3. Corporate Portal Framework
In order to look at a comprehensive portal solution, we have divided the various portal-related components into layers of services. This type of a framework allows a company to assemble a solid architecture for one or more portals, rather than relying on a single portal vendor. A flexible and scaleable framework allows a company's portals to evolve to incorporate new technology and functionality. Companies will want to mix and match best-of-breed elements of a portal solution by considering these layers of services.

Presentation services - This layer of a portal framework deals with the presentation of the portal content / portlets to the end users and serves as the web interface. The main browser window may be segmented into frames for each personalised application or a new browser window can be launched when a new application is initiated. This is typically done in HTML, but it might also be done in WML (for wireless devices) or some other format in the future. Because a portal is a collection of different panes (also referred to as portlets, or web services), the question of where the presentation work gets done may or may not be straightforward. In many portals, each portlet generates the HTML necessary for that portlet, and then the portal server aggregates these portlets into a final HTML presentation. In other portals, each portlet is really a Web Service, which returns XML and returns an XSLT, which the portal then transforms to the final presentation format.
Information services - A portal is an aggregation of one or more Information services. An Information service can be thought of as meaningful information - which might come from a structured data source, unstructured content sources inside the corporation, or external information available on public or private web sites. The information may be coming from third-party sources in the form of a web service (e.g. syndicated content), or might be provided in the form of documents. End users can then subscribe to one or more information service on a personalized basis as part of their portal customization.
Infrastructure services - A robust portal framework includes multiple levels of infrastructure services that provide a comprehensive unification and integration platform. This includes the services related to load balancing, caching, high availability and performance that are provided by the web server environment, as well as the underlying security infrastructure. The security infrastructure at this layer consists of secure access related issues (firewalls, VPN's, etc.). Also included are LDAP synchronization, unified authentication, single cross-platform login and authorization services of the portal.
Identity Management/ Security Services - The identify services layer deals with security issues at the level of the portal and at a cross-application level. This includes authentication services (username/password management, LDAP synchronization, single sign-on, groups, etc.). This also consists of authorization services, which map the roles, privileges of end users to individual security policies and to domains of content within the portal. While the infrastructure for managing authorizations is provided at this level, end users typically set up the security for individual Portlets or Content Folders via the Administration/Management services and/or the Content Services. In a well-integrated Portal architecture, the front end provided by those layers (Administration and Content) would communicate with an underlying, independent set of security services.
Administration/Management services - Administration/Management services are necessary for the portal to be easily administered and supported, allowing "power users" to configure the portal framework for the end user community. In addition, the IT organization can configure, manage and support the environment. Administration services are offered through a Web interface in many portals and in some cases there is a separate client/server program that makes administration easy. These services might include taxonomy management, user management, configuration management, role management, registration of modules and information services.
Access and Integration services - A comprehensive portal solution will provide the architecture for tying into back-end databases and applications. The Access and Integration services layer provides this functionality to the portal, and even to individual Portlets. This layer may tie into an existing EAI solution to get access to certain back-end adapters or APIs. A well formulated Access and Integration services layer will allow for the development of additional adapters for new systems as needed.
Content Services - The Content Services are an important part of a comprehensive portal solution. Content services deal with the management of unstructured digital assets within the portal. This typically includes a full text indexing engine, a set of crawlers that are capable of navigating and indexing existing content, a metadata repository, and a content management system to allow for the submittal and approval of content into the portal. This layer also includes a taxonomy manager.
Collaboration services - Collaboration services allow end users of the portal to work together more effectively by establishing shared workspaces, shared document repositories, interaction in real-time and shared discussion forums. Collaboration services also allow for the definition and execution of workflow across the enterprise and outside the enterprise to different content sources and back end systems.
Development services - Development services is an environment that allows for the development of custom portals, custom portal modules, or Portlets. Very often, these Portlets will be implemented as tiers of Web Services. The development services allow for the creation of these modules, by providing http, rendering, customization, and XML-related services. Development services also include the supporting tools and methodologies.
Application services - Application services are those services that are obtained via a portal engine or a portal assistant through an API interface (sometimes called gadgets or portlets) or EAI layer. Application services include interfaces and integration to enterprise software packages such as SAP's and Oracle's ERP solution, Siebel's CRM solution, PeopleSoft's HR solution and i2's SCM solution. Application services also provide access to other legacy systems, content management, document management and collaboration.

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