I’ve just posted up a new ‘how-to’ SharePoint video. This one covers how to enable notifications via emails from a SharePoint site when changes occur.
This feature can be very handy to keep track of what is happening in just about any part of SharePoint.
I have also just about completed a complimentary document to go with this new video so you can also that to learn how to enable on of the most handy features of SharePoint (it will go up on my Slideshare site where my other documents are soon). Don’t forget that I’ve also got a range of other ‘how-to’ videos on my YouTube channel that covers SharePoint and other topics.
As always send me your feedback and comments, all welcome.
CIAOPS Email support list
I’m always on the look out for better ways of helping people with things like SharePoint, productivity and cloud services as well as boosting my business of course. These days I have the usual social media stuff, like this blog, Twitter, Facebook and so on. I also do what I can to monitor and contribute to sites on the Internet where people need assistance but that is difficult to manage given the sheer number of sites. I have also found over the years that most techie types still tend to like email lists.
So what I’ve done is gone and set up a CIAOPS Yahoo list that people can subscribe to and email messages with questions about anything they’d like assistance with or that they may think is of interest. Hopefully I can encourage a few other experienced hands to come on board and cover some of the areas that I’m no so good on. However, I see it mainly as a vehicle to help people with SharePoint and especially my Windows SharePoint Operations Guide.
Now I’m sure there are probably better options out there and I would love to hear about them, but hopefully this is something that will suit a certain audience, so I’d like to try it and see what happens.
If you are at all interested in signing up for the CIAOPS Yahoo list you can do so by the following means:
Email subscription to ciaops-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
or visiting
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ciaops/
You’ll need to create a Yahoo ID first to contribute in this group which you can do here. Once that is done I’ll approve you and you can start sending emails to group.
Hopefully, this will be a way to build a bit of a community around some the stuff the CIAOPS does as well as helping others.
SharePoint v2 Set Configuration Database server
Been doing some recovery work on a SharePoint v2 site on SBS 2003 ( i.e. on Companyweb ). SharePoint v2 had lost the configuration database information so when you try and run the SharePoint Central Administration you are greeted with a window asking you for a database server and SQL server database.
I did know what these were but wasn’t sure of the format. Being unable to find these on Google I worked it out from my own test SBS 2003 system. Thus:
Database server = \
typically = server\sharepoint
SQL Server database name = STS_Config
remember this is what the settings are for the default install of SharePoint v2 on SBS 2003.
Hopefully this entry will get crawled so others can find the information quicker than I did.
Why the Droid is cool
Now why can’t they market Windows 7 phones like this? Here’s a swag of video’s on the Motorola Driod but I reckon this one is the best:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7y-mN0c_Kk&feature=player_embedded
You’ll find the rest here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/DROIDshortcuts#p/u
Reality? No. Funny? Yes.
SMBITPro Sydney event
I am involved with an association of IT Professionals here in Sydney called SMBITPro – Sydney, of which I am currently the President. We meet on a regular monthly basis (the second Tuesday of the month) from 6pm. During our meetings we normally have a few technical presentations from vendors as well a contributions from members. At the end of each meeting everyone in attendance get to do some networking over pizza. All in all it is a good way to keep abreast of what’s happening in the SMB market as well network with other IT Professionals.
Also in past 12 months we have commenced full day SMBITPro workshops. So far we have had ones on virtualization, migration and security. The next one, focusing on backup and disaster recovery, will actually run over two days (Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd of May) and will focus on vendors demonstrating the ability of their products to not only backup an SBS 2008 server but also restore it to completely different hardware. To further demonstrate the simplicity of their products each vendor will not be allowed to touch the hardware at any stage, during back or restore. Instead they must ‘instruct’ a volunteer from the audience through the entire process. We reckon this is as close to real world as you can get in a workshop.
Although the workshop’s major focus is backup and disaster recovery there will also be a number of other sessions on business and technology. Depending on the scheduling, I plan to give at least one session on SharePoint. One topic will be around helping IT Professionals understand the basics of SharePoint, as from my experience most people supporting SBS networks really have no idea about where to start troubleshooting when something goes wrong with SharePoint. This sessions will show them exactly where they should be looking. I’ll post up more details about this session and some others I have planned as the agenda gets firmed up (we are still waiting on a few vendors to confirm their attendance).
