Microsoft Sharepoint Products and Technologies Resource Kit eBook

Chapter 18: Managing SharePoint Portal Server 2003 497
Tip Avoid editing the sps.css file directly, as it can be overwritten when
upgrading or installing a fix or running a repair on the installation from the
Add/Remove Programs Control Panel applet. Placing a custom .css file in a
centrally accessible URL ensures that it will be available regardless of what
happens with the portal server’s installation.
Portal Site Content
The Portal Site Content section of the portal site’s Site Settings page, shown in Figure
18-8, allows the administrator to define additional area pages, change the portal
site’s navigational structure, configure the automated association of content links to
pertinent area pages with the Topic Assistant, manage the content of portal area targeted
links, as well as import data from Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server 2001. Each
of these options shows up as a separate link, each of which we will examine next.
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Figure 18-8 The Portal Site Content section of the portal site’s Site Settings page
Manage Portal Site Structure
Before embarking on a discussion of how to manage the portal site structure, let’s
look at what the portal site is composed of in terms of Web pages and content. The
first thing to realize is that each portal site has a home page. This home page can be
edited and customized, but it can never be deleted. All other pages in the portal site
are referred to as areas or area pages. In SharePoint Portal Server 2003, areas serve
two purposes. First, they provide a navigational structure or map of the portal site
and related content. By adding, moving, or deleting areas, administrators can
change the view of the portal site for users. Second, they provide a centralized structure
for storing and organizing content into content-specific areas, which results in
giving users a structure for information browsing. Areas direct readers to the information
they seek through an organized hierarchy of topics. Areas are intended to
provide a flexible way to both describe and find documents as well. By default, the