Building Portals, Intranets, and Corporate Web Sites Using Microsoft Servers

The Microsoft .NET platform offers additional products that further expand the power of your portal beyond the foundation capabilities. For instance, BizTalk makes it easier to create and maintain multiple interfaces to external data sources such as legacy mainframe applications using XML.

Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) offers simple team collaboration web sites, including a document library, group calendar, threaded discussion, and shared contacts. WSS is integrated into Office XP and also FrontPage 2002.

In January 2003, Microsoft announced the formation of the Real Time Collaboration Group business unit, headed by Anoop Gupta, formerly of Microsoft Research and technical advisor to Bill Gates. The group focuses on online communication tools and solutions, including Microsoft Live Meeting, formerly PlaceWare Conference Center. These products and technologies are a natural adjunct to the .NET portal platform.

Support for handheld and wireless devices usually is an optional portal feature, or at least is left until the core portal functionality is fulfilled. Fortunately, the .NET Framework supports such devices without a major redevelopment effort.