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7/23/2008

SharePoint Best Practices Conference Update

Our team at Mindsharp continues to work on conference and marketing plan for the SharePoint Best Practices conference. Ben Curry is in charge of the speakers and the overall presentation schedule. He decided to split up some of the Cabana 2-hour sessions into two one-hour sessions, so we've got some additional slots to fill with speakers. We are working on that now. You can submit session ideas to Ben Curry and they will be routed through our internal selection process.

We've maxed out our current sponsor slots and are working on finding room at the hotel to host more sponsors. We have several on a waiting list who want to exhibit. So, who is exhibiting thus far? You can find them here. You might also note that in the next week or two, we'll be assigning speaking slots to certain sponsors to demonstrate their software/services via a Cabana session at the conference. If you look at the conference schedule, we've built into the conference a way for sponsors to showcase their software (look under the Cabana 4 speaking slots). All of them are TBD as of now, but they will be assigned soon so you can see who will be presenting at the conference.

We're also working with our speakers to ensure that we deliver on the promise of the conference. What is the promise? First, you'll note that the tagline for the conference is "Clarity. Direction. Confidence.". This tagline encapsulates what we're attempting to accomplish at this conference. In short, we want to offer Clarity in areas where there is confusion. The presentations will take an area of confusion and bring clarity to that confusion. Secondly, we want to offer Direction in scenarios where there are multiple, seemingly equal choices. The reason I say "seemingly" is because once Clarity is brought to the situation, the choices usually become more clear in terms of good, better and best. We're working with the speakers to provide the differential diagnosis between good, better and best choices in their presentations. And finally, we want you to return to the office with Confidence that you can and will succeed with your SharePoint deployment. If you receive the first two elements – Clarity and Direction – then Confidence will naturally follow.

So, we are requiring our speakers to include 3-5 best practices in their presentations along with at least one worst practice and at least one tradeoff. Tradeoffs are built on the assumption that whenever you say "yes" to something, you always say "no" to something else. When designing/deploying/customizing SharePoint, it's easy to see how a "yes" is also a "no". identifying these types of choices is key to a great deployment. We plan to bring as many tradeoff choices to you as possible.

Also, we've developed some suggested tracks for different groups. Those tracks should be up on the web site soon, if they are not there already. We'll have suggested tracks for IT administrators, developers, CIO's, project managers, information architects and information workers. Please be sure to visit our web site about these tracks.

We've also started a LinkedIn Group for the conference. Please consider joining this group to stay in touch with other conference attendees.

Many thanks to Lawrence Liu and the product group for their plug about our conference:

http://blogs.msdn.com/sharepoint/archive/2008/07/21/upcoming-conferences-with-plenty-of-sharepoint-oriented-content.aspx

Other blog posts for this conference are growing too. Here's a sample:

http://paulgalvin.spaces.live.com/Blog/cns!1CC1EDB3DAA9B8AA!1482.entry

http://dotneteers.net/blogs/aghy/archive/2008/07/17/sharepoint_2D00_best_2D00_practices_2D00_conference_2D00_idopont_2D00_s_2D00_tma.aspx

http://planetmoss.blogspot.com/2008/07/sharepoint-best-practices-resources.html

http://kurtsh.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!DA410C7F7E038D!3266.entry

http://idubbs.com/blog/?p=118

http://www.officezealot.com/Sharepoint/Pages/index.aspx

http://www.brettlonsdale.com/Lists/Announcements/DispForm.aspx?ID=8

http://mindsharpblogs.com/pauls/archive/2008/06/26/5877.aspx

http://www.schaeflein.net/blog/2008/06/26/SharePointBestPracticesConferenceSiteIsUp.aspx

http://suguk.org/blogs/combined_knowledge/archive/2008/07/19/12295.aspx

As always, if you have any questions about the Best Practices Conference, please be sure to ping me directly, Bill English, via e-mail. Thanks for your interest in this conference.

