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SharePoint 2007 deployment at CERN

SharePoint 2007 deployment at CERN. Alex Lossent CERN IT/IS. Outline. Overview of Windows SharePoint Services Motivations Use cases at CERN CERN SharePoint deployment Integration with existing applications Conclusion. WSS: overview. Windows SharePoint Services 3.0

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SharePoint 2007 deployment at CERN

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  1. SharePoint 2007 deployment at CERN Alex Lossent CERN IT/IS

  2. Outline • Overview of Windows SharePoint Services • Motivations • Use cases at CERN • CERN SharePoint deployment • Integration with existing applications • Conclusion

  3. WSS: overview • Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 • A more advanced “MOSS 2007” exists • A platform for collaborative applications • Share information and documents • “Content Management System” • Not limited to web content • Facilitate team work • Integrates with Office (2007) • Though any modern web browser is sufficient

  4. Motivations • SharePoint was initially investigated for internal use in the Internet Services group • Replacement for NNTP newsgroups: web forums • Replacement for mailing list archives • Exchange Public Folders deprecated in Exchange 2007 • Search and Threading capabilities • Several options evaluated, SharePoint selected • SharePoint answers other needs • Replacement for “FrontPage sites” • 3700 FPSE sites at CERN • Microsoft initially planned no such sites in IIS7! • Repeating user requests for advanced web features • Forums, wiki, web forms, image libraries, blogs… • Users invest a lot of time developing custom solutions

  5. Motivations • Benefits for the Internet Services group • Stop NNTP service (Linux + Exchange) • Allow stopping deprecated PF by moving mailing list archives (needed for next version of Exchange) • Evolution of the FrontPage sites • All 3 services merged into one! • Seamless integration with AD/mailing lists • End-user benefits • Single interface for newsgroups, list archives, forums • With new features: RSS • Improvements of web hosting services • Easy access to advanced features: forums, wiki, forms • Excellent integration with MS Office • Support for “External Accounts”

  6. Use cases • Discussion forums • And replace NNTP, mailing list archives • Web forms • Typical trio: web form/database/view page • Questionnaires/surveys (statistics) • Shared folders “a la Outlook” • Calendars, contact lists, task management • Collaboration work on documents • Administration, HR, procedures, etc. • Documentation • FAQ, Q&A, help pages, wiki… • Community sites • Clubs, picture libraries, social events…

  7. Usage scenario: CERN market

  8. Usage scenarios: HR • Version tracking

  9. Usage scenarios: HR • Version tracking

  10. Usage scenarios: HR • Approval workflow

  11. Usage scenarios: HR • Team sites: information sharing

  12. Usage scenarios: HR • Surveys

  13. Collaboration workspaces • Provide the vanilla functionality of Windows SharePoint Services 3.0, out-of-the-box • “Collaboration workspace” is a new site type in central web site management system • Very little emphasis on SharePoint Designer • People encouraged to use web interface only • ~200 sites so far (pilot started in March 2007)

  14. User education • Article in CERN IT publication (CNL) • Seminars • 1000 invitations sent, 120 attendees • Technical Training • Few help pages • CERN specificities • Send users to relevant online guides/tutorials

  15. CERN customizations • Support for non-IE browsers • Telerik RadEditor (cross-platform WYSIWYG) • FAST component for intranet search • Custom SOAP administration service • Communication with central WebServices • Custom SharePoint “feature” • Apply CERN settings on new sites and subwebs • Maintenance tasks with Powershell scripts • Message expiration in CERN Market • Export internal documentation to static files

  16. CERN theme • Official colors and logo (CSS + images) • Theme only: no change of layout • Additional theme in theme gallery Presentation title - 16

  17. Technical details • “Farm” approach (scalability) • 1 web front-end • 1 SQL 2005 database server • Disaster recovery • Rely on SQL backups • 1 daily full + log backup every 3h • Will review SharePoint specific products • Took a long time to figure out and test! • Need separate farm for individual site restore • Can restore site state at any point-in-time • Never requested so far

  18. Integration with other apps • Central WebServices site • Site management, creation, ownership • CERN “official theme” • Simba mailing list system • Permission management, invitations • CERN External Accounts • Intranet Search (FAST) • Indico • Via RSS feeds

  19. Integration with other apps(2) • CERN Alerter • Uses SharePoint for storage • Automated publication of announcements • Using SharePoint’s SOAP services • 2008: migration of mailing list archives from Exchange PF • Use SharePoint forums to store messages • Benefits: search, threading, RSS • Rely on SharePoint mail integration features • Powershell script to fix timestamp during migration

  20. Wish-list • Integration with web Single-Sign-On • Hooks exist but development effort needed • Difficult to keep Office integration working! • WebDAV • Manipulate files from any platform • Better cross-platform support • Pictures, WYSIWYG… • Mostly OK with Firefox, some issues with Safari

  21. Demo • CERN Market • Externals • Site creation • Compose home page • Content types • Contact list + add custom columns + connect to Outlook • Create a questionnaire

  22. Conclusion • SharePoint allowed consolidation of existing services • Empowers end users (non-experts in particular) to build themselves simple collaborative solutions • Just from a web browser • Simpler: reduced support load from IT • Without development in IT • Emphasis on saving time • Quick publication, no web editor software needed • Automatic theme/navigation/links etc.

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