The pros and cons of proprietary solutions
Proprietary CMS systems are either closed systems or available through licensing fees. Similar to other CMS solutions, proprietary systems offer a huge number of choices and a wide range of types and options.
In the early days of web- based content management, the overwhelming majority of systems were proprietary. With the advancement of software technology, this has changed an open source CMSs currently dominate the market.
Proprietary Solution Pros
- Many proprietary systems are architected by a single company
- Better documentation
- Software updates and security patches
- Support
- Built for enterprise-level sites
- Training
- Single-source vendors offer stability
- Dedicated partner
- More thorough engagements
- Consulting
- Implementation
- Support
Proprietary Solution Cons
- Single-source licenses are restrictive
- Expensive license fees
- Migration to other systems difficult
- Narrow input from developers
- Lengthy set-up process
- Updating processes may be complicated
- Specific code knowledge is required
- Limited or no API’s
Enterprise Level Proprietary Solution Examples
Enterprise-level content management systems (CMS) offer robust platforms for businesses looking for more than the basic CMS integration. These solutions offer advanced functionality and features, giving you more control over your content, your marketing, and your data. They are the typical choice for of larger corporations, organizations, and governmental agencies, and the range of variations, product offerings, and services is overwhelming.
Since the proper vendor in this space usually depends on the individual focus and complexity (and not really out-of-the-box features) of the application, I’m going to give you a list of some of the larger vendors available.
OpenText
OpenText is a huge vendor that has a wide array of products focusing on publishing, content management, and business services. Over the years, they’ve acquired many web-based content management systems, and are one of the industry leaders in building management platforms that integrate into existing corporate business logic.
Additional Enterprise Choices
Most vendors in the marketplace offer solutions based on various platforms and focus- driven feature sets, so you will need to research the best choice for your project. Since enterprise projects are feature specific, typically these vendors will need to create a pricing quote for the specific build (pricing is not listed on their websites). Most of them offer a free demo of their platform allowing you to try out the system before making a purchase.
Microsoft MS SharePoint
Microsoft SharePoint is usually considered an internal content management product, but it also features web content management capabilities for managing external website content. SharePoint is a very broadly adopted solution and competes successfully with Oracle, EMC Documentum and OpenText in the ECM space. It is also a collaboration platform and, in this context, competes with IBM’s Collaboration platform (Lotus) and products like Novell Teaming and Jive Team Collaboration.
MS SharePoint Competitors
EMC Documentum, IBM Notes, IBM Digital Experience Manager, Jive, OpenText WEM, OpenText ECM, Micro Focus Vibe, Atlassian Confluence, Socialtext, Traction TeamPage, Communifire by Axero Solutions, Boardwalk Communicator, Cascade Server, CallidusCloud Sales Enablement
PowerDMS
PowerDMS is a document management system focused on compliance and industry policy regulations. It is commonly used by Law Enforcement, Healthcare, Fire/EMS, and Corrections organizations.
PowerDMS Competitors
Compliance 360, Navex Global, Lexipol
Box
Box is an online file-sharing, storage and collaboration service provider that caters to individual users as well as businesses.
Box Competitors
ADrive, Boardwalk Communicator, Citrix ShareFile, Doxo, Dropbox, Egnyte, Mozy
Laserfiche
Laserfiche is an enterprise content management solution that automates processes, manages documents, and integrates applications across the organization. It works within the user’s existing infrastructure by bringing their applications together, with the goal of simplifying how work gets done.
- Local, State and Federal Government
- Higher Education and K-12
- Wealth Management
- Healthcare
Laserfiche Competitors
Xerox DocuShare, OpenText ECM, OnBase by Hyland, IBM FileNet Content Manager, Oracle WebCenter Content, M‑Files, Nuxeo, eFileCabinet
M‑Files
M-Files enterprise information management (EIM) solutions aim to eliminate information silos and provide quick and easy access to the right content from any core business system and device.
According to the vendor, M-Files achieves higher levels of user adoption resulting in faster ROI with an intuitive approach to EIM that is based on managing information by “what” it is versus “where” it’s stored. M-files offers flexible on-premises, cloud and hybrid deployment options, and aims to place the power of EIM in the hands of the business user and reduce demands on IT by enabling those closest to the business need to access and control content based on their requirements.
