Speculation on New Surface Tablet and SharePoint 15 Integration
July 2, 2012
Rich Wood, an enterprise search and collaboration guru at Perficient, takes a closer look at Microsoft’s new Surface Tablet and SharePoint in his post, “Wish List: Four Keys for SURFACE and SharePoint Next.” Wood outlines some features that he suggests will help the next SharePoint release take full advantage of the slick new tablet. The author explains one of his wish list items:
An INTEGRATED USER EXPERIENCE is essential. There’s been a lot of talk about the “Metro” UI of Windows 8 and the Windows Phone. It’s beautiful and slick and very appealing, although of course some have grumbled that it’s too much of a jump from the traditional Windows style. To truly integrate into this brave new world, SharePoint Next needs to look and feel like an extension of Windows 8 and (less difficult by far) play well with its cousin, Office 15.
Wood also suggests that responsive design, touch friendly command interaction, and a SharePoint app should all be high on the priority list to integrate SharePoint and the Surface tablet. He brings some good points to the table as mobile usage only continues to increase.
It seems the folks at Mindbreeze also understand the importance of the mobile experience:
Smartphones and tablets are constant companions, indispensable in the business world. Information needs to be able to be exchanged at all times and wherever you are. Easily. Quickly. Securely. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Mobile makes company data available on all mobile devices.
Mindbreeze can save employees time by connecting them to the right information via a user-friendly interface. Navigate to http://www.mindbreeze.com/ to read more.
Philip West, July 2, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Overcoming Common Challenges with a SharePoint Implementation
June 29, 2012
DachisGroup.com recently posted, “SharePoint 2010: Why after 2 Years is it Still so Hard?” The author points out that SharePoint has grown exponentially, gaining 125 million licenses in just over two years, but some users are still baffled thus stunting some adoption of the platform. The author explains,
Unfortunately, despite its ubiquity, SharePoint suffers from a host of worst practices for adoption. In “Taking your SharePoint Implementation to the Next Level”, we discussed the reality that organizations have to stick with, and make SharePoint work, but that enterprise decision-making is focused incorrectly. There is too much focus on the needs of implementers which results in a punishing user experience that sabotages adoption.
The author argues that a user centered approach is needed to improve SharePoint implementations, and, in the article, a series of Webinars and blog posts focused on overcoming some of the common challenges of a SharePoint implementation is announced. It may be worth the bookmark if you are considering an implementation or are experiencing user adoption issues.
Asking the right questions will help ensure that limited project resources are spent on the key aspects rather than unnecessary functionalities that will only complicate the system. A third party solution, like Fabasoft Mindbreeze, can also help you connect the dots in your SharePoint adoption. Mindbreeze’s intuitiveness means less training required. They also have tutorials and wikis that are easy to use and more efficient. Here you can browse Mindbreeze’s support tools for users, including videos, FAQs, wikis, and other training options. Check out the full suite of solutions at Fabasoft Mindbreeze.
Philip West, June 29, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Using Search Refiners in SharePoint for a More Powerful Search
June 28, 2012
In “Custom SharePoint 2010 Search Refiner – Displaying Range of Choices,” at the ShareMuch.com Blog, Yaroslav Pentsarskyy demystifies some SharePoint search refiner features. Pentsarskyy explains his approach,
In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the most common customizations/configurations you’d want to do to a refiner in SharePoint 2010 enterprise search. First off, this post assumes you’re using SP 2010 Enterprise Search Center. If you perform a search query and navigate to the search results page you can edit the page and see a refiner web part on the left.
If you have users that do not know where to begin their search, refiners in SharePoint provide users the ability to narrow search results down by more meaningful filters, thereby reducing time spent searching. This becomes especially helpful, and Pentsarskyy’s guide may be worth the read if you are new to the search features in SharePoint.
One simple way to get a more powerful search is by integrating a third party solution into your SharePoint system developed by experts in search, like Fabasoft Mindbreeze, which extends the capabilities of your farm. Their Web Parts based information pairing capabilities give you powerful searches and a complete picture of your business information, allowing you to get the most out of your enterprise search investments. And your end users will benefit from the fast and intuitive search with clearly displayed results and simple navigation.
