Microsoft has rolled out an upgraded version of its Microsoft
Solution for Intranets (MSI) that offers improved collaboration by
exploiting the company's technical relationship with Groove
Networks.
Version 1.5 of the software now includes Microsoft's Producer,
which helps users in publishing multimedia put PowerPoint slides on
the Web. It also offers tighter integration with the company's
Content Management Server 2002, which contains the .net
framework.
The product also contains patterns and practices documentation,
which users need to piece together a collaborative solution using
Microsoft's SharePoint Portal Server, SharePoint Team Services,
Office XP, SQL Server, Windows 2000 and Windows Media Technologies.
Within the next month both Microsoft and Groove will deliver
Version 1.5 of the Groove Workspace for MSI. The offering will
allow users to take SharePoint Team Services Web sites offline and
across a user's firewall. It also works to synchronise information
automatically.
The client-based Groove Workspace for MSI works with desktop,
laptop and Tablet PCs. The product will be available from Groove's
direct sales force.
When users disconnect from the network they can continue working
with SharePoint Team Services Web sites to carry out a range of
tasks including updating documents, adding items or events to
calendars, or participating in discussions.
For those users who need their group workspaces to work outside
their intranets, the company said it was adding integration with
SharePoint Team services to Version 2.5 of Groove, which should be
available next month.