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.
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.
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.
Office Web Apps installation
I went to a demo yesterday at Microsoft where I actually got to see Microsoft Office Web Apps live for the first time. Wow! Even better than I’d imagined.
After the demo was over I was real disappointed because I thought that I’d have to wait until Office 2010 get released on May 12 to get a hold of Microsoft Office Web Apps. WRONG.
If you visit this site:
and follow this document:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/library/ff431687(office.14).aspx
you can download a beta copy, which is exactly what I’ve done. Here is a brief installation overview.
You need to have SharePoint 2010 installed and operating on a server. Once you have downloaded the file package double click it to run.
It will be expanded.
You will then be asked for the license key (which is found in the documentation link above).
Accept the license agreement.
Choose an installation location.
Wait for package to copy files.
Run the SharePoint config wizard.
Commence the set up.
A few services get restarted.
Office Web Apps gets configured.
All done with install, now for configuration.
Go to System Settings in SharePoint Central Admin and select Manage services on server.
Ensure Excel, PowerPoint and Word Services are running.
Got Application Management then Manage service applications.
Make sure Office Web Apps services are running.
Now go to the Site Settings for your SharePoint site.
Locate Site Collection features under Site Collection Administration.
Activate Office Web Apps.
Find Word doc on your site and click it to open.
Bamm – Word document in a web browser courtesy of Office Web Apps.
I am impressed. More testing to come soon.
Office web apps and SharePoint 2010
Office Web Apps:
– included as part of the Office Suite licenses which IT installs on Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Server (formerly WSS) – on premises
So it seems that when you buy Office 2010 you also get the ability to install Office Web Apps onto something like SharePoint Foundation. So there is no additional product to purchase or download!
– Office Web Apps include Microsoft Word Web App, Microsoft Excel Web App, Microsoft PowerPoint App and Microsoft OneNote Web App.
Most importantly here is the fact that there will be an Office Web App for OneNote. Yeah! This means that you can read OneNote files without necessarily having to have OneNote installed on your desktop.
For businesses: Customers licensed for Microsoft Office 2010 through a Volume Licensing program can run Office Web Apps on-premises on a server running Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010
Ah ah. So to obtain Microsoft Office Web Apps you have to purchase Office via Volume Licensing. This makes sense and means that for most businesses obtaining Volume Licensing is the way to go. Obviously price may be an issue but that aside Volume Licensing does provide many benefits, even to smaller businesses.
What Web Apps is NOT – Not to be sold as a standalone product – included with Office license.
Most interesting. So when you buy Office via Volume Licensing you automatically obtain Office Web Apps – neat.
This whole concept of Office Web Apps opens a huge range of possibilities in my mind. It certainly indicates that Windows SharePoint Foundation 2010 is going to be far more important if it is seen as the host of Office Web Apps inside a business. This means that once you purchase Office via Volume Licensing you can download SharePoint Foundation 2010 for free and install Office Web Apps there and then run them via a browser rather than installing the software on workstations.
If you did this, it would mean only a single location to maintain updates and provide all users with consistent versions in theory. I would also assume that if you allowed remote access to your SharePoint Foundation 2010 server then you could run Microsoft Office via a web browser and any Internet connection, which would be pretty cool when you think about it.
There are still plenty of questions around all this Office Web Apps stuff such as how it handles licensing, how it is installed, where it stores data and so on because, to my knowledge Office Web Apps isn’t available yet. However, what it does indicate to me is that, most importantly SharePoint Foundation 2010 is going to be a very important part of most businesses infrastructure going forward. So if you don’t know SharePoint, I reckon you better start learning.
I can also see the application of Office Web Apps into things like Microsoft Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS). This means now that BPOS will almost offer a complete desktop replacement of applications that users are familiar with. It is certainly further evidence that Microsoft is transitioning more to the cloud and considering what Office Web Apps may offer I’m more positive that it is a good strategy, even down to the SMB space.
The next steps for me are to find out more about Web Apps and how to get them running on SharePoint Foundation 2010. I guess I’ll have to wait till when Office 2010 is released to get may hands on Office Web Apps. Damm.
SharePoint 2010 training
I reckon it’ll be the same with SharePoint 2010. I think that the new ribbon interface will also improve the acceptance and usage of SharePoint because it is less like a ‘boring web site’ and more like a true ‘web app’ now. I also think that making it more like Office is also a winner. Initially I was sceptical but now the more I see it and more I use it I think that it does really make sense. The main reason is that, as I have always said, SharePoint works best when combined with office.
To get you more familiar with the new SharePoint 2010 interface and how to do the things you used to do in SharePoint v3 Microsoft has an excellent video training course that can be found at:
It is totally online and takes about 60 minutes to complete and if you are planning on using or working with SharePoint 2010 then I highly recommend you take the time and complete training.
If you know of any other good SharePoint 2010 training let me know (director@ciaops.com) so I can tell people.
More SharePoint talk
With thanks to Susan Bradley who put my name forward for this, I’m happy to say that I have recent featured on the RunAsRadio program.
Show #152 Robert Crane Manages Sharepoint 2010! can be download via a number of different audio formats for you to listen to at your leisure.
In the episode I speak generally about some of the issues around creating well managed SharePoint sites and some of the challenges that IT Professional may face with a SharePoint site in their environment.
Have a listen and let me know what you think.
Webinar preview posted
Today’s webinar, Learning SharePoint Lists, has been posted up on my YouTube channel. It contains about the first eight minutes or so of the full 60 minute webinar that was run today.
Learning SharePoint lists webinar
We also have a number of free 30 minute webinars you can download if you want to get a feel for the style and content of our presentations:
Introduction to SharePoint – http://rapidshare.com/files/312292856/091112.avi
Basics of using SharePoint – http://rapidshare.com/files/312282952/091126.avi
there are also others available for download including:
Basics of SharePoint Administration
SharePoint Questions and Answers 1
SharePoint and Office
Document libraries in depth
which can be purchased online from : http://www.pagebloom.com/content/productCategory/o/92160/c/49875
If you wish to be informed of when new webinars will be available please sign up to the CIAOPS webinar email subscription list.
If you have any feedback on the webinars, suggestions, or topic suggestions please don’t hesitate to email director@ciaops.com and I hope to see you at the next webinar.
CIAOPS 