An effective Web portal offers the user a broad array of information, arranged in a way that is most convenient for the user to access. If designed correctly, a portal becomes a base of operations for Internet user, his or her home on the Web. To do this, the web portal administrator must provide the user fresh content, interactive elements, and easy access to the tools that the user needs.
The enterprise portal has moved beyond its roots in role-based content management to become a core component of software architecture—the universal interface for enterprise applications. That puts portal development plans center stage in overall enterprise technology strategy, and it raises the stakes for software suppliers to extend deployment and integration platforms with a standards-based presentation layer.
No longer is the portal seen as a user interface to be bolted on top of enterprise systems. Now it is part and parcel of the technology infrastructure, an infinitely customizable view into the real-time information, applications, and processes of the organization. Nor is it a single piece of software, but a complete environment including the architectural framework for building portals, an expansive set of portal services for specific functions, a set of development tools, and an administration console. |