Tag: SharePoint

Companyweb regional settings

Because not all SBS2008 installations are completed in the United States it is necessary to change the regional settings on Companyweb, even though you selected them correctly during the SBS2008 installation process.

 

Open the Companyweb site as a SharePoint administrator and select Site Actions | Site Settings like shown below:

 

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Select Regional Settings under Site Administration like so:

 

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Change the Locale setting to what ever is appropriate as shown:

 

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Scroll down the page and make any other changes that are necessary and then press the OK button at the bottom to save your changes.

 

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If you return to your Companyweb home page by selecting the Home tab you should find your time and date settings have been updated.

SharePoint databases in action

In a previous blog post about Windows SharePoint Services databases I spoke about what SQL technology was used to hold Windows SharePoint Services content and configuration information. In this post I’ll have a look at these databases in action.

 

After creating a SharePoint site the information that is now entered into SharePoint is stored in a SQL database. To locate the name of this database you need to go into the SharePoint Central Administration for your site. You do this on the server on which you installed SharePoint via Start | Administrative Tools | Windows SharePoint 3.0 Central Administration like so:

 

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Now select the Application Management tab then the Content Databases from under the SharePoint Web Application Management section. You should now see the name of the database used by SharePoint like that shown below:

 

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If you click on the database name (in this case ShareWebDb) it will bring up further information about the database. As you can see from the above screen shot it is also possible to add additional databases from this window. Another important fact to remember about SharePoint is that you not only have GUI tools like what is shown here but you also have similar tools that can be run from the command line, allowing for scripting if necessary.

 

In terms of the file system, where exactly is the SharePoint content database stored? It is stored wherever the default data directory is for the SQL instance that you installed on your machine. In this case because we are examining Companyweb on SBS2008, which is using SQL 2005 Embedded Edition you will find those files in C:\windows\sysmsi\ssee\msql.2005\mssql\data like shown below.

 

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Remember that for each SQL database there are normally two associated files, a .MDF (data) and .LDF (index). Both of these files are important for correct database operations. The actual file size of these database files will grow as the information in your SharePoint site increases, to as large as allowed by your version of SQL server or hardware. In this case, because Companyweb on SBS2008 uses SQL 2005 Embedded Edition it can grow by as much free disk space as there is available on the drive.

 

Note that you can relocate these databases to other locations if required, which is something the SBS 2008 wizards automate for you.

 

Finally, if we take a look in the SQL management tools we can also see the database. Because I am again using SBS 2008 here these GUI tools have been automatically installed since they don’t, by default, come with SQL 2005 Embedded Edition even though they are a free download from Microsoft. To launch the GUI tools go Start | All Programs | Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and run SQL Server management Studio Express. To connected to the SQL 2005 Embedded Edition instance you will need to use the following connection string

 

\\.\pipe\mssql$microsoft##ssee\sql\query

 

Once entered you should see something like:

 

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Now simply locate the database (SharedWebDB) under the databases folder and right mouse click to view the properties.

 

More detailed information about Windows SharePoint Services databases and Windows SharePoint in general is located in my Windows SharePoint Operations Guide.

SharePoint databases

I’ll be talking about the storage requirements around Windows SharePoint Services v3 (WSS v3) specifically here.

 

One of the core components required for WSS v3 to operate is a place to hold its content and configuration data. It does so in SQL databases. There are quite a range of SQL databases available from Microsoft starting with the Embedded and Express Editions (both free), moving up to Workgroup, Standard and Enterprise. There are also different versions when you consider SQL 2005 vs SQL 2008. The good news is that they can all be used to store WSS v3 content and configuration.

 

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Feature comparison (Embedded Edition is not listed here)

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Feature comparison

 

Prior to installing WSS v3 on a machine a SQL Server instance needs to exist. If one is not present then you can select to have WSS v3 install SQL Server 2005 Embedded Edition (SSEE). Now SQL Server 2005 Embedded Edition is a far cry from the old MSDE database although it still does have limitations (as you would expect in a free version). The most important of these are the fact that it doesn’t come with any GUI tools, cannot be version upgraded and cannot be accessed across a network. Another overlooked default is that fact that it installs itself, programs and data, into the C: drive which can lead to space issues later. However, one major plus of the Embedded Edition (unlike the Express Edition) is it does not place a limit on the size of a database (the Express Edition limits databases to 4GB in size).

