TheScarfedOne

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OK - so I took over the blog a bit recently, what with my Sharepoint ramblings followed by my "Live from..." series. Right... so whats been keeping me away from the blogging (no boos and hisses in the background thank you!!): 1. Replacing a load of switches: Our core switches were all upgraded to Netgear GSM7212 - to provision our fibre. Next level out from this, we have just finished putting in GSM 7248/24 dependant on capacity. Why these? Well - we have a very good relationship with Netgear, these switches have all the L2 features and they are very reliable. Beyond that, at the far reaches of the network, we have the 750T2 and 724T2. 2. Rebuilding RIS: You may have seen my previous post about the PITA that is a straight Server 08 Domain with RIS (the legacy mode flavour)... Read up on that if you are going to do it. At some point we will go WDS full - but going to tie that in with our Windows 7 deployment probably Easter. 3. New PCs and Rebuilds: A load of DC7100s which needed images doing, fixing our D530s image, and the new load of ML115s. (Thanks John... plug plug for great service ) 4. Sharepoint: Yes, been busy with that again. My next post will have a load of screenies of our new layouts, and webparts. Lets jsut say our people have been busy. (Yep - theres a sorry to James in here too... I will get back to you mate - honest!!). Right - thats just a fleeting post of whats been happening here... Laters

The new print manager is pretty good. Like above, the only bit i would like is a LanRanger equiv. Used to use NetSchool, now got SynchronEyes. However, based on reviews, and how much Smart want for an upgrade (and the lack of any response to complains ) will prob move to AB. Lanview (may it rest in peace) was super.

Looks good. Great work... will defo be keeping an eye on this project :-)

I think i did a blog on this a while ago... defo check out the technet blog, and also windows noob.

did have it on my aspire one, but blue screened a bit - think it took exception to the atheros wireless.

@cookie_monster... think you are right, but even with the specify the username/password route - the same thing happens. Real pain, and took a while to find out what caused it.

Seems to be running ok at the mo - make sure you use the download manager (accessed from Top Downloads).... 500kb/s

I'll be there...just emailed in.

@ZH can you post a link to the upgrade notes... ta:)

Ok... picture the scene... You have a nice existing RIS setup - which deals with all your machines quite nicely. If course - it has to run on Server 03. You then go and update your DCs to Server 2008. Problem - you notice that some of your image builds stop joining the domain. Cue pulling your hair out time! Have you changed anything in the images etc.... No... the problem as I eventually found out is you Server 2008 DCs. So long as they are the only DCs (ie no Server 03 DCs) the new security settings will screw it up! The installation stops on with the message: Network Configuration The user you have specified is not permitted to join the machine to the domain. Would you like to proceed for now an try joining a domain later? With 2003 DC it worked perfect. Do i need to change something on the DC or in my SIF file? My [identification] section look like JoinDomain = %MACHINEDOMAIN% DoOldStyleDomainJoin = Yes I also tryed differnent options i found in the net. e.g.: [identification] JoinDomain = %MACHINEDOMAIN% DomainAdmin = %USERNAME% DomainAdminPassword = %PASSWORD% CreateComputerAccountInDomain = Yes On the DC i get the error messages NETLOGON 5722 and 5805. Solution... Enable the GP "Allow cryptography algorithms compatible with Windows NT 4.0" on Default DC Policy. This is nicely described in http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731654(WS.10).aspx and on support in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/942564

Take a look at my blog post from the Learning Gateway conference where there was detail on Theming and CSSing Sharepoint. Regards

Yep - you can enable site auditing in Central Admin. You then have the power to create usage logs on the fly from site settings on sites or subsites. From memory, this is called Enable Usage Log Processing, and is on the Operations tab. I will double check on Mon, and update this post ef needed.

Im having this done too in a few weeks time - as soon as Capita get back to me with a dat (the order was placed ages bac.... thanks Ben for checking it out for me!! ).... How long did the install take, and did they go through the AD provisioning stuff too? Stuart

Indeed.... thanks Russ! :-) While there yesterday - I was writing a live blog from the sessions I attended (the tech ones!)... read my blog here http://www.edugeek.net/forums/blogs/stuartwilkie Thanks again Richard and Alex for a great day :-)

Sharepoint 2010 Videos are available at http://sharepoint.microsoft.com Cross browser support No page refreshes Custom ribbon appears as in Office 2007 apps No page refreshes on updates of pages (eg moving to edit a page) Multiple checkin and check out In line popups for information editing (eg changing/rename files/folders)

