SharePoint for your Public Facing Site: Key Points
March 2, 2012
Rapid changes in technology have also brought along changes in web expectations. Users more and more want informative, aesthetically pleasing sites that are consistently functioning with real-time data, which can be challenging to achieve. Eric Riz outlines four considerations to keep in mind before you begin building your external site in, “SharePoint: Should You Use it for Your Public Website?”
Some may be unaware that SharePoint can support a public facing site. Some SharePoint sites also integrate content with collaboration. All these features sound good, but Riz discusses four key points to keep in mind before jumping in headfirst. As with most complex information undertakings, a good plan cannot be underestimated.
Riz explains:
It’s important that you plan sufficiently for your site; don’t underestimate the amount of planning required getting your SharePoint website together. We recommend that companies realize the importance of putting their content online and plan accordingly. Begin by defining your branding strategy and the basic layout of your page template; this is where you’ll need to decide whether you want an “off-the-rack” look and feel, or something customized. The latter will require additional time and budget consideration.
Riz also covers considerations in licensing, ensuring the development team is well-versed in extending SharePoint capabilities to the Internet, and staging the deployment.
To give your Web site a powerful search feature with a user-friendly experience, consider a third party solution like Fabasoft Mindbreeze InSite. MindBreeze InSite understands that an attractive web site is a company’s digital business card – your shop window.
InSite turns your website into a user-friendly knowledge portal for your customers. Fabasoft Mindbreeze InSite recognizes correlations and links through semantic and dynamic search processes. This delivers pinpoint accurate and precise ‘finding experiences’.
With no installation or configuration required, InSite can save you valuable resources that would otherwise be spent on development and training. Navigate to www.mindbreeze.com to read more about web site architect solutions from Mindbreeze.
Philip West, March 2, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Protected: SharePoint Content Can Be Saved as a Wiki
March 1, 2012
Plan for Scalability with SharePoint
March 1, 2012
Brett Kovatch, “The SharePoint Dude,” takes an non-traditional approach to the common issue of SharePoint and its long list of things to do and things not to do. Kovatch gives his offerings in the article, “Five SharePoint Don’t-Dos.”
In addition to topics like planning and governance, the author also addresses the importance of scalability:
Don’t forget to plan for growth! This is extremely critical. All too often, I’ve seen companies build a solution that works . . . Right now. In order to build a successful solution, it must be one that works now and in the future. So many companies start out small and then, because they have done some key things right, suddenly grow to an unexpected scale. This is great news (unless you failed to plan for it). If you’re not prepared for growth, you will be scrambling at a time when your business critically needs a stable solution.
Many third-party solutions can make the issue of scalability a much simpler one. Fabasoft Mindbreeze offers an entire suite of enterprise search solutions. In addition to the software itself, the Fabasoft Mindbreeze Appliance meets an organization’s needs by providing swifter implementation and seamless upgrades.
The Fabasoft Mindbreeze Appliance is the optimal basis for highly efficient enterprise-wide search and easy configuration. To utilize the full potential of a software solution it is essential that hardware and software are fully aligned. Even more, the required time for deployment to the user is critical for gaining the highest ROI. The Fabasoft Mindbreeze Appliance components have been optimally synchronized in numerous tests.
The device can be simply scaled out at any time, eliminating the need for on-site scalability preparations or plans. While any enterprise solution should be implemented with care and planning, the addition of a third party solution can greatly reduce the effort that goes into preparation and customization and greatly improve the overall user experience.
Emily Rae Aldridge, March 1, 2012
Sponsored by: Pandia.com
The Great Cloud Race is on!
March 1, 2012
In the mid-20th century, the world was watching as the space race evolved between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Space supremacy was at stake. Now in the 21st century, there is a new race and this time it is for the cloud. Oleg Shilovitsky, in PDM/PLM Evolution: Final Step and Cloud/On-Premise Integration, takes a look at how technology companies are competing for cloud supremacy by “actively acquiring all possible and impossible cloud assets.”
PLM heavy weights Oracle, SAP and Dassault are slugging it out. SAP acquired SuccessFactors, which is “a cloud-based human resources application” company late last year. Then, Oracle acquired Taleo which “has more than 5,000 customers, including nearly half of the Fortune 100.” Not to be outdone, Dassault acquire Netvibe which creates “personalized RSS and social media feed dashboards” All this shake-up is a direct result of the cloud and Shilovitsky says that:
“What is interesting to me is how vendors are going to support this “cloud transition”. Companies clearly won’t be able to move all in a single shot. So, we can expect a long time when cloud and on-premises application will co-exist.”
It seems that the great cloud race is in full gear and the competition is getting stiffer. However, big companies are not the only ones contending. Smaller companies like Inforbix need to be watched as well. They are creating innovative and incredible cloud based solutions that help companies find, reuse and share product data. The little guys are going to have a say in this race before it is all said and done!
Jennifer Wensink, March 1, 2012
Protected: Unhappy SharePoint Users? Keep Throwing Software At Them
February 29, 2012
PLM Provides ‘Additional Business Value’ for Boeing
February 29, 2012
Boeing, one of the top manufacturers of the world’s aircrafts announced recently that they were extending a contract with Siemens for PLM services. OnWindows covered the story in the article, Boeing enhances PLM capabilities, explaining how PLM solutions are the only answer to most problems facing global companies like Boeing.
As Nancy Baily, Boeing VP of IT Product Systems, was quoted by OnWindows:
“We are partnering with Siemens PLM Software to enhance Boeing’s PLM capabilities. The openness of the Siemens PLM Software will continue to support, and help us improve, the solutions we use throughout Boeing, creating additional business value for our company.”
