SharePoint for Web Portals

[SDSoftDev]

Does anyone have any experience with using SharePoint for a true web portal? Or any references for some good research, something to weigh in for or against?

My research has shown SharpPoint is more of a collaboration tool and better for document management then a true web portal. I will need to hook into and integrate many disparate systems. I don't want to get stuck in MS' modis operandi of having to install many components that all depend on multiple servers, services, Visual Studio etc with menial connectors for some systems. I need a true middle layer of integration and abstraction. Which is why I'm pushing for AquaLogic Service Bus, but I have VPs that want to look at SharePoint. *sigh*

Help me Obi Won. You're my only hope.

Thanks.

[Hack]

Here is an interesting article.

[Hack]

I wanted to verify this before saying it, but my company is using Sharepoint as a portal. At the moment, the whole thing is in a pilot stage and my department isn't in the pilot, so I can't tell how it is going.

I do have a contact in the department that is conducting this however, so I could verify it. (Naturally, my contact is all bubbly happy about the whole thing being the corporate kind of guy that he is......that in and of itself gives me pause. )

[SDSoftDev]

Is this a public portal for visitors, users etc, or an internal portal for employees. Such as to access HR records, shared documents etc?

I'd be fine, probably, with using SP as an intranet type of portal, but this is a portal I will be architecting for the public. It's health care based, so I don't need some duct taped system. You know?

Thanks,

[Hack]

I don't need some duct taped system. You know?

LOL - I hear ya.....We are also a health care provider and to the best of my knowledge, this portal is intranet based not internet based.

If you are an employee, and know the double secret password, you can get to it from an outside computer. But, if you are not, then access to any kind of information is restrcited to what you can get from our normal internet web site.

[kwithey]

I used SharePoint for about 6 years as an intranet portal. There is an extranet version which requires different licensing. It all depends on the functionality you are looking for. I also work in Health Care for a large NY hospital.
The licensing for the extranet is different than for intranet so I would check on that first since all of these products can be $$$. Also there may be other applications you may want to use that may not fit such as patient payments or other interactive modules. Keep in mind that SP works best with AD authentication although it can use standard LDAP. The 2007 version is extremely flexible and is used in many major sites (search for "/pages/default.aspx" in Google to see some, it may surprise you.

I would suggest:
1) Discuss what the requirements and functions of the portal are
2) Will this fit in the existing infrastructure? (MS AD)
3) Review the budget
4) Expertise in MS technologies? .NET IIS

IMHO when you are in a MS environment with Office nothing beats SP as an intranet. Using it as an extranet needs more thought.

Keith

[Hack]

My company is actually looking at a product to use in conjunction with this called "HyperOffice" - I don't know much about it, but the Sharepoint people seem excited.