Q and A Session with the Panel 1. Any lessons learnt of the lifecycle of developing with Sharepoint - Get the taxonomy right, the layout of your site etc... (Twynham School Guys) 2. Can you move an exisiting Site Collection to be part of a new collection - Shouldnt be a problem. If was a subsite, more complicated, but still possible. 3. Developing Webparts...any guide, or lots of publisher write them. If they dont meet your needs, can you change them? Any guide to getting on with webparts. -Codeplex or MS Sharepoint Development.com... can get the code, or guide your development. If you buy it, cant really edit. (Andrew) -Recycle the Date Form Web part. 4. Codeplex, etc is there anything the community can put back in -Needs the imput from the community. If people in the community are doing "good stuff" put it back in the development (Richard) 5. Microsoft Commitment to MLG/SLK? -MS Announcement soon. Commitment exists. Still needs community involvement. (Andrew/Richard) 6. Is there going to be a forum developed from this meeting? - Yes. http://www.learninggateway.net. Contact Alex (Alex). 7. Top quick win in implementing Sharepoint... - Streaming media (Mike) - Content sharing (Dave) - Get someone to take ownership to drive (Andrew) - Search - Discussion board for Q's to build an FAQ - Webpart for House Points (Richard) - Relevant content for stakeholders (Alex) 8. Success of Portal use for Parents, and type of info expected - Are they going to every day, and why? Holland school more advanced than any UK - book school trips, choices etc. Use email alerts to trigger usage. (Mike) 9. Seen slide deck a few times, and how great things are. What has gone wrong? Something which just didnt work. - PKS - Taxonomy, first cut design - If something doesnt work, danger of not using features which could be great by not working through something. - 1st cut of timetable part, had teachers picture because of lack of consultation (Mike/Dave) 10. What 1 thing would you like Sharepoint to do that it currently doesnt. What would you like in future version. - Things like Wordpress easier. More user friendly(Mike) - Number of page refreshes (Dave) - Cross browser compatability (Andrew) - File replication for disparate servers (i.e Content). Content syncronisation between sites. - Reliable SPD - Cross browser support (Richard) Codeplex CKE for Wiki and Enhanced Blog Edition. 11. Said what we can do with Sharepoint. Anything we can back it up with. - Avpoint - Powershell scripts on Codeplex Disaster Recovery or Content/Item/Site Level recovery. Need to do staged restore, not live restore onto production environment. ComVault Microsoft DPM (more expensive, more complicated, but the best of breed. Covers SQL and Exchange also). Quest

Sharepoint Outside the Box Twynham School http://www.twynhamschool.com Main website and background Went through all the revisions of Sharepoint Team Services >> MOSS. Simple to upload content and make changes, for any user with access. Uploading content to document library, or making an announcement. Passing control back to the users. Data/MIS Web parts Demonstration for the MIS Webparts developed at Twynham. More information over on their site at https://www.twynhamschool.com/supportinglearning/default.aspx and also Richard over at Salamander () http://blog.salamandersoft.co.uk/index.php/2008/11/facility-cmis-web-parts/ UPDATE FOR WSS/MOSS Federated search webparts for sharepoint. Infrastructure Update and SP2 for Sharepoint will add this functionality. Knowledgebases Use Wikis to build a KB for sharepoint. Can be used for ICT Helpdesk or Staff Handbook... Media Streaming Media streaming server, 2 front end servers (back end app server doubles as the media server). Media streaming has been in Windows Server since 2000, but superb in 2008. Document library containing the .asx files pointing at the media server. The media (once converted to .wmv) is uploaded to the Media streaming server - with single access point. Create asx file to point at the server. Licencing query brought up - ERA and ERA plus licencing requirements. Please see http://www.era.org.uk or check with your LA. Remote App Terminal Server 2008 Remote App, with a document library containing the .rdp files.

