Portal Server provides collaboration and communication services for end users.
End users can use communities to work with others. A portal community consists of the following:
An owner who sets up the community
A portal page available to community members
A list of members who subscribe to the community
A set of services (usually portlets) available to the users
A set of data that the community uses
End users create communities. Community members use communities to interact with others in the community and to manage content and business processes.
Portal Server provides four Desktop channels that enable end-users to organize, schedule, and communicate with each other. The channels are the following:
Address Book
Calendar
Instant Messaging
For more information about communities and collaboration, see Chapter 3, Understanding Communities and Collaboration.