Is Commerce Server 2002 For You?Is Commerce Server 2002 For You?

BizTalk also serves as the transport mechanism for business-to-business integration. It provides built-in XML-based support for data exchange and can be used to gain visibility into critical business applications such as inventory-and warehouse-management systems.

Commerce Server relies heavily on BizTalk for integration, because Microsoft has developed only a limited set of packaged integration adapters and hasn't formed partnerships with third-party enterprise application integration vendors.

Commerce Server is easy to work with. It provides an intuitive interface for system administrators and includes a wide range of built-in utilities to guide nontechnical users. Its Business Desk administrative interface lets business users manage the system without support from a developer.

The software handles user administration through Microsoft Active Directory. It also supports Passport.Net, a separate administrative service that can be used to centralize management of users through support for single sign-on.

The product provides a broad set of tools for data encryption, and it controls system access through Lightweight Directory Access Protocol directory services.

Commerce Server includes a number of features that let developers and system administrators monitor system performance. Along with real-time performance monitoring, the product includes extensive logging of system events, errors, and security.

Ultimately, Commerce Server is a sound option for building commerce applications, especially for Microsoft shops. For other companies, its set of simple features will let most of them get up and running quickly.

Microsoft provides additional guidance through administration utilities that let companies adapt the software to their evolving business requirements.

Enterprisewide implementation will mean additional work, though, because of the amount of customization needed to develop more-sophisticated applications.

Commerce Server may not be viable for businesses that have invested heavily in Java development resources and are standardizing on J2EE. However, the software's combination of baseline E-commerce features and an attractive price point make it appealing to companies that want to develop an entry-level E-commerce application or that seek a platform for more-advanced application development.

Dennis Shin is a senior analyst, Brook Foust is an analyst, and Bob Anders is an editor at Doculabs, a research and consulting firm. Reach them at 312-443-7793, http://www.doc ulabs.com, or [email protected].

Illustraion by Frank Frisari