DNN Portal Framework Features

Widely Used and Supported - This portal framework is a powerful, high performance Open Source Content Management Portal with support from Microsoft and a huge cadre of after market developers.  Currently there are likely over 75,000 DNN sites up and running, and over 150,000 registered users world-wide.  Portals are the ideal Content Management System; providing a single point of interaction with dynamic information, applications, or processes to help people create, store, access, communicate and control information.  A portal simplifies organizational management by providing a unified, centrally accessible interface for your systems and data.  Portals are ideal for creating and deploying projects such as commercial web sites, corporate intranets and extranets, and online publishing portals.

Architecture – The framework was created using MS Best Practices and some of the best developers in the world.  To build such a solid framework as DNN is would require far more hours (and a much higher skill-set than is available in-house) than any business unit would be willing to pay.  One estimate put the figure at over $100,000.  One of the great features built in to the framework was to create separate environments for the Web site content and the complexities that make up the protal’s look, feel, appearance and functionality.  This allows non-technical people to readily and easily change content without any knowledge of, or even being able to mess up the portal’s appearance or functionality.

Loaded with Features Beyond Compare – The framework comes loaded with a set of built-in tools that provide powerful pieces of functionality.  Site hosting, design, content, security, and membership options are easily managed and customized through these tools.  See the partial list below.

User-Friendly – The framework is designed to make it easy for users to manage all aspects of their projects.  Site wizards, help icons, and a well-researched user interface allow universal ease-of-operation.

Powerful – The framework can support multiple portals or sites off of one install.  In dividing administrative options between host level and individual portal level, it allows administrators to manage any number of sites – each with their own look and identity – all off one hosting account.

Extensible – Your developer or host is able to create the most complex content management systems entirely with the framework’s built-in features, yet also allows administrators to work effectively with add-ons, third party assemblies, and custom tools.  Site customization and functionality are limitless.

State-of-the-Art and Continuing to Evolve – DNN is built on the latest Microsoft ASP.NET platform with the most recently released version 3.0.13 having been released on April 4, 2005.  DNN is a trademarked name, and a brand widely recognized and respected in the open source community.  The talented team of developers continues to evolve and upgrade the framework’s software through participation, real world trial, and end-user feedback—just the way Microsoft does.

Roles Based Security – Another really great feature of the DNN framework is roles based security.  The administrator has total control over who is allowed to visit or change virtually everything within the portals.  The framework allows for setting up page and content editing rights for individual users. The user then simply logs in to the website and can immediately edit the content they have authorization for.  Editing rights can be given for the whole website, a single page, or a module.  The administrator can set up a number of security groups with editing rights to different areas of the portal. Then he/she can add multiple individuals to each group. Security is very tight, and users are stored in the SQL database.  Some large companies have added their own in-house authentication and additional encryption methods.

Password Protected Content – The administrator has full control over who can access each area the portal.  One portal can feature a number of password-protected areas allowing different access to buyers, suppliers, members, or resellers, depending on your main contact groups.  The administrator can even include a staff only Intranet Area.  It also provides a centralized data storage for the website and it’s documents.

File Management – Files and images can be uploaded directly from your computer to your website.  Once you have loaded a file, it is instantly available in your file list.  Upload permissions are controlled by an administrator.

Search Engine Submission – An administrator can submit the website to Google directly from each Web administration page.  Just enter the Website title, description and keywords for each page.

Traffic Analysis - The portal log includes a number of reports on portal statistics including hits, page views, browser information and more.  Reports include: Detailed portal log, page popularity, views by day, week, hour, month, user frequency or registration and more.

Multiple Domains – The framework allows multiple portal implementations using a single code base/database (multiple sites may be run off of a single ASP.NET hosted account). 

Other Important Features: 

• Assign users to specific portals
   
• Separate upload directories for each portal (fully integrated with modules)
   
• Customize appearance of each portal with unique logo, style sheet (skin)
   
• File Upload Admin module for Portal Administrators to upload files to their upload folder User Registration fields (full address)
   
• Service based system where Portal Administrators can define Roles which have an associated service fee and expiry date (hooks directly to PayPal for online payment processing)
   
• Bulk Email Admin Module based on Roles
   
• Site Logging Admin Module including a Site Log Viewer and Statistics
   
• Vendor Management Admin module
   
• Banner Advertising (global for all portals and local for individual portals)
   
• Super User account for creating new portals using the Admin UI
   
• Customize Module appearance with Display Title, Border, Alignment, Background Color, Icon
   
• Standard templates for Header and Footer code
   
• Administrator has direct access to Tabs and Modules

In the Final Analysis - I hope you get the idea of what a wonderful and extensive framework we have that allows us to develop a Website or Portal Website for you that is beyond compare in features, quality, and value.

Call - Please call of drop me an e-mail.  I hope to show you that I can build a Website for you that will add dollars to your bottom line.