Philip West, June 28, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
SharePoint Projects Easily Spiral Out of Control
June 27, 2012
As any SharePoint developer knows, a project can easily get out of control. Original estimates are often overrun and decimated as glitches and problems occur. The ShareMuch blog tackles this issue in its piece, “Did You Think About: Why Do We Go Over the Estimates on SharePoint Projects?”
The author begins:
Just as everyone you and I are going over the estimates on many SharePoint projects; it doesn’t matter how much experience you have. With more experience you might be able to mitigate the outcomes of going over estimates, but avoiding going over the estimates, in a first place, is not so trivial. I’m sure you already thought about the whole “going over the estimates” problem and even have few answers why it happened; most of those answers are probably related to stakeholders on a project and other events.
He goes on to explain that instead of focusing on specific solutions, the focus should be on the reasons why this happens and better prevention.
We think that one effective prevention technique is to bring a smart third party solution on board, a solution like Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enteprise. Fabasoft Mindbreeze is a leading Austria-based company. Its products stand alone or work alongside an existing SharePoint infrastructure. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enteprise is fully scalable, with updates available at least once per quarter, avoiding the need for continuous customization and over-shot budgets. Mindbreeze backs up what they sell – read feedback from their many satisfied customers.
Emily Rae Aldridge, June 27, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Comperio Provides a Safety Net at SharePoint
June 27, 2012
Entering a Misspelled word during internet search can lead to a few moments of irritation, but in the business world things become even more complicated. Typing one wrong letter can often send users spiraling downward towards a promotional disaster. Fortunately, some providers are hanging up a few safety nets to prevent the fall.
Microsoft just revamped Bing to recognize common errors during internet search. According to, ‘Bing reveals efforts to help with human search errors Bing will remember key words and phrases most frequently used. To correct issues the search feature itself was altered as:
“We used to show synonyms as part of our recourse links and this would open up some surface area for showing alterations. The query “define interesting” highlights an example where the recourse link was unnecessary. In this case, showing the Recourse Link didn’t enhance the experience. We’ve removed the Recourse Links in cases where we are very confident that they add little value or distract users.”
Basically, Microsoft created a net to catch errors in advance and Comperio can implement similar functions within SharePoint using Fast technology. The safety net Comperio provides can help catch users before they fall into the uncomfortable realm of presentation faux pas. They can customize the programming towards the specific needs of the business to increase efficiency.
Comperio is respected worldwide as experts on search driven solutions and search enabled business models. Comperio told Beyond Search:
“We serve their clients with innovative services and products in order to create truly engaging user experiences. We allow users to not only find what they are looking for but also discover information and surface new insights from relationships across data and content.”
For more information about Comperio, visit the firm’s Web site at www.comperiosearch.com.
Jennifer Shockley, June 27, 2012
Sponsored by HighGainBlog
Usage of Controls and Web Parts in SharePoint 2010
June 26, 2012
Different SharePoint sites have different components, and tracking usage for each site can be challenging. Powershell is a solution that can help manage this issue. The ideas are fully developed by Waldek Mastykarz in his piece, “Tracking the Usage of Controls and Web Parts in SharePoint 2010.”
Mastykarz states:
When deploying a new version of a component, one of the things that you have to do in the planning phase is to determine the impact of that upgrade. This is even more important in context of shared components where one component can be used on multiple sites. By finding out which sites they are exactly you can more precisely plan for testing and availability which in result should help you manage the expectations of your customers.
While finagling with plug-ins and add-ons will assist in the customization process, SharePoint is not meant to be intuitive or easily used out-of-the-box. Its strength is in its size and scope, and yet that is also its weakness. An agile third party solution like Fabasoft Mindbreeze is an easy way to customize SharePoint all at once. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise can stand alone or compliment an existing SharePoint infrastructure, eliminating the need for individual customization of various components. Mindbreeze customers are rewarded with quick and meaningful search results.
