Modules are the individual portal interfaces that are used for rendering or managing content.  Microsoft used to refer to modules as Digital Dashboards.  Microsoft now talks about Web Parts instead.  The Java community refers to modules as Portlets.  The important thing is that they represent isolated components of functionality.

• Backup / Restore (plug-in)
• Security (plug-in ?)
• Web Services Administration (plug-in)
• RSS style exposure of content (plug-in)
• Personalization
  • Minimize
  • Maximize
  • Close
  • Add
• Verbs (methods)
  • Add
  • Edit
  • Delete
• Object like framework
  • Schema seperated from instance data
• Site level administration of each module
• ASP.NET 2.0 WebPart as the base framework
• Plug-in model for Module enhancements
• Events model
• Feeback (plug-in)
• Printing (plug-in)
• Ratings (plug-in)
• WSRP (Web Services for Remote Portlets) for consuming and exposing modules (plug-in)
• Flexible Framework for type definitions
• Localization
• Help (plug-in)
• Versioning
• Extensible Properties
• Graphical icon identifiers (Container/Admin level)

• Visual Studio Add-in for creating new webparts