Branding your Portal Penny Coventry (MVP) http://www.sharepointdesignerstepbystep.com Agenda: What is branding Branding Basics Branding options in the browser Using SPD Next steps What is branding More than just a header, its about site and content design. Was difficult in V1 and V2, WSS3 and MOSS2007 isnt so bad now. Still a challenge. Its more than just colouring! Navigation, etc. Know what you need to alter. Know who is doing what - visitors, editors etc. Consider the users involved and their requirements -Who is visiting -Who is adding content -Home page design (and sub sites/pages) -Colour schemes -Navigation -Rollup information/Format -Target information (audiencing) --> Map to development: Master Pages, Themes, Page Layouts, Custom XSL for CQWP or DFWP. Themes Change a site theme - in the browser CSS and Images Choice of about 18 in WSS3 You can create your own custom themes -Files are stored on the web server -Seen by all sites -Changes the CSS properies for the site -However, they do not apply to all sites. -These apply to the "user" part of the site as well as the "admin" part of the site Types of Site (aka Templates) Internet Sites (aka Publishing sites) - larger number of users. These are like shop fronts, only a small number of people can contribute to them - and this requires confirmation. Collaboration Sites - smaller number of users. More people have access to make changes (i.e. upload content). Content goes live immediately. Master pages Every page rendered, is actually a combination of two files - the master page (defining the navigation, header, footer and other "all pages" bits), and your content. New in WSS2/MOSS2007 All sharepoint Content Pages associated with on Master Page Can be changed post site creation Provides constant Look/Feel => Themes plus more!! Contains common page elements. When applying master pages to sites using the "All Site Actions" >> "Master Pages" section... You can also do this at an individual site level, so that different section of a site have a different look and feel/colour scheme. Remember: The first section only points at Publishing sites (as they use a custom action). In order to reflect these changes to a Collaboration site, you must also use the second section - and tick the reset subsites option. Beware - there are some sections in master pages and their CSS which will not apply to some custom areas (eg blog pages navigation). Test, test and test - and double check your CSS class references. Page Layouts Used on Publishing Sites Navigation In the same way you can break permissions to change the access for users - you can do the same with the top bar navigation. Make sure you leave some way to return to the top level site. Browser vs SPD Before doing any work on Master Pages, download minimal copies of master pages from Heather Soloman (http://www.heathersoloman.com) CSS is attached to the master page not the content page. There are copies of this page for Publishing/Collaboration/Wiki/Blog etc... CSS...so, if you want to change these, open up your master page, click on the item you want to customise - and SPD can help you by showing which CSS class affects that area. If the CSS comes from core.css (ie is not shown as being changed in the CSS attached to the master page. There is a reference of all the CSS classes/styles on Heather's site. You can then add this style to the CSS attached to your master page. Make sure you have the item selected in SPD, and click new style. It will then walk you through the process. You may find that this has some unexpected results.... Dealing with CSS takes a while, as you need to get to learn which controls are affected by which CSS class. To get around some of the issues, you may have to change the class name of the object to refer to it directly in your CSS.

Sites and Templates Use the top level site as a "front page" for rolling up information held elsewhere dependant on the user. Use the Audience capability in Sharepoint for information targeting (eg News). Other sub-areas: Students Staff Classes Think about how you catagorize things.... for navigation and site layout. Generally, it is not a good idea to have lots of subsites under one site. Branch it out. Egs.... Staff --Departments --Staff Room Classes --Year --Subject Subject --Technology --ICT... Technology --1A/NG (classes) 1A/NG (Classes) --Blog --Wiki --Lessons Courses and Resources -Teacher Aids -Exercises -Subscribed Content -Library -Subject Resources Architechure: Difference between Sites/Site Collections Site Collection: Galleries Features Security Search Auditing (ie. Applies to all....!) Sites: Lists and Libraries Features Tempates (ie. Applies at this level only....!) Database: DB per site Collection Scenario... Site: Classes (and any sites below the top level) Inherited from School Site Contains: Lists and Libraries Features Templates Allows you to: Break inheritance (at a site level or on a list/library, or an item - bear in mide the performance impact whilst it checks if you have permission on loading) Customise, and doesnt work back up the tree.