 

Thus, the Embedded Edition is a great option to get started with WSS v3, especially in the fact that you can work around some of the initial limitations. For example, you can download some free GUI administration tools from Microsoft and you can also relocate the databases to another drive to free up space. This is exactly what the SBS 2008 ‘Move SharePoint databases’ wizard does. I have heard people say that you should use a more upmarket version of SQL (e.g. Workgroup or Standard) because it give better performance. I must admit that I have never been able to prove the fact that SQL Embedded Edition is any slower than SQL Standard for typical WSS v3 sites. Now that may not be the case when you get really large WSS v3 sites ( ie > 4GB) but how many WSS v3 sites have you ever come across that are that large initially? Not many I would think. The only reason I can see you wanting to use a more upmarket version of SQL is if you wanted some of the specific high end SQL tools and abilities, like integrated SQL backup and restore as well as clustering. However, for most WSS v3 sites, at least initially, this is generally not required and because you can easily upgrade to another version of SQL later if required it doesn’t make sense to me to go this expense until absolutely necessary.

 

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If you are happy using the SQL Embedded Edition that comes with WSS v3 then you can simply complete a Basic install (although not on SBS 2003 which requires a side by side install to prevent things from breaking). This will install SQL Server 2005 Embedded Edition (SSEE) onto you machine, install WSS v3 and use SQL Embedded Edition automatically to store content and data. Nothing could be simpler. If however you want to use another version of SQL server as your data repository that version needs to be installed prior to installing WSS v3 and then you’ll need to select an Advanced install.

 

The difference between a Basic and Advanced install are quite marked in that a Basic install does everything for you, including setting up the first WSS v3 site. With the Advanced installed you need to do everything manually.

 

In summary then, WSS v3 requires a version of SQL Server to hold its content and configuration databases. You can choose from a wide range of SQL Server version from Microsoft, however the Embedded Edition that comes with WSS v3 is suitable for most initial deployments. If you plan to do much work with WSS v3 then it is beneficial to have a good basic knowledge of SQL Server as well.

 

Detailed information about WSS v3 databases and installing options can be found in my Windows SharePoint Operations Guide along with more information about getting SharePoint up and running in a business.

SharePoint videos

Microsoft has just released a swag of SharePoint videos. Details below.

 

Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 Demo: Use a blog to connect with your coworkers

 

You can use a blog to improve communication in your workplace. The blog authors can post information such as updates on benefits changes, promotions of seminars, and detailed information on policies. Employees can post their questions or comments and see the responses from the blog author.

Office SharePoint Server 2007 Demo: Search for information on a SharePoint site

 

When you use a Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 site, you can use the search feature to help you find information, files, Web sites, and people. In this demo, you will see how an employee at a fictitious company called Adventure Works uses search to locate information on a SharePoint site and complete job-related tasks.

Office SharePoint Server 2007 Demo: Display KPIs in a dashboard

 

A dashboard is a special Web Part Page that displays business data from a variety of different sources in high-level visuals like reports, charts, and key performance indicators (KPIs). The data displayed in dashboards can be filtered automatically or filtered by properties selected by users, enabling comparative data analysis across an organization. Because they pull together important business intelligence data from different sources in an easy-to-understand visual format, dashboards are useful tools that enable managers or decision makers to quickly assess the status of their business. This demo shows you how to create a dashboard page on a Report Center site and how to add a KPI Web Part to the dashboard page to display KPIs. You will also see how to add a KPI Details Web Part to a dashboard to display detailed information about a specific individual indicator.

Office SharePoint Server 2007 Demo: Make better business decisions with reports and dashboards

 

Business intelligence (BI) is the process of aggregating, storing, analyzing, and reporting on business data in order to support informed business decisions. Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 provides tools that can help you extract data from a variety of sources and present that data in ways that facilitate analysis and decision making. In this demo, you’ll see how employees at a fictitious company called Adventure Works use a Report Center site to create and manage reports, dashboards, and key performance indicators (KPIs).

 

Office SharePoint Server 2007 Demo: Enterprise Content Management with SharePoint Server

 

Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 provides powerful Enterprise Content Management (ECM) features for creating, managing, and storing content across an enterprise. In this demo, you’ll learn how a fictitious company called Adventure Works uses SharePoint Server to publish Web pages, archive and audit records, and manage documents. The demo shows how the Technical Documentation team uses a Document Center site as a centralized repository to create, organize, edit, and review all customer-facing external publications, such as user manuals and product specification sheets.

