Custom vs Packaged Intranet / Extranet Websites

Over the years we have built custom intranet / extranet websites for companies that need a Content Management System (CMS) website to track and share data between employees. These websites are different from other websites in that they do not have a public portal, they are a secure internal website for employees of a company or organization.

Today we decided to look at the pros and cons of creating a custom intranet / extranet using a company such as ourselves (Darkstar Media) or buying an out of the box solution such as Microsoft SharePoint.

Lets start with the out of box solution (eg. SharePoint)

Pros	Cons
Can be implemented quickly Many built in applications Possible easy integration into operating system (Windows) Framework is in place Upgrades and add-ons offered with low cost	High licensing and user costs when you expand Restricted to software limitations Have to use workarounds to accomplish some tasks (i.e. change your companies work flow) Not intuitive for users, training costs Need certified technicians to expand functionality

Next the Custom Solution

Pros	Cons
Built to exact and specific company needs Wide range of programmers available to develop and expand Intranet No licensing fees Easy to Brand Pay for only what you need Access to more Open Source Applications with easy integration	Higher up front cost Code development can be under documented Takes a long time to develop No upgrades unless asked for

At Darkstar Media we would be happy to discuss your intranet goals and discuss how we could implement a custom or out of box intranet/extranet solution for your business. Please call us at 416.450.5439.