Emily Rae Aldridge, June 26, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
A Closer Look at Data Sovereignty Issues across Geographical Borders
June 25, 2012
At GigaOM.com, Barb Darrow weighs in on data sovereignty issues around the globe in her post, “Data Sovereignty Issues Still Weigh on Cloud Adoption.” Darrow points out that many large enterprises may embrace cloud computing, just not for key jobs because of restrictive regulations.
The author explains:
These laws…mandate that a company keep a customer’s data in that customer’s home country. One oft-cited reason is to prevent that data from being subpoenaed by a foreign power… Multiple regulations governing where a company can store customer data means that multinationals have to field data centers in every country where they have a presence — a trend that flies in the face of the appeal of borderless clouds.
One takeaway regarding the issue is that cloud service providers have to be able to meet regulatory obligations specific to the business sectors they address. Darrow also points out that until such hurtles are surpassed and cloud providers can provide detailed assurance where data resides, many businesses will keep residing on premise or in private clouds.
Darrow brings some good points to the discussion and highlights issues that need addressed in our global information age where data easily spans across physical borders. You may want to consider a third party solution built by experts in search and data management in the cloud with the European Union in mind. With Mindbreeze, you have options for on-premise and cloud usage:
Our information pairing technology makes you unbeatable. Information pairing unites enterprise information and Cloud information. This results in a complete overview of a company’s knowledge – the basis for your competitive advantage – allowing you to act quickly, reliably, dynamically and profitably in all business matters.
Compared to U.S. solutions, Mindbreeze seems to be on the right track. Read more about the full suite of solutions at http://www.mindbreeze.com/.
Philip West, June 25, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Document Previews: Necessary but Tricky in Some SharePoint Installations
June 22, 2012
Users find laundry lists of results a necessary but sometimes hard to use way to pinpoint needed information. Users looking for a PowerPoint presentation want a way to spot presentations without browsing, opening, scanning, and repeating the process. One feature of SharePoint is its document thumbnail and preview function. Instead of a list of text results, SharePoint can display search results with a thumbnail image of the document. Users can quickly identify a document type, which allows a research task to be accomplished more quickly.
There is, however, one challenge in some SharePoint installations. According to the document Office Web App & FAST Search Document Thumbnail and Preview scenarios, many users found document previews and thumbnails to not show up in FAST search results for SharePoint 2010. Microsoft acknowledges:
“Document Previews do not work with Claims Based Authentication and is a known limitation with the Product.”
Microsoft’s knowledge base article provides a number of ways to resolve the problem. But what does a SharePoint administrator do when a third party application is part of the mix? The SharePoint licensee needs immediate access to deep expertise with both SharePoint and Fast search are required to ensure that system performance and functionality are maintained at a high level.
Comperio, one of the world’s leading firms in Fast search engineering and consulting, can resolve preview issues quickly. Comperio’s engineers have in-depth experience with both SharePoint and Fast search. If you want to tap document previews using Microsoft’s native functions or employ third party software from firms such as BA Insight (www.bainsight.com), Comperio delivers. Comperio combines experience and technical expertise for leveraging Fast search within SharePoint. For more information about Comperio, visit the firm’s Web site at www.comperiosearch.com.
Jennifer Shockley, June 22, 2012
Sponsored by Comperio
Critical Patches Fend off Microsoft Active Attacks
June 22, 2012
Internet Explorer has long been a vulnerable target to cyber attacks, malware and the like, but Microsoft has just announced a large batch of patches in order to address vulnerabilities across a wide variety of their software offerings. ComputerWorld UK provides a complete breakdown in, “Microsoft Patches 26 Bugs, Warns Users of Active Attacks.”
Giving attention to all of the vulnerabilities, the author reports on what may be the most critical update, the one in need of adoption first. He quotes Andrew Storms, director of security operations at nCircle Security:
‘Certainly, [MS12-036] makes it to the top of the worrisome list,’ said Storms. That update, also rated critical, patches just one vulnerability in the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), a Windows component that lets users remotely access a PC or server. RDP is frequently used by corporate help desks, off-site users and IT administrators to manage servers at company data centers and those the enterprise farms out to cloud-based service providers.