Perhaps more important that the technical discussions is the ability to network with fellow IT Professionals, before, during and after the event. Even if you can’t attend one of the two days I’d encourage you to come along to the pre and post dinners and network with attendees. Over the last three events we have generally found that many people actually discover they get just as much from these networking opportunities as they do the technical presentations.
So, where do you find out more information about the Backup++ event? Visit http://event.smbitpro.com.au for all the details including prices and registration. The front page of the site is actually an RSS feed so you can subscribe there to get all the updates as we get closer to the event. We already over one third full and expect more registrations as the event approaches so if you are considering attending please do as I’d love to see you there. If you can’t stay tuned to the web page for the next workshop event hosted by SMBITPro – Sydney.
Uploading to SharePoint document
When people start using SharePoint for the very first time the most frequently asked question is ‘How do I upload documents?’. Having already created a YouTube covering that topic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZYRbbPp4Es
I’ve now also created a document which I have posted up on my SlideShare for free viewing and downloading.
As always feel free to send me your feedback (director@ciaops.com) and watch out for more documents coming soon.
Use Linkedin
I was reading an article called “How Linkedin will fire up your career” and it made me start to think about how much things have changed when it comes to finding work these days.
We all know that it is not what you know, it is who you know right? For many, many years I stupidly ignored this in the mistaken belief that the way to succeed was to keep improving my technical skills. Unfortunately, Google came a along and ruined all this by making information about everything so readily accessible. Now you don’t need years and years of experience you just need to use Google to make you look competent. So with just about everybody competing on the same level these days how do you get ahead?
As much as Facebook has swept to the forefront of social networking there is a site that is older and much more businesses focused. That site is Linkedin. As the article says, if you haven’t got your details up on Linkedin then you are going to miss out on many of the most lucrative jobs because Linkedin is fast becoming the first place people look to connect with people for business. Linkedin has always been about business and allows you to document your business skills and experience. Many businesses are finding that rather than going through the traditional screening process for job applicants they are using the power of Linkedin to seek out suitable candidates.
Another great thing about Linkedin is that you can provide recommendations of people who you have worked with and as you know testimonials speak louder than any qualification. Linkedin also allows you to join business groups that suit you interests as well as have and contribute to discussions. The interface is still a little clunky and it doesn’t doing everything that something like Facebook does but Linkedin is certainly gaining in popularity as a business networking tool.
If you haven’t used Linkedin then I’d recommend you get your profile up there. If you haven’t visited Linkedin for a while I recommend you take a look at what’s changed, bring your information up to date and link in other applications like Twitter and SlideShare. You can also make your profile available publically like mine:
http://au.linkedin.com/in/ciaops
however, you get the most benefit when you join Linkedin and connect up with others there.
So if you are already on Linkedin then by all means feel free to connect with me. I’d also appreciate, if you are so inclined, any Linkedin testimonials and recommendations you can provide me as they all really do help. Think of Linkedin like your living CV that you can not only show a recruiter, customer or colleague but also something that others can use to find you and your skills. You can never have enough paths to your door in business I say. If you don’t believe me then have a read of “How Linkedin will fire up your career” as it may just change your mind.
Re-loaned
The great thing is that it brings together those who need the loans with those prepared to lend using technology. By having many different people contribute to a single overall loan lenders can mitigate their risk. Given the regions where some of these people are running businesses is not the most conductive to commerce. I must say however, that I have not yet had a loan not repaid, ever.
It is really very easy to get into the microfinance game. Simply go you kiva.org and sign up. From there select from a list of people whom you’d like to help and then make a secure payment via credit card. As the loan progresses you’ll get updates and information about the person who you lent the money to. At the end of the term you’ll generally get the money back and be ready to make another loan.
This form of charity appeals to me on a number of different levels. Firstly, you are loaning money to entrepreneurs who are trying to better themselves through business (which I can associate closely with). Next any money you give is provided as a loan with the intention of having it repaid. Thus, any funds you contribute can be loaned out to others so it is helping more than just one person. Finally I like the way that you actually find out more about the person you are loaning to quickly and easily by the web site.
I would encourage you to sign up and kiva.org and start helping those trying to help themselves. If you want a better idea of how my money has been allocated see my lender page at:
http://www.kiva.org/lender/robert5824
It doesn’t take much sometimes to make a big difference.
CIAOPS 