application as needed.

 

Portals employ a Role-based Security Model, Permission Management, User Synchronisation, Password Encryption and Distributed Administration.

The Portal owner can develop his own Active Server Page Applications, Authentication, Permission Management, Multilingual Web Applications, with the Admin equivalent of a Software Development Kit (SDK), Style Sheets, Skins and the “Create a Page “ Wizard.

 

 

My Portal

My Personal Settings.

Users can have several personalised pages that present the information and services chosen by the user.

Additional Global Pages (Corporate Pages) and workgroup specific Pages (Community Pages).

Users can define their personal Pages by simply selecting from a variety of pre-defined interactive tools and services known as Portal Modules and customize them with their preferences.
The Enterprise Portal usually include over 50 pre-defined Portal Modules. A back-end Management System allows the easy creation of company specific Information Modules.
Different Layouts for personal pages (e.g. 2 or 3-columns).

Customising of the global Layout with Templates and Style sheets for the consistent Representation of the Corporate Identity.

Hierarchical Directory of all corporate information and applications.

Publishing of any documents, files, information and Bookmarks/Links directly with the web browser. All types of files e.g. Word documents, Excel Sheets can be published without any HTML knowledge. The Portal stores all Files in their native File Format.

WYSIWYG HTML Editor for publishing primary information not yet available in another file format.

Automatic Information all new/updated documents on the personalised Home Page as "My News" and/or with a personalized Newsletters by e-Mail or SMS (Notifications)

File-System Spider searches existing file servers and shared directories for new and updated document/files. This allows an implicit content management i.e. Information can be distributed by the Portal without any manual Publishing Process

Web Spider checks automatically complete Web Sites (e.g. Web Sites of competitors or Suppliers) for Updates

Workflow for Approval of new Documents/Information

Link-Checker checks manually published Links/Bookmarks (e.g. references to Knowledge Base articles) for Updates. 

The Database Publisher searches automatically databases (ADO) for updated information and transforms the information automatically in HTML documents

Full Text Search in Word Documents, Excel Sheets, Powerpoint Presentations, Acrobat-PDF-Files, Text-Files and HTML Documents

Multi Server Search: beside the published Content of the Portal the Full Text Search Engine can also search in Files on any shared Directory of existing File Servers and also in the Information gathered by the Agents 

Secure Search: Users will only get matching documents where they have the permission to access.

 Security

SSL Encryption

Flexible, role-based Security Model

Role-based Distributed Administration

Optional Support of Single Login based on Windows Authentication (Challenge/Response)

Optional, automatic Synchronization of User and Group Information with NT-Domains and Active Directory Servers with ADSI/LDAP 

Interface for the Import of User and Role/Permission Definitions from existing Systems.

Multilingual User Interface we offer now Zulu, Xosa, English, German, French, Polish and Russian Language File development.

 

Job Server/Scheduler to automate recurring and resource-intensive Processes

 

Web-Automation Toolkit for the easy Integration of all kinds of existing Web Services and Information Sources 

Business Graphics Server for the advanced Visualization of Key Metrics from existing Business Systems

Development of Information Modules with Microsoft® Technologies like Visual Basic, COM+, ASP, ADO, XML

§ Sub Portals are sets of predefined pages of content and applications that provide shared content and collaboration tools for e.g. a project team, a department, a branch office or the whole company.

§ Based on the Users Profile mandatory Sub Portals become an integral part of the Enterprise Portal. Ensuring that management can focus users' attention on important information and tools.

§ Portal Managers can change the content and appearance of their pages and manage the access permissions.

§ User can join Portals based on their User Profile. 

§ Replaces the Corporate Page Feature of Version 3.x

§ Threaded Discussions

§ New Topics Tile

§ Discussion Forum Wizard

 

§ Publishing of structured Information through Web Forms

§ Unlimited Number of new Content Types

§ Free Definition of the HTML Form Templates without programming

§ Client-Side Input Validation with JavaScript

§ All Form Information is stored in XML

§ XSL for HTML Rendering/Content Display 

 

§ Tile Classes, Tile Creation Wizard

§ MS Web-Part Integration

§ File-system-Spider now imports Create/Change Timestamps and Permissions from File-system/ACL

§ Recursive spidering of File-systems

§ Password Look-Up e-Mails

§ New Administration Modules

§ Top News with Abstract

§ Multi-Server Architecture

§ Several Usability Optimizations like Style Preview or easier Tile Selection and Sorting

§ Calendars for Resources like Cars, Meeting Rooms

Personalisation - the Difference between a conventional Intranet and an Enterprise Portal

 

Traditionally, Internet solutions recede into the sidelines after an initial period of euphoria. The information changes seldom, and, at the same time, frequency of use declines steadily. Therefore the system gets passed by more and more and information begins to flow down the usual, chaotic path.

The Enterprise Portal provides a single Web interface to the information and applications that users need every day. They tailor the portal to create a personalized experience by selecting from a catalog of Modules - modular building blocks - that embed in personal pages key information and services from enterprise applications and Web sites.

 

§ Users can define their personal Pages by simply selecting from a variety of pre-defined interactive tools and services known as Portal Modules and customize them with their preferences.
 

§ Different Layouts for the personal pages (e.g. 2 or 3-columns). Customizing of the global Layout with Templates and Style sheets for the consistent Representation of the Corporate Identity.

§ Sub Portals are sets of predefined pages of content and applications that provide shared content and collaboration tools for e.g. a project team, a department, a branch office or the whole company.
§ Based on the Users Roles, Sub Portals become an integral part of the Enterprise Portal. Ensuring that management can focus user’s attention on important information and tools.

The Enterprise Portal usually includes the following fully featured Web Applications:

 

 Discussions

§ Threaded Discussions

§ New Topics Tile

§ Discussion Forum Wizard

 

 

§ Week/Month Calendar Tile

§ Create Events for other Users (with Accept/Decline by User)

§ Absence List

§ Group Calendars

§ Resource/Project Calendars

§ Task Management

 

 

§ Inbox Tile

§ Folder Management

§ Contact Management

§ Works with any POP3/SMTP compliant e-Mail Server

 

 

 

Hierarchical Directory of all corporate information and applications

Publishing of any documents, files, information and Bookmarks/Links directly with the web browser. All types of files e.g. Word Documents, Excel Sheets can be published without any HTML knowledge. The Portal stores all Files in their native File Format.

WYSIWYG HTML Editor for publishing primary information not yet available in another file format.

Workflow for Approval of new Documents/Information

Automatic Information all new/updated documents on the personalized Home Page as "My News" and/or with a personalized Newsletters by e-Mail or SMS (Notifications)

Form based Publishing

§ Publishing of structured Information through Web Forms

§ Free Definition of the HTML Form Templates without programming

§ Client-Side Input Validation with JavaScript

§ All Form Information is stored in XML

§ XSL for HTML Rendering/Content Display 

 

File-System Search searches existing file servers and shared directories for new and updated document/files. This allows an implicit content management, i.e. Information can be distributed by the Portal without any manual Publishing Process needed

Web Search checks automatically complete Web Sites (e.g. Web Sites of competitors or Suppliers) for Updates

Link-Checker checks manually published Links/Bookmarks (e.g. references to Knowledge Base articles) for Updates.