 

Office SharePoint Server 2007 Demo: Streamline business processes with forms and workflows

 

Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 can help you integrate and streamline your business processes. You can use the InfoPath Forms Services server technology in Office SharePoint Server 2007 to create browser-based forms and gather data from organizations that do not use Microsoft Office InfoPath 2007. People in those organizations can complete forms in a Web browser or HTML-enabled mobile device. Workflows automatically move documents or items through a sequence of actions or tasks related to a business process. Workflows can streamline the cost of coordinating common business processes, such as project approval or document review, by managing and tracking the tasks involved with those processes.

 

Office SharePoint Server 2007 Demo: Simplify collaboration with a SharePoint team site

 

Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 provides organizations with a platform for sharing information and working together in teams. A SharePoint site offers specific kinds of tools and workspaces that you can use to communicate with team members, track projects, coordinate deadlines, and collaboratively create and edit documents. In this demo, you’ll see how employees at a fictitious company called Adventure Works use features on a team site such as lists, document libraries, calendars, slide libraries, and blogs to collaborate on documents, track projects, and share information.

SharePoint book review

I have completed a review of Mastering Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 by C.A. Callahan for those who are interested.

In summary, I liked it because it is one of the few books that is specifically focused on Windows SharePoint Services rather than SharePoint in general (which also includes MOSS). It covers a good deal of ground from installation to using to advanced configuration including things like network load balancing. Some of more advanced topics may not be relevant to those using WSS v3 with Small Business Server but none the less I feel this book is a worthwhile reference for those looking for information about WSS v3.

WSSOPS March update

The March update for my Windows SharePoint Operations Guide (due out soon) will give subscribers information about how to install and use the new Microsoft SharePoint Administration Toolkit v3 that will assist in troubleshooting and optimization SharePoint performance. I’ve also included instructions on how you can embed Google maps into your SharePoint site (to see this in action go to the http://supportweb.ciaops.net.au/ and scroll to the bottom of the screen).

 

The March update also has updated information for SharePoint Application Management about deleting SharePoint sites. As well, it includes how to vary the time that the !New icon is displayed (and even getting rid of it if you want!) and a whole lot more updated content.

 

The fact that my Guide is updated monthly is another benefit you get over other SharePoint sources. As the latest information and functionality becomes available I put it in the Guide. As a subscriber you receive these updates for a whole year.

 

For more information about the Windows SharePoint Guide see www.wssops.com.

EasyJet video

Here’s a nice short video about how EasyJet are using SharePoint Server 2007 as their intranet.

Big bad SharePoint

Interesting article about how people (especially IBM) are scrambling to bridge the SharePoint divide. In part, the article says:

 

“Big Blue is clearly worried about the broad proliferation of SharePoint sites. They are cropping up in companies and departments everywhere. With the free Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) so easy to turn on, and departments needing a simple to use, cheap place to store documents and collaborate on work, it’s no wonder they skip WebSphere to get their jobs done. So IBM, not wanting to get kicked completely to the curb needs an integration story for all these SharePoint data stores.”

In these poor economic times even large businesses can see that free Windows SharePoint Services can make them far more productive. The article also goes on to say:

 

“But it doesn’t look like IBM is the only big boy scared of the SharePoint craze. It seems the Open Source community may also be a little concerned about loosing market share to the mighty marketing machine that is Microsoft.”

So it would seem that SharePoint has them all running scared. Why? Because it is such a great tool. Because it is a platform on which on-going development is happening. As more and more people get on board with SharePoint the whole ecosystem around the product grows. Sure, Microsoft probably makes lots of money from SharePoint Office Server (MOSS) but Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) is free. It is even an integrated part of SBS 2008. So why do so few small businesses use it?

 

I think simply because no one has ever shown them what SharePoint is. If there was ever an opportunity in this market, then here it is. SharePoint is a quick and easy way to provide real time saving solutions for clients. It is a great way to help save them money by doing things better.

 

So what’s the first step? If you aren’t familiar with SharePoint then start using it, see my Windows SharePoint Operations Guide as a way to get skilled up quickly, visit my SharePoint site http://supportweb.ciaops.net.au for free document downloads, go out and buy some books and read, but mainly start using it so you can sell it. Why? The opposition is running scared when it comes to SharePoint and that sounds pretty encouraging to me.