We are currently evaluating portal solutions for use in our organization.  There's a fairly strong push within the organization to go with Sharepoint, but I've brought up the possibility of using DNN instead.  I'd like to get a consulting company who specializes in DNN to give us a demo and answer any questions we may have about it, but I'm not sure the best approach to finding a good, experienced consulting company in our area...  BTW, we are in the Sacramento area. 

I'm a web developer and lead a small team of web and database developers. None of us has any experience with DNN, but we are an all Microsoft shop (C#/asp.net/SQL).  Does anyone have any good advice for me on how to best approach this search?

Thanks for your advice!

Edide

Hi Mitchel,

Thanks for your reply.  We started this as a search for a good online project management tool.  So that's our primary need.  We expanded our requirement when we discovered that a portal approach could help us with many other areas of our internal services.  The consulting company who came by and demo'd Sharepoint for us basically gave us an overview of what it can do and answered questions we had about specific modules (project management being a key one), building our own modules and security setup.  So ideally we'd like to get someone in who could give a similar demo for DNN - standard features/functionality our of the box, potential modules we could add for project management and other services, workflow, content management, the security model, etc.  We do want some level of detail, but not quite down to how a module is built.  As a developer, it would be helpful to get a map of the class structure/object model...

I hope that helps.  Also, if anyone has any recommendations based on past experience with a particular consultant, please let me know.

Thanks again!

eddie

Edide,

The expertise of your team is actually more than enough to find the answers you need for a successful demo or presentation.  Pay particular attention to the development skills of your team.  The requirements for DNN are far less time & cost sensitive than Sharepoint.

The correct question that needs to be asked is not which to choose but instead how to utilize the best features of Sharepoint and DNN.  I recommend them both.

SHAREPOINT

• Best solution for direct interaction with Microsoft Office 2003/2007.
  If Office will not be used then there is no reason to use Sharepoint.
• Supports Windows Authentication
• Worst solution for building custom modules (WebParts)
  These are basically custom SERVER controls that are more difficult to build  than a USER control (DNN).
• Worst solution for building a public facing web site.
  Try it and you'll see what I mean

DOTNETNUKE

• Supports Windows Authentication
• Best choice for public facing websites
• Best choice for Intranet websites
• Custom modules are developed using USER controls (VB.NET or C#)
• Inexpensive custom modules are available from the DotNetNuke Marketplace
• Easily "skin" any internal or external website
• Support multiple separate installations on a single server
  Most benefitial on an internal server where you control IP addresses and DNS

The list goes on....

mikez