App Store for SharePoint in the Cloud
By Thomas Tandberg Brevik, November 28th, 2010.
NetConnect has launched an app store for SharePoint that enables purchase and deployment of SharePoint applications in minutes. Adding professional functionality has never been easier and quicker.
"As far as we know, our app store is unique in offering applications for SharePoint in a cloud environment," says Pål Storehaug, CEO NetConnect. "We offer great professional apps, developed by leading software developers, with more apps added continuously. The savings from using cloud computing are substantial."
Ease-of-use and ready in minutes
SharePoint alone is great, but thanks to Team Portal it is also user-friendly, giving you an interface to overview sites, recent activities and to manage it all conveniently. But what really makes Team Portal stand out is the SharePoint Store, featuring high-quality professional SharePoint applications that you can browse, purchase and start using in just minutes.
The SharePoint Store is unique because...
- ...it is the only app store for SharePoint available in the cloud, right now!
- ...the SharePoint Store lets you buy and use professional apps and functionality in minutes.
- ...it is easy to manage licenses – pay for what you use.
The third-party SharePoint applications available through the SharePoint Store greatly expand the default SharePoint functionality. Already available are applications for Project Management, Workflow, Intranet, ECM, CRM, E-learning and many more. More applications are launched continuously.
In short, Team Portal is a user-friendly dashboard and an automated application store for SharePoint in the cloud. It allows users to easily browse SharePoint sites and content, viewing statistics about usage and member activities.
>> A free trial is available here: https://admin.teamportal.com/Default.aspx
A solid platform
Application stores have proved to be a successful model for distributing applications and content on a given platform. While SharePoint offers a truly solid and powerful collaboration platform out-of-the-box, it still has great potential with regards to usability and functionality.
Fortunately, SharePoint is a popular platform for application developers, and Team Portal provides them with a common application publishing platform. This not only makes it a lot easier for end users to purchase and implement, but it is also a convenient marketplace for developers. In addition, by offering third-party applications in a cloud-based SharePoint environment, organizations can embrace cloud computing with significantly greater ease.
Cutting costs by 50%
Bypassing all costly hardware installations, lengthy consulting phases, software installation and technical maintenance, an organization can easily cut costs by more than 50% compared to doing it all on-premise. Using Team Portal there is no need for costly hardware, installations or operations.
Cutting costs by 50% is a compelling argument, but not the only one. In addition, by using Team Portal you will increase productivity manifold, and also forget about the day-to-day system management:
- Cut costs by more than 50% All hardware, installation process and provisioning of a SharePoint solution is taken care of.
- Increase productivity Team members become more productive and efficient using a collaboration solution that lets them work together on content, files and resources, all in one secure place, accessible from anywhere.
- Hassle-free operations When using Team Portal, all maintenance, operations, backup etc. is taken care of, using top notch data centers. This leaves your business to focus on ...your business.
While many organizations have already invested in on-premise hardware and software, Team Portal can play an important role in a hybrid, on-premise solution. This can help to ease the transition to cloud computing, or move only certain functions to the cloud.
>> See a cost cut example matrix online:
http://www.netconnect.com/video-tp-cut_costs.html
In closing
An application store for cloud-based solutions would set standards for developers, making it easier to create new functionality. For end-users and businesses, an app store makes it easier to purchase, implement and maintain. Being cloud-based, with all the savings and increased efficiency it entails, the decision to move into the cloud should be a no-brainer.
>> Visit the SharePoint Store: http://www.sharepointstore.com/