Ive just blogged on this from the Learning Gateway Conference... worth a look

Unified Communications for the Learning Gateway Office Communications Server... links to AD, providing presence information for the user. Initiate chat/call session with user if available. Can be used for helpdesk....? Linked with Sharepoint, can use functionality of Live Meeting to share the document or screen. Unified Communications Technology Microsoft UC Stack -Exchange 2007 / Office Communications Server 2007 -Live Conferenceing/ Web Conferencing 2007 Architechure -OCS 2007 R2 (64 bit only) Builds on Live Communications Server (adds Voice, Video, AV Conferencing....) Case studies on Technet Can do this as a single server internally, rather than a whole suite of servers. AD / Monitoring Server / Archiving Server / Group Chat Server (or use Forums in SP??) OCS: IM/Presence/Conferencing/Voice/App Sharing/SQL (FE Web App / BE SQL as with SP) Clients and Devices Office Communicator 2007 (aka Internal MSN Messenger) Office Live Meeting Client Conference add-in for Outlook RoundTable Office Communicator Web Access Office Communicator Mobile (PDA) Office Comminicator Phone Experience PC Periperal Devices Features Video (inc High Definition) -Live Meeting (augmented by Voice and Video) Integrated Tools -All in one client OCS Client -Built on the presence system -One click access (right click options!) Presence Everywhere!! -Appears in Outlook -Reads calendar from Outlook/Exchange -Sharepoint Integration Voice Capabilities -Can be a telephone system New R2 Component-Communicator Attendant -Single screen for multi-call handling -Incoming Queue -Integrated history -Can be used on Reception for example -eg Transfer call, right click select person... -eg Put on hold/answer drag/drop... New R2 Component-Cross Platform Desktop Sharing -aka VNC!! -Helpdesk support -Once click from Communicator(inc Web Access) Communicator Web Access -Cross platform experience for all "core" browsers (IE/Firefox/Safari) Communicator Mobile -Available on some Nokias/Blackberries/WM -Single number reach... -Uses OCS to make the call rather than your mobile minutes (uses data instead) Demo Demo of "text" message capability Demo of "voice" message/call capability Demo of "video" message/call capability Demo of "transfer" message/call capability -either to colleague or another device (eg mobile) Software + Services - the future OCS is an "install in institution" product at present MSFT looking at moving (as are competitors) into the cloud Online Suite: -Exchange -Sharepoint -Hosted filtering for Exchange -Office Live Meeting -Office Communications Online ---> Outlook Live (live@edu) [using Exchange 2010] Exchange 2010 Shared location for mailboxes (some locally hosted, some hosted in the cloud at MSFT) Flexible and Reliable -Deployment flexibility (mix of local and cloud hosted mailboxes seemlessly) -Continuous (improved disaster recovery though failover methods - evolution of continuous replication. Each db can have up to 16 copies. Provideds full redundancy.Reduced I/O and storage requirements.) -Simplify Admin (enable some "power-users" to do some tasks themselves - eg Conduct monitoring on mailboxes, Track messages, Manage mailbox quotas) Anywhere Access -Manage mailbox overload (mail tips to help remove unnecesssary and undeliverable mail - and you can then remove these recipients) -Enhance Unified Messaging (sinlge inbox for all mediums inc text based preview of voicemail) -Anywhere access and Collaberation (premium features cross-platform on "core" browsers) Protection and Compliance -Protect communications -Archiving and Compliance -Reporting and Alerts Demo of Presence in Outlook/OWA 2010 -New commands available on messages as replies and free/busy info -Conversations (emails grouped together) Now.... break for lunch so back later....

Best Practice for Sharepoint Configuration Steve Smith (MVP): Owner Combined Knowledge [email protected] Twitter stevesmithck UK Sharepoint User Group =================================== Link/Upload of slide deck to follow... Agenda: Sharepoint Terminolgy Dont we just put the CD in the server Its not just about Sharepoint SQL Config Demo Best Practice Summary Resources Sharepoint Logical Terminology Sharepoint Farm: Shared ------------------------- Services | Web Apps | ---------------------- | | Site Collections | | | | [sITE A] [sITE B] Associate Web Apps (IIS Web Sites) to Shared Services Site Collections are the first level of management. See later blog.... Andrew Woodward Sites are where the Collabs take place... Management and config at the Farm/SSP/Web apps affect everything down the road. Dont we just put the CD in... Installing the binaries is the easy part. Consider the factors: ::Location of files (eg Index file/Seach DB) Default install goes to C:\Prog Files.... These files grow massively.... configure for a specific location. You can sort this later, but best to do it at the start. :: Type of Install Always use Complete (unless for demo). Use front ends for dedicated web apps hosting. You cannot turn on the services after if you choose WFE. :: Consider how you access management sites.Assign SSL to Central Admin and SSP. Whitepaper to follow. Use Kerberos for Authentication :: Use PSConfig commandline for total command, of config params. Located in Common Files\Web Server Extensions. Good recovery tool too.... :: Service Accounts Minimum 4 Should not be admins Least privs. Hard to do... depends on environment. Separate accounts for: :: Central Admin :: Search :: SSP :: Collaberation Sites Whitepaper on Technet (LINK) SQL permissions is the one to watch.... Planning your Database Remember all your data is stored in SQL DB Plan your storage: -How many content DBs -Quotas -Site collection to db mapping, allowing for growth -Create in SQL then define in SP. Plan for recovery, not just storage. Plan for Concurrent user load: -Reuqest per second -Page load -Load balancing -Number of NICs -IIS load times... asp.net queue on front end. -IIS is the bottleneck not SQL Plan for AD: -Service Accounts -Location of DC -Kerberos Understand IIS -Performance -Troubleshooting 64 Bit Hardware -OS (and version) -Sharepoint -SQL -No. Servers SQL DB Mapping HR DB Project DB V V [site Coll] [site Coll] V V [Quota] [Quota] 50GB 30GB 75GB is really a maximum.... DB gets fragmented. Remember to run your maintenance tasks in SQL Man. Studio. Best practice for SQL DBs Demo DB Names.... MOSS_name New DB.... -Initial Size, autogrowth (size each time), and also max file size. Doubles for the SP Quota-ing... Set DB owner (ie. the WebApplication owner service account). That account now doesnt need SQL Create DB rights. Summary: -Index File location -Data Growth -Maximise data throughput (i.e. correct disk hardware, versions of OS/SQL/SP) -Pre-create DBs where poss -Consider how you will do restores -Kerberos (for performance and security) -Use FQDNS for Web Apps -Plan Service Account -Plan Search DB and Location -Install SP as Farm Admin -Get to know PSConfig -SSL on management sites -Shared Services on Port 80??? look up about BDC errors.... -Dont use AD Admin accounts for Service Accs -Training Resources http://www.combined-knowledge.com -How tos and Whitepapers -Training/Adoption Info http://www.mindsharpblogs.com -Useful info http://www.sukug.uk -Community