Bill English, MVP

Posted at 8:19 AM by Bill English | Category: Best Practices Conference | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

7/16/2008

It’s Here…The ISPA.

What's the ISPA? Well, it's the International SharePoint Professionals Association. The International SharePoint Professionals Association ("ISPA") is the first independent, community-run, not-for-profit organization designed specifically for SharePoint Professionals. ISPA is a professional association dedicated to the promotion and global adoption of Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies. The Association provides support and guidance to the community by establishing connections between SharePoint professionals and groups, resources, education and information.

For more information, visit their web site and be sure to join right away.

Bill English, MVP
Mindsharp

Posted at 6:21 PM by Bill English | Category: General Posts | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

WiFi for your Car

Get connected in your car, even if you forgot your Blackberry or other mobile device.

http://cxolyris.cxomedia.com/t/2200970/55800537/24778/0/

Posted at 7:34 AM by Bill English | Category: Off Topic | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

7/15/2008

Managing Global Scopes in Search Server 2008 Tip

If you want to manage global scopes in Searchc Server 2008, then add /_layouts/viewscopesssp.aspx?mode=ssp to the search admin URL and you can create and manage global scopes in Microsoft Search Server 2008.

Remember, there is no link in the admin page, but the functionality is there.

Thanks to Daniel Webster for providing this tip.

Bill English
Mindsharp

Posted at 11:35 AM by Bill English | Category: Search & Indexing | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

Update on SharePoint Best Practices Conference

This is a quick note to let you all know that Tom Rizzo has agreed to keynote the SharePoint Best Practices Conference. We've also been able to add a few more speakers, so please be sure to visit our conference web site to see who all is speaking and what the topics are for the event.

We've also received some questions about what Cabana sessions are. Well, the word cabana actually means a small cabin or tentlike structure for use as a bathhouse, or a cabin or cottage. When it comes to our Cabana sessions at the conference, they will be smaller, more informal, more intimate sessions that include a white board and projector with seating that encourages facilitated/led discussions. Some Cabana speakers will be more formal in their presentations, others less formal. The topics we select for Cabana sessions are no less important than the breakout sessions, but they are more "targeted" and hence, we assume, will reach a more "niche" or smaller audience that would naturally want more interaction with the speaker.

Remember, everyone who signs up for the conference by August 1^st will receive a free copy of the SharePoint Best Practices Deployment Guide, published by Microsoft Press. As a Platinum Sponsor, Microsoft Press will be giving these books to each attendee, so a big "Thanks!" to Microsoft Press is in order!

Thanks for your interest in the SharePoint Best Practices Conference. If you have any questions, please be sure to ping me directly at bill@mindsharp.com.

Bill English
Mindsharp

Posted at 11:28 AM by Bill English | Category: Best Practices Conference | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

7/14/2008

Mindsharp Welcomes Russ Kaufmann

I can't tell you how honored and humbled I am to have my friend Russ Kaufmann join our team here at Mindsharp. Russ's first official day is today, Monday, and you can read his post about joining Mindsharp.

I first met Russ at the Exchange 2000 Trainer Readiness event in Atlanta at the Sheridan Hotel. He, Goga Kukrika and I "clustered" together and had a great 3 days getting acquainted and becoming friends. Since then, Russ and I co-authored a security book together for Sybex and we co-chaired the first and only MCT Conference (MCTCON) in 2000. (Ahh, the good 'ol days when Rick Taylor was Russ's – well, perhaps I shouldn't bring up that topic! J )

Russ and I have stayed in touch over the years and I was excited to see him and Rod Fournier do so well with their Windows Clustering Class. After Russ's unfortunate experience recently in changing jobs, he became available again and I immediately pinged him to see if he would come on board with us. Happily, it has worked out.

Russ has a deep experience in Exchange, Windows Server and Windows clustering, not to mention 10+ years of training and writing experience. We are talking with him and Rod about incorporating their Windows Clustering brand into our Mindsharp offerings and his sole focus will be on getting the OCS courses up and running. By the October/November time frame, we'll have more training available for those in the OCS space. It's a growing space in which to work and we'll be looking at ways to notify you and the rest of the market about this.

