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A Publication Featuring The Information
Services Technology of Maine State Government
| Volume VII, Issue 2 | February 2004 |
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The business portal is not a website, or for that matter, just an intranet/extranet. A portal is an application that utilizes a broad set of technologies that allows for a highly customized information design. A portal can help managers, and developers focus their work on particular business objectives and for specific users. |
A business portal allows the user to join a community of service providers, find the information or organization that is relevant to their business and enables a facilitated management of each and every potential customer – the “no wrong door” approach. The user login environment can be customized by the user (i.e., what they want, not what we think they want). This also allows the user and provider to measure their success and make modifications where needed.
How the Maine SBDC uses its business Portal: The Portal has become the single entry point for all Maine SBDC staff, and completely replaces a Cold Fusion Intranet that was developed in-house. Our client activity database is only accessible through the portal, allowing for further security. This single entry point allows for a single sign-on, without having to continually log in to resources. Users are pushed updated information each time they log in, so important dates and announcements can be directly in front of them.
The Portal is ideal for structuring and arranging information into manageable sections. Each bit of information can be controlled for access and modification, ensuring that secure documents stay secure and only seen by authorized personnel. Groups can be created and allowed limited access to any resource. For example: Funding partners have direct access to archived Annual Reports and six month report. All reports are now published to a central location, eliminating mass mailings of hardcopies.
Since Maine SBDC Centers and outreach offices are located throughout the state, instant messaging and on-line meeting software is being evaluated to bring the Maine SBDC offices closer together – and to reduce travel. The Maine SBDC intends to implement on-line client counseling and management into the Portal, with hopes for video/audio conferencing in the not too distant future.
The Maine SBDC is interested in developing collaborative relationships with other organizations and clients to facilitate more standardization of services and easier access to business counseling and training. For a look at the BusinessLINC entry to the portal, go to www.mainesbdc.org, click on PORTAL and enter buslinc for userID and guest for the password. This site is still being worked on, but this will give you the look-and-feel of CleverPath.
Hardware: The Maine SBDC Portal is powered by Computer Associates Cleverpath platform and runs on a Dell 2650 Server, located at USM. This server is a dedicated Windows 2000 Xeon platform that houses all Maine SBDC on-line content, including web site and operational databases.
Software: The software chosen to accomplish this portal is CleverPath ä Portal Software from Computer Associates (CA) (http://www.CA.com). CleverPathä was chosen because of its flexibility, ease of administration and scalability. Computer Associates has also offered CleverPathä to the Maine SBDC through a cost sharing agreement and has further offered to assist in the installation and development of this portal. CA has agreed to license the software to the Maine SBDC for a three-year maintenance cost only. This would include upgrades, support and maintenance. The Maine SBDC “owns” the software and is permitted to continue to use it and/or could elect to continue software maintenance, but the agreement does not require that we continue the maintenance after the three years.
Content Management: Content is “gathered” from multiple websites through a process called “spidering”– indexed and made available for search, and augmented by proprietary information from Maine SBDC. Content is also added by users and shared with the appropriate providers or consultants.
System Administration: System and application administration is done by Scott Robinett, (srobin@usm.maine.edu) Manager, Information Systems and Technology at the State Office of the Maine SBDC. The University Computing Technology Department at USM houses the server and maintains system software and hardware.
About Maine SBDC: Maine SBDCs provide comprehensive business management assistance, training, resource and information services to Maine's micro, small and technology-based business community. Maine SBDC is a partnership program of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in association with the SBA/SBDC, Maine Department of Economic and Community Development (Maine DECD), the University of Southern Maine (USM), and leading economic and/or community development hosting organizations, including the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments (AVCOG), Coastal Acadia Development Corporation (CADC), Coastal Enterprise, Inc. (CEI), Eastern Maine Development Corporation (EMDC) and the Northern Maine Development Corporation (NMDC); with support from the Maine Technology Institute (MTI) and the University of Maine (UMaine). Administered by USM’s School of Business, Maine SBDC operates a network of services centers and outreach offices located conveniently throughout the State.
More information about Maine Small Business Development Centers can be found at www.mainesbdc.org
