Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server aka Mercury April 2006

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Microsoft SharePoint Portal Serveraka
MercuryApril 2006
Nick Clark Director of IT Services
nick.clark_at_tower.ac.uk
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Original MLE Vision

• To create a single system for accessing
  information and electronic resources for all
  College users including students, staff, and
  managers.
• This is traditionally known as a Managed Learning
  Environment (MLE) and will provide a single
  source of information about the college and
  individuals

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Original Objectives

• Integrate CIS, CelCat, CurWeb, WebCT, Workshare,
  and Outlook into one comprehensive system for all
  College users
• Web-based interface
• Accessible inside and outside of the College
• Personalise the online experience
• Secure access and interface

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Original Objectives

• Allow students easy access to online materials
  and information about their courses
• Document Management System
• Make documents available outside the College
• Allow collaboration on documents and projects
• Bring together SR, HR, Finance and other
  information

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Infrastructure

• Infrastructure in place
• Integrated Student Accounts - IT, Mercury,
  library

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Design

• Homepage - targeted college information, news,
  events

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Personalisation

• Personalised site (My Site) with storage
  accessible from outside

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Personalisation

• Personalised site (My Site) with storage
  accessible from outside

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Personalisation

• Personalised site (My Site) with storage
  accessible from outside

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Personalisation

• Personalised CIS - registers

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Personalisation

• Personalised CIS - registers, tutor reports

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Personalisation

• Personalised CIS - registers, tutor reports,
  timetables

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Collaboration

• Meeting collaboration - currently piloted by
  Senior Management Team
• Integration with Outlook

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Collaboration

• Document collaboration and versioning
• Publication vs Copying authentication issues

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Collaboration

• Team and Group Sites
• Did it twice Sites vs Areas

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Collaboration

• Team and Group Sites

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Integration

• Links to other systems and programs

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Integration

• Data capture registers, Quals on Entry, SR2
  (soon)

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To be done

• Formalise cross-college document storage
  structure
• Training on awareness and use
• Investigate Class Server vs WebCT for VLE

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To be done

• Student Information allowing students to see
  their own record and inform changes integrated
  with Distinction QLS
• Further CIS Integration - .NET
• Further CIS Personalisation
• Organisation for posting information News,
  Announcements,

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Issues with SharePoint

• Authentication issues (Partly solved with
  SharePoint Service Pack)
• Client side problems (several), this tended to be
  fixed with latest patches from Microsoft,
  particularly IE security updates
• COMPATIBILITY, differences with Office versions,
  full functionality only available with Office
  2003. i.e. lists, members  available in
  application, wouldnt let some users open
  documents for edit, or stopped the internet
  explorer process.

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Issues with SharePoint

• Publication through ISA Server requires certain
  ISA functions to be turned off  (i.e.
  Normalization and url length), for SharePoint to
  work
• Problematic issues with backup (can only backup
  and restore the complete portal site) not
  granular (still trying to figure out Veritas for
  this). Not yet supported by VBAK
• Use of Sites as apposed to Areas (Allowed for
  security to be placed on list items as opposed to
  the whole area)
• Document publication to an area requires access
  to originating site

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Development Issues

• Writing Web Parts requires these to be trusted by
  SharePoint Servers, so a lengthy process for
  development and publishing.
• If Web Parts fail, then removal is not so easy.
  (in one case had to reset all users customised
  My Sites
• Development of pages - all have be processed via
  FrontPage extensions as files are stored in DB as
  opposed to file/directory structure. (Changes to
  SharePoint files in directory only affect new
  sites)

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Useful external tools

• Use of WebDav to publish internal folders for
  read access only but some IIS 6.0
  authentication issues to be aware of
• Use of My Network Places to explore SharePoint
  folders but can be a problem with many folders
  with same name
• InfoPath but some Client side Internet Explorer
  updates required
• ...

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Conclusion

• Much progress made
• Much as yet unrealised potential
• Staff awareness and training is key

The future is Mercury (SharePoint)