Skip Ribbon Commands Skip to main content

Description

Web Content Management Systems (WCMS) consist of applications used to create, manage, store and deploy content on the Web, including text, graphics, video or audio, an application code. Web Content Management Systems are often a component of Enterprise Content Management (ECM) Solutions. However, this standard is focused specifically on technologies that may provide basic web content management services. 

The NIH enterprise has multiple WCMS applications within its baseline today. However, there are internal and market drivers that will drive organizations within NIH to reassess their WCMS strategy and portfolios. Given that organizations across the enterprise will require both large-scale and small-scale WCMS implementations; this standard includes a portfolio of large- and small-scale WCMS solutions. As with all electronic and information technology used by the Federal Government, it is required that these products be verified for 508 compliance.

Tactical

(0-2 years)

  • Drupal (open source)
  • Microsoft SharePoint 2010
  • Percussion CM

Strategic

(2-5 years)

  • Drupal (open source)
  • Microsoft SharePoint 2010
  • Percussion CM​

Retirement

(To be eliminated)

  • FarCry (open source)
  • Microsoft Content Management Server 2002
  • Serena Collage

Containment

(No new development

  • ​Adobe Contribute
  • Autonomy TeamSite
  • Custom WCMS solutions
  • Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) 2007
  • Zope/Plone (open source)

Baseline

(Today)

  • Adobe Contribute
  • Autonomy TeamSite
  • Custom WCMS solutions
  • Drupal (open source)
  • FarCry (open source)
  • Microsoft Content  Management Server 2002
  • Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) 2007
  • Microsoft SharePoint 2010
  • Percussion CM
  • Serena Collage
  • Zope/Plone (open source)

Emerging

(To track)

  • Adobe CQ
  • Cloud Software as a Service (SaaS) (e.g. Limelight Networks, Ezro, etc.)
  • OpenText Vignette


Comments

  • Tactical and strategic products were selected to leverage NIH's investment in products that are a proven fit for NIH's known future needs. Leveraging baseline products in the future will minimize the operations, maintenance, support and training costs of new products.
  • Some baseline products have been designated retirement and containment. These products are either not as widely or successfully deployed at NIH, or they do not provide as much functionality, value, or Total Cost of Ownership as the selected tactical and strategic products.
  • ICs must consider cloud solutions and shared services before implementing a web content management system. Several vendors offer cloud software as a service (SaaS) alternatives to their on-premises, commercial off the shelf (COTS) solutions. Many products are also amenable to an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) implementation.
  • Consult http://www.apps.gov/ for GSA cloud service offerings and http://www.nist.gov/ for National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) cloud computing standards and special considerations.
  • Current shared service alternatives include: Percussion CM and SharePoint 2010 with HHS and CIT, respectively.
  • ICs should look deeply into content security, organizational policies, standards compliance, uptime contract clauses, migration, data ownership, privacy, and recall prior to committing to SaaS alternatives. Consult OGC before entering into an agreement.
  • It is strongly suggested that in lieu of complete custom development, open-source solutions be considered.
  • All costs should be considered with open-source solutions, due to the potentially higher development and maintenance costs.
  • Content migration capabilities and costs should be considered when investing in a content management solution.
  • Project teams should consider usability testing on the supported website before it is deployed.
  • Other web tools, such as blogs, survey tools, wikis, and social media tools are useful web management products for limited use cases. They have limited applicability as an enterprise web CMS solution and are considered out of scope for this standard. ICs may wish to consider these as possible features for their web CMS implementations.
  • Likewise, Internet social media channels, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. are useful for public engagement but are also out of scope for this standard.


Time Table

This architecture definition approved on: February 28, 2012

The next review is scheduled in: TBD