According to the vendor, thousands of organizations in over 100 countries use the M-Files EIM system as a single platform for managing front office and back office business operations, which improves productivity and quality while ensuring compliance with industry regulations and standards, including companies such as SAS, Elekta and NBC Universal.
M‑Files Competitors
Laserfiche, Alfresco Enterprise Content Management, OpenText
Egnyte
Egnyte delivers a modern content platform that is purpose-built for businesses. Egnyte promises to give IT centralized control and protection over their files, and users fast access to their content, no matter how or where work happens.
Egnyte Competitors
Box, Dropbox, MS SharePoint
OnBase by Hyland
OnBase by Hyland is a leading enterprise content management system, from Hyland Software headquartered in Ohio.
OnBase by Hyland Competitors
EMC Documentum, IBM FileNet Content Manager, Oracle WebCenter Content, Perceptive Content (formerly ImageNow), Laserfiche, ASG ViewDirect, Alfresco Enterprise Content Management, SmartSearch Document Management, Micro Focus Content Manager (formerly HP Records Manager)
Alfresco Enterprise Content Management
Alfresco ECM is a free enterprise content management system for Microsoft Windows and Unix-like operating systems. It comes in three editions: Alfresco Community Edition is free software, licensed open source. Alfresco One is commercially & proprietary licensed open source, open standards and enterprise scale. Its design is geared towards users who require a high degree of modularity and scalable performance. Alfresco in the Cloud is the SaaS version of Alfresco, billed as suitable for relatively smaller teams that don’t need the customizability available in Alfresco One.
Alfresco ECM Competitors
EMC Documentum, OnBase by Hyland, IBM FileNet Content Manager
eXo Platform
eXo Platform is an open-source, social-collaboration software designed for enterprises. Some key features include: Enterprise Social Network, Enterprise Content Management and Social Collaboration.
eXo Platform Competitors
Jive, Sharepoint, Liferay, Tibbr
Medium Level Proprietary Solution Examples
There are also a lot of choices for medium-size CMS vendors that offer powerful platforms that are available in a range of options, from tiered licensing plans, to one-time fees, to even allowing you to download and install open-source versions of their platforms. Here are some of the more popular choices.
ExpressionEngine
ExpressionEngine is one of the leading web-based CMSs on the market today. It has a range of license fees that stretch from freelancer all the way to commercial. Each of these plans has its own licensing agreement, usage restrictions, and feature sets. ExpressionEngine is based on PHP and boasts a robust feature set and a large ecosystem of developers and community members.
MovableType
MovableType is another extremely popular CMS. It started as a blogging platform, and much like WordPress, maintains a lot of that focus.
There are tiered licensing and usage plans with the developer edition being free and open source. As you can imagine, this option is designed for people who want to get in and get their hands dirty and dive in to getting it set up and working themselves. Other fee-based plans offer solutions for bloggers, businesses, and enterprise-level clients.
DNN
DNN (formerly DotNetNuke) is another .NET CMS (similar to MovableType) and there is a free open-source version available to developers and tiered license editions available to purchase.
It’s worth noting that the community edition is only recommended for people who have strong .NET skills, and it lacks many of the features found in other editions.
Small Level Proprietary Solution Examples
There are even small-level proprietary solutions aimed at small design firms, individuals that are creating their first sites, and freelancers wanting to speed up workflow often don’t need the complexity or the cost of the previously mentioned systems. Here are some of the more popular solutions.
Perch
Perch is a nice CMS, with low-cost one-time fees that allow you to associate it with any site you’d like. The interface and setup are easy and doesn’t require any extensive technical skills. You simply mark the content that you want to be editable, and then Perch allows you to log in and edit the content. It is straight forward and simple allowing you to hand off web sites to clients with the confidence that they’re going to be able to manage their sites on their own.
Grav
Grav is an easy to use, yet powerful, opensource CMS that requires no database. In a nutshell, installing Grav is a matter of unzipping the file. It is fast, has sophisticated caching, and a light footprint for optimal performance. Content is just simple markdown files in folders, with no complicated databases to deal with. A powerful API and extensive hooks allow for plugins to extend Grav. Flexible Twig templating allows easy realization of your designs.
Summary
I recommend keeping an open mind and exploring all options regarding CMS solutions. Focus on your own specific needs, do extensive research, and try out as many options as you can before making a decision.