Implications for those organizations that use Remote Desktop Protocol in any manner in their infrastructure, but especially in their enterprise SharePoint deployment, are obvious. There is need for concern and quick action in order to plug the security gap. However, it’s also reported that oddly, the updates must be manually downloaded.
The author continues:
All of the patches must be downloaded manually from Microsoft’s Download Center. They’re not served up through the usual Windows Update service or the enterprise-grade Windows Server Update Service (WSUS) software.
It seems that such critical updates, especially for those who use ubiquitous SharePoint, would be made more readily accessible and users would receive prompt notification.
For enterprises that are concerned about their security needs, consider a smart third party solution like Fabasoft Mindbreeze. Smaller and more agile, these companies can devote greater attention to security needs. Additionally, in the interest of being fair, Microsoft is always going to be a target for malware and viruses because of its sheer size. It is truly a huge target. However, adding Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise to an existing SharePoint infrastructure will not only make the whole enterprise more secure, but also more easily accessible.
Read more about the security adherence of Fabasoft Mindbreeze, including relevant ISO standards. Just one example is as follows:
ISO 27001: The ISO standard 27001 is a worldwide recognized standard for the evaluation of the security of IT environments. For customers the certification means the adherence to clearly defined technical and security-based standards regarding all IT and business processes as well as all the company’s confidential information.
Sometimes bigger is not necessarily better, and this is one instance in which it definitely proves true. Move away from Microsoft, the major target of viruses and malware, and move toward a more agile, more secure solution. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise, and the whole suite of Mindbreeze products, can not only ease your security concerns, but also provide a more satisfying user experience.
Emily Rae Aldridge, June 22, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
EU Data Laws Threaten Enterprise on the Cloud
June 21, 2012
Various cultures hold differing opinions on the nature of information and its implications on security. The United States has earned a reputation as increasingly difficult to deal with, as the quest for national security has led to regulations that create hardships for software developers and users alike. However, there is now talk about the implications of new European Union laws on Cloud platforms and enterprise software. IT World gives a full report in, “EU Data Laws are Latest Threat to Cloud.”
Kevin Fogerty, the author, introduces the issue:
European data-sovereignty laws requiring international companies to keep data on customers in the customer’s own country are not only causing headaches for database managers, they’re holding back adoption of cloud computing in many large companies according to a story in GigaOm yesterday. Corporate IT managers have been wary of European data-privacy laws since the early 2000s, when requirements designed to limit the degree to which corporations could move or exploit the personal data of customers came into vogue on the Continent.
Europe is clearly still struggling with the idea of national sovereignty versus sovereignty of the union. It is bleeding over into IT development and causing headaches. However, we are also told that the United States is driving some of these regulations and subsequent frustrations:
More recently, fears of U.S. prosecutors subpoenaing private data on European customers in European countries has accelerated the priority of data sovereignty laws as well.
So for multi-national companies who truly need an enterprise solution that will allow the transfer and access of data across country borders, what is to be done? For now, it may be that some of the legalities of the new regulations need time to be vetted and moderated. In the meantime, it would be wise for organizations to choose a smart third-party solution that can increase the efficiency of their SharePoint platform without running up against these regulations.
Fabasoft Mindbreeze is a great solution for organizations on either side of the Atlantic. For customers in the United States, Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise guarantees the highest level of security. For European users, Mindbreeze was truly written with EU standards in mind; therefore insuring compliance without added stress or workload.
Daniel Fallmann addresses some of the concerns surrounding the use of the US Patriot Act to access international data:
During the development of Fabasoft Mindbreeze we focused 100% exclusively on European values – not one single bit of American software product is to be found. The US Patriot Act doesn’t apply. Not using US American manufactured software ensures that US authorities have no right to access European Cloud data.
While most users need not be concerned with the Patriot Act and its potential implications for unauthorized access of data, some European customers will rest assured knowing that Fabasoft Mindbreeze engineers products with EU standards in mind, ensuring fewer headaches.
Emily Rae Aldridge, June 21, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
-
- Subscribe to Beyond Search
Feature archive
News archive
-