For those who are interested, yes, this marks a new beginning for Mindsharp. Until now, we have been 100% focused on SharePoint technologies. Not often seen, we do have a logo whose delimiter is "Educators in Technology". We have always viewed ourselves as teaching a technology, not a class. Our move into the OCS vertical was initially discussed nearly a year ago, with our first meetings in October of 2007. We have been writing courseware and learning for most of this year and Russ will finish up the great work that Scott Edwards and our fantastic contractors have produced to give you the best education available on OCS. It is our intention here at Mindsharp to continue to look at new technology verticals in which to develop education for administrators, developers and end users. But we will do so only when we have the right talent on board to make this a reality. Russ Kauffman represents that top talent that we like to hire and his focus on OCS will bring you a new training vertical from a trusted training provider.

You can reach Russ at rkaufmann@mindsharp.com. If you have any education needs surrounding OCS or wish to work with Russ and Mindsharp, please be sure to ping him directly. If you want to be a part of our beta teach on OCS, please ping Russ directly. We'll be offering a beta version of our 5-day OCS course in the September/October time frame. We'll send you more information when details/events warrant about the class.

Russ – it is great to have you aboard!

Bill English, MVP
Mindsharp

Posted at 5:46 PM by Bill English | Category: General Posts | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

Speakers Selected for the SharePoint Best Practices Conference

After receiving a number of solid presentation ideas, we have been able to select the speakers for our Best Practices conference. We're in the process of fleshing out their bios and pictures, so some names won't appear until we have at least a full bio for the speaker. This is going to be a strong conference and the first one that I know of that will incorporate conference elements into each presentation. For example, each presentation will be required to give you between 3-5 best practices along with at least one tradeoff decision point: if you choose to do this, understand that you're also choosing to not do this. We're also encouraging our speakers, if possible, to outline worst practices that they've seen in the field so that you can also know what not to do in a given situation.

Unlike any other conference I've attended or been privileged to present at, we intend on each speaker bringing a certain level of best practice and design guidance thinking into their presentation. While there will be some technical drill-downs, the conference is not intended to be a technical drill-down in each session. "How to" information isn't nearly as important at this conference as understanding what your design and practice choices are in a given situation and then learning how to diagnose the differential context elements between poor, good and best practices. Design and architecture discussions will be inherent in this conference.

I would encourage you to take a look at our speaker roster. It is growing and we're now working fast and furious on the presentations.

Also, if you would like to blog about this conference, please ping me if you'd like the conference web site header to use in your blog. Thanks!

Bill English
Mindsharp

Posted at 8:02 AM by Bill English | Category: Best Practices Conference | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

Speaking at the Enterprise Search Summit

Along with Daniel Webster, I've been asked to speak at the Enterprise Search Summit in San Jose, CA, September 23-24. Our topic will be a tutorial on Search Server 2008. If you're attending this summit, please be sure to stop and say "Hello!" at my presentation.

Posted at 7:46 AM by Bill English | Category: General Posts | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

6/30/2008

What’s happening with the SharePoint Best Practice Conference?

There are several updates that I'd like to pass along to you regarding the upcoming SharePoint Best Practices Conference. First, the conference web site is now up. At this site, you can read about the housekeeping details, such as the location, hotel, dates and times.

In addition, we've published the session framework into which the conference sessions will be hosted. As we build out the sessions with our speakers, this page will be updated – likely on a weekly basis. You can find this session framework under the Agenda link. Note that for each session time, we're planning on two main breakout sessions plus 3-4 Cabana sessions.

Thirdly, if you'd like to know what the topic domains are who the audiences might be for those topic domains, you can read through our Track Overviews page to get a feel for who we're targeting this conference toward.

