Time to Upgrade May 30, 2006
Posted by techgrrl in Infrastructure, SharePoint.add a comment
My old server barely squeeked by running SharePoint Portal Server 2003. I must get a new machine if I want to run MOSS with any level of stability. I'm starting to spec out a new machine now. I'm really surprised at how much I can get for my money. For about $800, I can get a dual core processor, DDR2, SATA, and PCI-Express using brand-name manufacturers. These are all technologies that I couldn't touch with a ten foot pole with my old machine. (I was grateful to have AGP 2x, so I could buy an All-in-Wonder 9000.)
I spent $750 on my current machine about five years ago. It has a Tyan Tiger motherboard, dual PIII 450s, and 1GB of RAM.
Notice I didn't mention hard drives. I have new Seagate Barracudas on my current machine that I'm going to move over to the new machine. I have an old Western Digital 5400RPM that I could use as a new system drive in the old machine, but I should probably spring for a new hard drive. I plan on using the new machine for virtualization only and using the old machine for anything I don't want to run virtually.
SharePoint Upgrade Path May 28, 2006
Posted by techgrrl in Office 12, SharePoint.4 comments
With the public release of the Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 beta 2, you may be trying to figure out your plan of attack. Deciding when and how quickly you want to move depends on where you are now and where you want to be.
MOSS 2007 is the successor for SharePoint Portal Server 2003. For lots of folks, if you're already using the portal product, then you'll likely upgrade to MOSS 2007. However, if you're using Windows SharePoint Services version 2, the path is a little murky. You could jump from WSS version 2 to version 3 or to MOSS 2007. It really depends on whether you need those portal features.
For those of you using SharePoint Portal Server 2001, you may be considering skipping WSS version 2 and SPS 2003 and making the leap to MOSS 2007. The same is also true if you're just starting to evaluate SharePoint for your organization. But not so fast! Windows SharePoint Services version 2 is miles ahead of SPS 2001 in terms of features. You may find that WSS v2 meets most of your needs right now. WSS v2 is a component of Windows Server 2003. You can download it free from the Microsoft Web site. (Yes, I said free, but your Windows Server must be properly licensed.)
I suggest you evaluate WSS version 2, WSS version 3, and MOSS 2007 separately before you take the plunge. Sounds like a lot of work? See my previous post for some tips on how you can use Virtual Server 2005 to set up a testing environment without trashing your hardware.
Also, be sure to check out SharePoint Designer, which is replacing FrontPage as the Microsoft-sanctioned design tool for SharePoint. You can download SharePoint Designer from the Office 2007 beta site.
SharePoint SDKs Available May 28, 2006
Posted by techgrrl in Office 12, SharePoint.add a comment
The Windows SharePoint Services version 3 beta 2 and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 beta 2 Software Development Kits are available for download from Microsoft's Web site. Get the kits:
Going Virtual with SharePoint May 28, 2006
Posted by techgrrl in Office 12, SharePoint.5 comments
This is a slightly more technical post detailing my installation of the SharePoint beta. See my previous two posts for less technical information about the Office 2007 beta 2.
I installed Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 beta 2 on a Virtual Server. Virtual Server 2005 is a free download from Microsoft's Web site. It's a great way to set up a test environment without trashing your machines. Check out my previous post on Virtual Server for more info.
So here's my setup in a nutshell:
- Installed Windows Server 2003 on a dynamically expanding virtual hard drive. Installed .NET Framework version 2.0 and Windows Workflow Foundation Beta 2.2. Configured server as an IIS server.
- Created a differencing virtual hard drive with the preceding drive as the parent.
- Installed MOSS 2007 beta 2 on the differencing virtual hard drive.
In Virtual Server, you create virtual machines that use virtual hard drives. So, I created a base hard drive with Windows Server 2003 and all the MOSS prerequisites installed. The second virtual hard drive is a differencing hard drive. By associating it with the parent or base hard drive, my virtual machine merges both drives and runs them as a single image. The benefit is that I can create multiple differencing hard drives for use with my virtual machine. I can reuse my base or parent Windows Server 2003 hard drive with the differencing hard drives.
Installing SharePoint v3 Beta 2 May 28, 2006
Posted by techgrrl in Office 12, SharePoint.add a comment
There are still two flavors of SharePoint, but Microsoft is doing a pretty good job of obscuring that detail from non-technical folks. The two products are:
- Windows SharePoint Services version 3 beta 2 (WSS) – WSS is still the foundation of all things SharePoint. It's an add-on technology for Windows Server 2003.
- Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 beta 2 (MOSS) – MOSS is the successor of SharePoint Portal Server 2003, and includes features such as search and content management.
WSS is bundled with the MOSS download. If you want to test WSS separate from MOSS, then you can download just WSS from the SharePoint Team's blog.
MOSS installs WSS and Microsoft SQL Server Express 2005. The MOSS installation is pretty straightforward. I just clicked Next a few times. MOSS installs and configures itself in a single server installation. There are a few prerequisites, so be sure to read the readme before installing.
You may wish to download the SQL Server Express 2005 Management Studio so you can visually manage SQL Server Express. Just remember not to mess around in the SharePoint databases themselves.
Office 2007 Beta Available to the Public May 28, 2006
Posted by techgrrl in Office 12.add a comment
Office 2007 beta 2 is available to the public. After you register for the download, you have the option to select which Office 2007 products you wish to download. The site was pretty buggy the first days the downloads were available, but it seems to have stabilized now. I downloaded Office Professional Plus which includes all the familiar client applications, Outlook, SharePoint Designer, SharePoint Server, and Forms Server. It probably took about two hours total over cable.
You can download the Office 2007 beta 2 from the Office preview site. Click Get the Beta and follow the directions.
Windows SharePoint Server version 3 beta 2 is bundled with SharePoint Server 2007. If you want to download and install just WSS version 3 without installing SharePoint Server 2007, you can download it from the SharePoint Team blog.
A Wake-Up Call Goes Unnoticed May 25, 2006
Posted by techgrrl in Uncategorized.add a comment
I love the government's response to this whole VA debacle. Let's not learn any lessons here folks. No, let's just fire people. Because firing people creates accountability. No, it creates a culture of fear. People won't stop taking data home on thumb drives. They'll just be more careful about not getting caught.
This is a problem for the government and for every company in America. Breaches occur frequently. Breaches are routine and normal. Breaches are often the result of employee actions. We can keep our heads in the sand, or we can address our attitudes towards data.
Love and keyboard shortcuts May 24, 2006
Posted by techgrrl in Just for fun, Uncategorized.add a comment
Is Ctrl+C, too the same thing as "I love you, too"?
The Revolving Door of Your Personal Data May 23, 2006
Posted by techgrrl in Uncategorized.add a comment
An analyst with the Department of Veterans Affairs took home the personal data of 26 million veterans, and it got stolen from his house during a burglary. Have you ever taken data home from work? I've worked for lots of so-called "closely held" private companies where analysts had local copies of enterprise databases on their laptops. I worked as an intern for a consulting house on a project for the State of Indiana. I was never screened nor did I have to sign anything saying that I wouldn't steal data. I had access to backup copies of tons of personal data.
I've got news for lawmakers, there's always a back door. And, it's usually standing wide open.
Customer Service Crisis May 15, 2006
Posted by techgrrl in in my opinion.7 comments
I believe that Customer Service in this country is in crisis. I cringe every time I have to call a 1-800 number. I know nothing good's going to happen. Without boring you with all the details, let me share with you a few items from a call Saturday evening to Dell's Technical Support line:
* It took me two hours and six phones calls to get support.
* Each rep I spoke with followed the exact same script, even after I gave them my case number.
* It was 40 minutes from the time I dialed Dell until someone asked me to describe the nature of my problem.
* I was chastised repeatedly for calling the wrong technical support number, even though I dailed the number provided in the manual.
* Even after calling the 800 number given to me by the reps, my call always ended up in the wrong queue.
The net effect is two hours later my problem still wasn't solved. I was told to download drivers from the Internet. When that didn't work, I was told they would mail me the drivers. Why? What's the point? Oh I get it. It gets me off the phone.
I think all this outsourcing of customer service to India is going to backfire, not only against the companies doing the outsourcing but against Indians, too. When I call RoadRunner, I talk to Indians. When I call Sallie Mae, I talk to Indians. When I call Dell, I talk to Indians. And all these Indians that I talk to can't help me. It's not because they're stupid or anything. It's because they aren't empowered to help me. And, unfortunately for them, they end up looking like dumbasses.
To be truthful, it wouldn't matter if I was talking to Indians or Russians or Hoosiers. If the company isn't going to empower its people to solve problems, then their customer service is always going to suck. At the same time, it's really frustrating when you're trying to deal with someone who doesn't understand you. When you have to repeat yourself multiple times and spell things out, it's painful. And, you know as soon as you hear "Hi my name is Sarah" coming from an Indian voice that you are just screwed. That it doesn't matter any more, because the company clearly doesn't care about customer service. If they did, they would have folks who know their products answering the phones.
