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Version 5.x > Portal Engine > Can I use Kentico to create an extranet where I can launch secure applications based on user permissions? View modes: 
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ozzuary-yahoo - 8/2/2010 3:11:30 PM
   
Can I use Kentico to create an extranet where I can launch secure applications based on user permissions?
Hey all,
I am in the early stages of researching portal related development tools for a project coming up. I have read over much of the material and have downloaded additional resources for the product. Below I have outlined a clip of what I am trying to accomplish and have also put together a few questions for anyone that may have the answers. I have found some or partial answers to some of my questions and requirements, but am posting here in hopes of getting some good answers and explanations. I am still gathering requirements and have more questions but for now here is what I am going on. Hopefully you all can help me out in deciding if this is a good fit. Thanks.

Overview of what I am trying to accomplish:

Develop an enterprise level portal for both internal and external use that has the capability of hosting secure applications built in ASP.NET and Silverlight. Once the user is signed into the portal they should not be required to sign into the hosted applications, forums, mail, etc. Windows based shop running .NET, Windows Server 08 and SQL 08. I need a tool to help me accomplish this task. Below are some additional requirements:

- Limit user access to particular content based on permissions.

- Capable of MSOffice integrations, such as outlook 'may' be required.

- Windows authentication for user sign in 'may' be required (If I have a local windows user account I should be able to sign in with my same credentials through the local network into the portal)

- 'May' be required to host focused advertising from ad networks on the public site and/or the portal

- Capable of RSS, Newsletters, Forums, Blogs, email notifications, etc

- 'May' be required to have users upload personal content to a review or private access area

- Capable of heavy secure - reporting, data visualization, and custom application hosting

- Public portion of site with a customized 'myPortal' after signing in, that can access both public and private content of site

- Profile customization for signed in users

- .NET 4 compatible
Questions:

1. What types of security layers do you offer?

3. What are the current limitations in terms of internal/external Portal development that I should know about before purchasing?

4. If I host silverlight applications, would there be any issues with WCF/RIA services or security that I should be aware about? Or should it be a typical .NET experience after I am logged in? (No surprises?)


I am currently evaluating:

DNN (Dot Net Nuke)
Sitecore
Sitefinity
Sharepoint
Kentico
Ektron
Umbraco

I am looking at these for their .NET friendliness. JAVA and other platforms or frameworks have been thrown out because of this requirement. If you have an opinion or experience with any of these and can share I would be grateful, especially in comparison to Kentico.

Thanks so much for your time.

-Ozz
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kentico_borisp - 8/4/2010 7:38:50 AM
   
RE:Can I use Kentico to create an extranet where I can launch secure applications based on user permissions?
Hello,

Please find my comments to your notes and questions bellow:

Notes:

1) In Kentico you are able to define various roles and users and restrict/allow according to these roles access to specific content. For more information please see our Developer's guide.

2) Could you please specify the MSOffice integration requirement?

3) Windows authentication is supported (also other forms like OpenID).

4) Hosting focused advertising from ad networks is natively not supported, but since this is a customizable .NET application, this functionality can be added.

5) RSS, Newsletters, Forums, Blogs, email notifications are available.

6) There is a module called User contributions which can be used for letting users uploading their content to the page after logging in.

7) Kentico is a typical .NET application, so it supports IIS, .NET and our own security layer.

8) The user can create a home page similar to any social networking site using widgets. there is also a sample community site available, which demonstrates the functionality of those community features available in Kentico.

9) The user is able to alter the profile information after logging in with our My Account webpart.

Questions:

1) As mentioned earlier, Kentico is a typical .NET application, so there is the IIS, .NET security layer and our own security layer.

2) As Kentico is very customizable, there are no specific boundaries, which can't be achieved. If you purchase the Source code license, there are literaly no limitations.

3) There shouldn't be any problem with silverlight applications at all. You can check an implementation of silverlight here.


Best regards,
Boris Pocatko

Best regards,
Boris Pocatko

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ozzuary-yahoo - 8/4/2010 9:47:23 AM
   
RE:Can I use Kentico to create an extranet where I can launch secure applications based on user permissions?

Hi Boris,

Thanks for the response.

Certain other companies have responded to similar questions but in the end stated that their product may not be the best fit for launching secure applications, or customizing a 'myportal' like homepage, etc.

Just to confirm, it 'is' possible to develop and support an enterprise level portal for both internal and external use that has the capability of hosting secure applications built in ASP.NET and Silverlight - using Kentico?

Thank you for your answers. If the above is confirmed, Kentico looks like a product I will commit time to for further evaluation.

---

A few more questions:

If you could compare yourselves to any of the other companies listed, how do you see yourself?

Is there anything that makes Kentico stand apart from the others listed? What makes Kentico special?


Thanks again,

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ozzuary-yahoo - 8/4/2010 3:09:57 PM
   
RE:Can I use Kentico to create an extranet where I can launch secure applications based on user permissions?

2) Could you please specify the MSOffice integration requirement?

One possible integration is outlook made available inside a web control or through a web mail application interface to contractors or employees accessing mail through the portal.

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Kentico Consulting
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kentico_borisp - 8/5/2010 1:46:11 AM
   
RE:Can I use Kentico to create an extranet where I can launch secure applications based on user permissions?
Hello,

Regrettably, this isn't currently possible, but you can create a custom webpart/control to achieve this functionality.

Best regards,
Boris Pocatko

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Kentico Consulting
Kentico Consulting
kentico_borisp - 8/5/2010 1:28:54 AM
   
RE:Can I use Kentico to create an extranet where I can launch secure applications based on user permissions?
Hello,

Yes, there's no problem in developing an enterprise level portalfor internal and external use and it also supports Silverlight. The next major version will be focused on enterprise portals. You can find the roadmap here.

Regarding the comparision of the listed CMS systems please schedule an online 1 on 1 meeting where all this can be discussed.

Best regards,
Boris Pocatko

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ozzuary-yahoo - 8/4/2010 3:16:41 PM
   
RE:Can I use Kentico to create an extranet where I can launch secure applications based on user permissions?
I also noticed in the community sample site I did not see a silverlight part, I did see a flash part, do you have a silverlight one?

Also the silverlight sample you posted is 2.0, has everything been updated to be compatible and working with SL 4.0?

And compatible with .NET 4.0?

*Is there a way to edit a post?

Thanks

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Kentico Consulting
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kentico_borisp - 8/5/2010 2:17:20 AM
   
RE:Can I use Kentico to create an extranet where I can launch secure applications based on user permissions?
Hello,

The community sample site is focused on community features. A sample silverlight application is implemented in our E-commerce sample site. Silverlight applications can be put on a page by adding the Silverlight container webpart, which encapsulates the silverlight application.


We haven't fully tested the Silverlight 4.0 version, but there shouldn't be any problems with that.

Yes, Kentico is compatible with .NET 4.0.

You can edit posts in Kentico, if you have sufficiend permissions. In this forum has that been disabled.

Best regards,
Boris Pocatko

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ozzuary-yahoo - 8/5/2010 8:43:35 AM
   
RE:Can I use Kentico to create an extranet where I can launch secure applications based on user permissions?
Thanks again Boris. This was very helpful. I'll follow up with your team in the next few weeks.

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