Third-Party Portal Elements

With such a comprehensive portal platform, what could be missing from the Microsoft offering? Which third-party products will you need to provide all the functionality your users demand?

Microsoft does not offer vertical software solutions and line-of-business solutions, with the exception of some framework offerings based on packaged platform solutions (such as the BizTalk Accelerator for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA). If you need a dental office automation package, enterprise resource planning, or convention planning software, you will have to look at vendors other than Microsoft.

There are other gaps in the Microsoft portal offering when it comes to more specialized horizontal niches . For instance, Microsoft does not offer records management software, or software to manage compliance with section 508 web accessibility guidelines. Microsoft depends on partner companies to provide solutions in these areas. For instance, a Microsoft packaged offering called the Solution for Online Accessibility bundles Content Management Server with AccVerify and AccMonitor Server from HiSoftware to help customers meet section 508 requirements.