The decision to adopt PLM solutions is not limited to companies the size of Boeing. In fact, many small to mid-size companies are benefitting from cloud services offered by PLM providers like Inforbix, a leader among PLM providers. By moving information to the cloud companies of all sizes are able to drastically reduce costs in IT and across all departments as these services help users to find, share and reuse information.
As PLM continues to grow and change as technology becomes available the services provided to those utilizing PLM solutions will become limitless in cost-cutting and building efficiency. The next generation of PLM services are focused not only on streamlining processes from design to manufacturing but also on product data access and enterprise search. We recommend that companies previously hesitant to adopt PLM because of cost concerns investigate all the ways PLM solutions can help their company. We believe that in almost every situation the rewards far outweigh the costs.
Catherine Lamsfuss, February 29, 2012
Taking Care with SharePoint 2010
February 29, 2012
Enough is written on SharePoint 2010 that we all know by now that SharePoint is not an intuitive creature. James Mullan eases the strain by offering, “SharePoint 2010 Do’s and Don’ts.”
Mullan sets the context for his suggestions:
SharePoint use will vary dependent on who you talk to, but for the most part organisations are using it as a Web Content Management (WCM) or an Enterprise Content Management System (ECM). A recent survey found that, since its release more then 10 years ago, SharePoint has moved from ‘being an intranet and basic collaboration application to something that is now used for portals, collaboration, forms processing, business intelligence, business process management and content management.’
The author then goes on to provide the promised list of do’s and don’ts, trying to save SharePoint developers investment in terms of time and money. While it is true that much can be streamlined through SharePoint customization, third party solutions are available that provide a more intuitive interface without a major investment in time or training.
Fabasoft Mindbreeze is one offering that provides a suite of solutions, performing as a standalone CMS or complimenting an existing SharePoint installation.
The essence of Fabasoft Mindbreeze can be summed up in terms of speed and efficiency:
Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise searches all structured and unstructured data (e-mails, documents, contracts, contacts, notes etc.) within seconds and provides all relevant information structured, prioritized and ready for further use. Staff resources are released to concentrate on their actual task.
If your organization could benefit from a more customized or intuitive enterprise search interface, but cannot spare the investment, investigate what Fabasoft Mindbreeze might be able to do to improve your existing CMS.
Emily Rae Aldridge, February 29, 2012
Sponsored by: Pandia.com
Protected: Get Connected: Link Your File Server to SharePoint
February 28, 2012
PLM Implementations: Extended PLM vs. Innovative PLM
February 28, 2012
Some companies are still hesitant to implement PLM. Change is not always a friend, but if companies were more informed as to how to implement it, they may be more inclined to change. Jos Voskuil explored this issue in the article PLM: What is the Target?
Voskuil outlines two different types of PLM implementations: extended PLM and innovative PLM. Extended PLM is the traditional method and is easily implemented by extending “this environment with an enterprise PLM layer for BOM management, manufacturing, definition, program management, compliancy and more.” Innovative PLM is a newer approach where “you need to implement PLM in a more disruptive manner, as you need to change the way your organization is triggered.” The entire company “works around the market, the customer.”
Voskuil ends his article by saying:
“There are two main directions possible for PLM. The first and oldest approach, which is an extension of PDM and the second approach which is a new customer centric approach, driving innovation. Your choice to make the case for one or the other, based on your business strategy.”
We believe it is time for innovation to take over. PLM has come so far and innovation really is the key in today’s technological world. Take for example, Inforbix. They have gone above and beyond the traditional PLM use and created a fresh new approach to improve data access. They have created software that helps find, reuse and share product data like never before. Companies have to take the leap and let innovation lead the way.
Jennifer Wensink, February 28, 2012
Balancing Collaboration and Information Security in your SharePoint Environment
February 28, 2012
Collaboration technologies and sound security practices can sometimes be at odds. Some of these bad security habits are discussed in, “SharePoint Users Develop Insecure Habits.” The article highlights a Cryptzone study that discovered 92 percent of respondents understood that taking data out of SharePoint made it less secure; however, 30 percent were willing to take the risk stating they were “not bothered if it helps me get the job done.”
To better understand user thoughts about the security implications, the study also found:
When examining users’ handling of sensitive or confidential information, a defiant 45% of SharePoint users said that they disregard the security within SharePoint and copy sensitive or confidential documents from the collaboration tool to their local hard drive, USB device or even email it to a third party. The main reasons for copying documents from SharePoint were either to work from home (43%) or share it with third parties who don’t have access to the tool (over 55%).
Can effective collaboration and sound security coexist? The article touches on both the technological capabilities and the business policies and user behaviors, such as snooping or bypassing security measures to get on with their work, that play a role in the information security system. The survey highlights that this latter user behavior is the dominant. Ease of access can help curb these bad security habits.
To connect your users to the right information they need at the right time, consider Fabasoft Mindbreeze. With unparalleled data processing capabilities, Fabasoft Mindbreeze for Enterprise . . .
finds every scrap of information within a very short time, whether document, contract, note, e-mail or calendar entry, in intranet or internet, person- or text-related. The software solution finds all required information, regardless of source, for its users. Get a comprehensive overview of corporate knowledge in seconds without redundancy or loss of data.
Add in certified security with regular audits for security standards compliance, Mindbreeze connects users to their needed information without compromising information security.
Philip West, February 28, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
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