David Yockelson

Although we predict that we will finally see true "enterprise" implementation of some content management, the shape it takes will vary from organization to organization. Ideally, users should be able to choose between a large-scale underlying store and numerous other stores around the enterprise, with the ability to manage both centrally.

Through 2006, maturing tools, techniques, infrastructure, and automation will enable rich media to extend beyond niche applications and into core line-of-business processes. in this report, Meta Group advises companies on what to look out for.

According to The Meta Group, IBM's recent acquisition of Venetica demonstrates that the ability to "virtually consolidate" disparate repositories to unify content and metadata will be key, as organizations gradually move enterprise content management facilities to the infrastructure layer and provide various content and related services to users.

As they did two years ago, SAP and Adobe announced an integrated product set at the Sapphire conference. However, the two have combined to surpass the initial announcements significantly, both from functionality and user potential perspectives. The benefits from weaving together new products from both companies will extend beyond electronic document output into electronic forms, collaboration, and process management.

Recent stock market gyrations, a mostly negative economy, and pure (poor) financial performance of many technology vendors should, on occasion, give IT groups reason for concern.

Increasing interest in knowledge management will force organizations to revisit the several basic principles and questions that were largely ignored during the previous KM initiatives three to four years ago, according to META Group.

The Net market fervor

Numerous organizations are considering the use of a natural language search engine to enhance usability of their Internet and intranet site implementations, according to META Group.