Defining the Enterprise Information Portal

It is fortunate that the Enterprise Information Portal (EIP) concept was introduced by two analysts with a concern for definition. Else, given the sudden popularity of EIPs, there would be no restraint on the tendency of vendors to try to exploit the label by attaching it to their products. Even so, since the area is in a state of very rapid growth and differentiation, vendors and analysts with an interest in it are adding their own orientations and nuances to the EIP idea every day. Some do this by addressing the term EIP directly, others by defining related terms such as business portal or corporate portal.