We've had a strong response from non-Mindsharp speakers to participate (speak) at this conference, so our speaker team is taking this week and next to do a blind review of these sessions so that we pick the best topics for this conference. By mid-July, you should start seeing the speaker page fill out with a number of speakers from Mindsharp, Microsoft and others in the SharePoint industry.

By the time of this writing, my book with Ben Curry should be on it's way to your house. We'll be getting the book's web site filled out soon, we're just slammed both with work and some vacation time. (Slammed with vacation time?) Anyways, I think you understand.

Please let me know if you have any questions about SharePoint best practices or the Best Practices Conference. I'll be posting conference updates here to ensure that the community has a place to go to find the latest information about the conference in an informal way. Of course, all the information I post here will be posted at the conference site as well.

Bill English

Posted at 1:25 PM by Bill English | Category: Best Practices Conference | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

6/6/2008

Managing Growth of Data, Database Sizes, SLAs and Solutions

One client that I worked with recently had the following scenario:

They need to keep their database sizes below 30GB for disaster recovery reasons. They have a 4 hour SLA with their business stakeholders for recovery of any SharePoint database. In the past, they have had very bad experiences with their SharePoint Portal Server 2003 implementation going down, both times taking out their implementation for over 4 days. Not good. They report that their first SharePoint consultant had told them to keep all of their content in a single content database and that database has grown to over 400GB. They point to the database size as the reason for their two outages in the last two years.

Now, they are in the process of moving their data around to new and different site collections with the hopes that they can spread out their data across multiple databases and site collections. But in the meantime, they have been partitioning and re-partitioning their database in SQL. They've never felt good about this.

Part of their database size problem is that their users often create new versions of their documents and by law, they are required to keep *all* of their old versions for 7 years. Their documents are often 10-20MB in size, kept in PDF format. So a site collection that might start out with 1GB of data can grow into a 50GB site collection within a matter of months. At present, they are averaging 5GB of new data each month to their overall SharePoint farm. That number is expected to grow as more business units come "online" with SharePoint. Yet they need to keep their database sizes below 30GB and we all know that we can't spread a single site collection across multiple databases.

So their business requirements are as follows:

Must have the ability to create new/updated version of procedure documents on an as-needed basis. This ability to update the document cannot be limited by storage limitations.
Must keep all versions of each document pedigree for 7 years
The storage method must meet regulatory agency standards
The storage method must allow discovery of all document versions for legal purposes
All SharePoint databases must be recoverable within 4 hours
All SharePoint databases must not exceed 30 GB in size

What are their options? Well, here were some that come up (and some that didn't):

Violate the regulatory standards and not keep all versions for 7 years.
Don't keep all of the versions and hope the regulators don't catch you.
Keep dividing and re-dividing the site collections into more numerous site collections that increasing host fewer and fewer documents and their versions.
Manually take the most recent version of the document and on an annual basis create a new document pedigree in a new library and archive off the previous year's versions to a backup file.
Programmatically move older documents to off-line storage that is both protected and isolated.

With regard to options #1 and #2, that's similar to playing with fire, so they really aren't options. Pay the fines, open yourself to legal/criminal liability? I don't think so.

The problem with option #3 is that eventually you'll have a single site collection dedicated to hosting a single document and all its' versions, perhaps writing to a dedicated database. This scenario will eventually not scale to the level they need since some document pedigrees could exceed 30GB over a 7 year period.

Option #4 is certainly doable, but they felt it wouldn't pass muster with the regulators. Manual intervention couldn't prove Chain-of-Custody in a legal proceeding.

So, they are going to look into Option #5 – writing custom code to move the older versions off to a dedicated, isolated storage area. They feel this will meet with regulatory approval as well as passing muster for Chain-of-Custody standards in a legal proceeding.

I would be interested in your thoughts about this scenario. You're welcome to post back about this with ideas/thoughts on the solutions discussed here (and any that aren't discussed here too!).

Bill English
Mindsharp

Posted at 12:00 AM by Bill English | Category: SharePoint Administration | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

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