Introducing Commerce Server 2009
Commerce Server 2009 introduces the Microsoft Multi-Channel Commerce Foundation and Microsoft SharePoint Commerce Services. Specifically, Commerce Server 2009 adds:
A new Commerce Foundation that supersedes the existing programming model and adds:
Multi-channel awareness - meaning you can name specific channels;
New shopping features - such as direct list support, Live ID, and Virtual Earth integration;
Unified run-time programming model - allowing for the same structure for all calls across all Commerce Server Core Systems;
New meta data model - giving descriptive data to all properties;
Updated extension model - with the new operation sequences; pluggable to add business logic without changing the presentation.
New SharePoint Commerce Services that includes:
Integration between Commerce Server and SharePoint - allowing for direct calls to SharePoint lists through the Commerce Foundation;
Over 30 out-of-the-box e-commerce Web Parts and controls, including source code - offering ready-to-go functionality for any SharePoint-hosted site, with easy extensions;
New default color-neutral out-of-the-box site - pre-configured with the Web Parts and controls, ready to sell your merchandise;
New templates - easily skin specific pages with built-in template libraries, XSL transforms, along with Master Pages and CSS;
What-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) content management and design experiences - offering designers and business users on-site editing and management of information and content.
Commerce Server 2009 provides the following for:
Developers. Commerce Server 2009 introduces the Commerce Foundation that unifies the run-time calling model across all Commerce Server Core Systems, introduces new commerce entities, built-in multi-channel awareness, and meta data for commerce entities. All of these additions speed the time to market because developers can focus on quickly creating or extending the "entity"; using the same programming model across any of the Commerce Server Core Systems. The new model allows the ability to accomplish multiple operations in a single call. This approach is independent of device or locale, meaning that building a site for the mobile channel versus a kiosk is exactly the same, with only the identification of the channel being required.
Site Designers. Designers can take advantage of the many Web Parts and templates that come with Commerce Server 2009, and use new standards-based tools such as Expression Web or SharePoint Designer; and new Rich Internet Application (RIA) technologies, such as Microsoft Silverlight, to design interactive and engaging experiences. Site Designers can also create new micro-sites, for different channels, quickly and easily.
Merchandisers and Marketers. Manage the site in a WYSIWYG experience, through the site templates and individual page templates. Merchandisers and marketers can easily create new event-specific sites through the Channel Configuration feature, where the creation of a new site requires a few clicks of the mouse, ready for event-specific campaigns and searches. Optimize your searching with integrated Default site search with Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS), to make sure that your customers find what they are looking for. Use Commerce Server’s Marketing Manager to create customer-specific and brand-specific campaigns; personalize buying experiences through expressions; generate coupons and manage them; and schedule and approve discounts, ads, and direct mail. Edit product information right on the site, allowing for quick reviews, and a WYSIWYG experience.
IT Professionals. The tools and performance to make sure that your e-commerce application is always up and running. The tools that IT professionals use to make this happen include a staging area, Microsoft Management Console, Microsoft System Center Operations Manager, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) support and profile data encryption with a Security Configuration Wizard, 64-bit support, and Windows Server 2008 support. Commerce Server 2009 provides several tools for system administrators and operations personnel to quickly deploy, administer, manage, and monitor the health of the enterprise network. Additionally, with site staging and replication you can automate the distribution and movement of data and sites across multiple environments.
Business Managers. Complete business analysis and reporting capabilities in an integrated, end-to-end view encapsulating both the Web click stream and e-commerce business data, such as catalogs, customers, and orders through its integration with SQL Server Reporting Services and inclusion of pre-packaged reports.
Line-of-Business and Trading Partner Integration. Seamless connection to internal and partner applications and systems such as Microsoft Dynamics, SAP, JD Edwards, and others through Microsoft BizTalk Server adapters. In addition, with the profile, order, inventory, and catalog system adapters for BizTalk Server, Commerce Server 2009 helps accelerate and automate the delivery of products and services.