To create an enterprise architecture that streamlines and eases integration of business and IT resources quickly and cost-effectively, Web services and portals can be combined. When a Web services approach is used, organizations can build portals that provide reusable, hardware- and software-independent, customizable, and personalized services to various parts of an organization. An example might be a subscription to the Google search engine as a Web service that is added to a portal with a user interface that is in tune with the subscribing organization's Web site. The advantage is that companies save time and costs related to development of an Internet search function by instead deploying a shrink-wrapped commercial Web services. Integration requires downloading of scripts and adding them to the Web site of the specific organization. With Web services, addition of new services and data is easier, and protocols are useful for integration of legacy applications via Web services interfaces. Because the integration is open, standards-based, and independent of platform considerations, future applications can also be integrated with the same Web services. Therefore, protocols meet the needs of all current and future applications. Among topics covered are the need to review security and privacy before deployment; evaluation of portal products and portlets; and prerequisites for creation of a Web services-based enterprise architecture (service-oriented architecture (SOA); federated architecture; configurability; unified metaphor; innovation support; and mobility.