Vibrant MCSE BOOT Camp Notes :

Expanding LAN Groupware Applications into Intranet Applications

There are several ways to bridge the gap between legacy groupware and true intranet functionality without having to uproot your whole system. Many current groupware applications can be modified to use open standards and work in conjunction with new intranet technology. Several companies are providing ways to do this modification through new software or upgrades. Groupwise mail can be upgraded to use POP3 and SMTP inexpensively, and Lotus is working to make Notes databases accessible through the Web. Through a series of gateways, Memo has expanded its global connectivity to communicate with users of UNIX, the Internet, and a series of other protocols. Also, Netscape has recently acquired Collabra Software, which will allow current Collabra users to integrate their internal messaging and groupware systems with IP-based enterprise networks and the Internet.

Another method of developing intranet systems is to program the actual applications or modify current LAN software, instead of utilizing premade software packages. HAHT Software is giving developers and users of all levels the tools to build interactive business applications and Web sites. Thus, by starting with the existing LAN, Web design professionals and developers can design a series of applications to be used by an organization over the Internet.

Although upgrading or modifying existing software is one option for creating your own intranet, most groupware applications, even when modified to work as intranet applications, are inferior to products built with the open architecture of the Internet.

back