Portal adoption set to grow fast on back of broadband: guide available

With broadband adoption – where it’s available – set to spark a boom in the portal market, as home tele-working goes into growth mode again, Computer Associates has published a guide to help companies get their infrastructure projects right. CA says it’s seen an increasing number of portal-based enquiries, while Oftel figures show 20,000 new broadband connections now per week. Analysts expect around 28.8 million tele-workers in Europe by 2005. “Most reliable sources are predicting a huge rise in the number of people deciding to work from home, either permanently or for a number of days per week,” says Mark Ellis, portal product manager at CA. “There’s a direct correlation between this and the likely uptake of portals… They offer tailored information, fast, over a single, highly secure interface and are therefore ideal for keeping the distributed workforce productive and connected.” But there are risks, says the firm, particularly around security if companies open up networks without taking precautionary measures. “The CA guide aims to walk companies through these and other simple but often overlooked steps,” says Ellis. The point is that portals and portal technologies have now been around for some time, but low cost broadband and the benefits of tele-working may push them rapidly into the mainstream. Getting implementation right if this goes as fast as some think it will, could then come under pressure. CAs guide outlines the basics of a good portal strategy, covering FAQs and giving tips on when and how to set up portals. The guide is available from www.ca.com/offices/uk/press/aug02/portal.pdf.