"Many customer implementations have failed because of that," Nimegeers said. The problem has been that other portal tools are too complex, resulting in user pages that contain too much technical detail and nonintuitive labels, which makes them difficult for users to understand and use, Nimegeers said. "When you deploy a portal ... if you don't make it simple and intuitive, people won't use it," he said.

Essential Data Miner

Essential Data Miner, from RPR Wyatt Inc., is an application released this week that allows systems administrators to better use the Domino log files that result from continued operation of the software.

Jim Engle, vice president and general manager of the Phoenix-based company, said the product allows administrators to get an abstract of information from Lotus .NSF files or logs to more easily find problems that are slowing the system or causing other difficulties.

Instead of being buried in intricate, hard-to-decipher Notes and Domino log files, the needed data is transformed into formats that administrators can make sense of, Engle said. Also built in is the ability to turn the results into charts and graphs so that business executives can see graphical illustrations of how the IT problems are affecting the business.