Microsoft’s Solution For Intranets (MSI)

11/28/01

This is a notice, not an article.  Microsoft has just (yesterday) announced its intention to offer its products in a new combination, designed to provide the features of an integrated portal for enterprise users.

The product offering is aimed at knowledge workers and knowledge workplaces and integrates the SharePoint Portal Server, SharePoint Team Services, Office XP, SQL Server, Windows 2000 and Windows Media. Microsoft believes that these services will enable knowledge workers to collaborate with each other effortlessly, and help employees find corporate business information easily. In addition, a Windows Media broadcast component will enable employees to view live corporate communications directly from their desktops, reducing the costs associated with large meetings and travel.

There’s a lot here, including some initial customer stories and the question of how this might be similar to or different than competitors’ offerings – since providing corporate users access to information via a portal is a loud, current theme song which will only get louder next year.

We’re doing our research (that means we’re trying to interview Microsoft and a few of their competitors) and we’ll have much more to say shortly.  Think of this as a heads up.