Gonna try and keep a blog running from the LGC in Birminham.... yeah I know thats a long way from my normal neck of the woods! Sat with Russ and James... Welcomes from Richard, Alex and then Steve from MSFT. ... Microsoft UK Education Vision ... (Slides to be linked to/attached later...) :: Main UK focus: Products/Services, Programs and Research :: Student Centric view with partners... :: Conflict between Institution and Home view (the old Facebook arguement!)... :: Evolution of ICT in Schools.... massive growth and investment... :: Digital lifestyle, merging of 24/7 access with the traditional "homework". What are the technical implications of this? Gov. Home Access plan for underpriv'd families. :: Connecting people by the Learning Gateway. School / People ( Teachers and Students) / Other Institutions / Communities. :: Sharepoint assists by connecting disparate systems. Virtual Learning > MIS > Other IT > Business Apps. Taking a "Platform Approach"... by integrating what you already have. :: HOW?? Where does Sharepoint Fit? Desktop Productivity >> Education Apps :: Future? A glace at Sharepoint 2010.... :: 2 yrs ago an Education Group was created. 240 Product Managers/Testers/Developers.... :: Not building products.... building on top of existing technology making them relevant to EDU. Plumbing and interoperability/Solution Accelerators. ::Areas of investigation... LG:extending functionality for partners/schools to expand on. Search:enhance, requirements for EDU, aligning to curriculum by user? Office:build on Office for EDU. MS "Semblio" (code name Grava) assembly tools for EDU/Teachers. Support for various formats/content types. Assist teacher to create content. Assessment tools. Still in beta (link to follow....) LiveEDU (software+services model):free hosted email for students (mainly in Uni/FE). Current 550,000 users. May expand to Schools - but prob directed at RBCs and LAs. Based on Exchange 2010. No adverising, branded to Institution. Software+Services: Building 13 DataCentres. Dublin currently twice size of Olympia (BETT). Cloud based services... eg Live EDU. Meshing the School/LA services up into the cloud as a service rather than hosting locally. Still same level of intergration and management. Give EDU the choice of Local vs Cloud. :: Summary Boundaries of the school will expand into the home and beyond... Implications of this? Security, Licencing.... ICT is not the answer. Has a part to play, but it can help with some of the barriers... Lots of investment worldwide... not just on programs, products and research. Office 2010 announced in US last night (including the Web Versions... links to follow). Q and A's: Tony (surprise surprise!!): Microsoft Acadamies.... limited to MS only technologies. Isnt this against the "open nature"? All tecnologies are provided by their own vendors. MS Acadamies are NOT locked into MS technology. Can certify MS technology, but also open to others... Semblio Release date: With 2010 Suite, or separate before. Announcements due over the coming days. Possibility of linking with other products not just MS Office Suite. Idea of cloud is attractive. Data store etc. SLA and Security? Where held? Implications and how addressed. UK guarenteed held in Dublin, and also the data not linked with advertising. No data crawling, privacy in place. What is the furture of SLK? Is it part of EDU product group or will it stay with RW? Part of EDU Group, wrap it as part of a full product. Investment underway, always will have an element on Codeplex butlooking at the wider aspect. Make it easier to role out and support. Has to take account of the 1/2 million UK users. Migration etc...! Future announcement... Search.... how far off is development...policing the content and development of that product. Make search relevant to curriculum. Next calendar year. Take horazontal technologies and make relevant to EDU. Part of work taking place re FAST aquisition. More to follow from the other "Tracks" during the day.....

Time for me to jump in as well....! Thats a pain being a managed service. I will double check our environment, and come back you you.