We had earlier talked about portals and portal servers in general. In this chapter, we introduced JBoss Portal Server 2.7.0 and its features. Most features are driven by current user needs, and the platform is built on a standards-based API that allows significant flexibility. We also talked in detail about the installation process of JBoss portal with emphasis on the differences and caveats for the various installation types offered, depending on the usage scenarios. A simplified installation and deployment process facilitates faster implementation and fewer problems, as demonstrated by the relatively immediate creation and management of pages on the platform.
We have only scratched the surface of the possibilities that exist in creating custom pages, leveraging the portlet API to create custom portlets, and to effectively manage enterprise content in order to enrich the portal pages further. In the next chapter, we will get started with creating portlets, the fundamental building blocks of a highly-functional portal server.