Possible SharePoint and Lync Server Price Increases
November 30, 2012
It is rumored that SharePoint and Lync Server prices will increase, but Caroline Donnelly says enterprise users may end up better off. She discusses the claim in the ITPro article, “Microsoft Users Warned of Upcoming SharePoint and Lync Server Price Hikes.” Richard Gibbons, software manager at Microsoft reseller Bechtle Direct says that SharePoint prices may go from £4,000 at the moment, so an extra £1,500 for 2013. This is added:
Gibbons was quick to point out that end users who stump up for the 2013 versions of Sharepoint and Lync from 1 December will be rewarded with extra functionality, which might make the price hikes a little easier for some end users to swallow.
For instance, Microsoft has introduced changes that mean end users will no longer need to purchase additional SharePoint for Internet licenses, which allow external users to access the software.
And while the added functionality comes at a cost for Standard users, enterprise users already having the features could end up paying less. The price hike doesn’t necessarily come as a surprise, but the amount may be hard for many to justify. To save resources, consider evaluating your third party tools and streamlining your systems. Fabasoft Mindbreeze offers Enterprise Search with SharePoint Connectors so to easily snap into your existing farm. In addition to all-inclusive search, Mindbreeze creates relevant knowledge by storing data according to type and relevance while processing data in a comprehensible form at a fair price.
Philip West, November 30, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Business Users SharePoint Conference
November 6, 2012
In the world of enterprise search, particularly SharePoint, training and professional development opportunities are a lifeline. Solutions can be complex and often change rapidly. Conferences are a good way to stay abreast of emerging trends and updates. CMS Wire advertises an upcoming opportunity in, “SharePoint Conference for Business Users Amsterdam 2013.”
The conference program is summed up:
Join us at the SharePoint Conference for Business Users in Amsterdam next March to learn how to evaluate, deploy, use, and customize SharePoint to run a more efficient and integrated business. The 3 day event is a jargon-free environment designed for business professionals to hear from like-minded users on how they have moulded SharePoint to suit requirements, how to realise business benefits and make the most of their SharePoint environment. The program features case studies and best practice workshops from leading organizations which would help users and decision makers pick up new techniques and more importantly, avoid costly mistakes.
Some users will find that trainings such as this conference are enough to keep up to speed. However, others will find that a more intuitive solution is needed to avoid costly customization or lengthy in-house training. Fabasoft Mindbreeze offers solutions that bridge the learning gap and improve end user experience. They also offer their own training. The addition of third party solutions cuts down on overall cost and staffing investments to manage the enterprise.
Emily Rae Aldridge, November 6, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
AvePoint Continues Support for SharePoint
November 5, 2012
Many excellent options exist for third party SharePoint support. AvePoint, with its focus on governance and management solutions, has been supporting SharePoint deployments for eleven years. In the full report, “AvePoint Showcases Tradition of Excellence and Support for Microsoft SharePoint 2013 at SharePoint Conference 2012,” the author discusses how AvePoint will participate in the upcoming SharePoint 2012 conference.
AvePoint, leader in governance and management solutions for Microsoft SharePoint, today announced that it is a Platinum and Keynote Sponsor of Microsoft SharePoint Conference (SPC) 2012, taking place from November 12-15 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, NV. AvePoint’s Platinum and Keynote sponsorship for the third consecutive SPC highlights the company’s continued commitment to the global SharePoint community, and provides an opportunity to showcase the DocAve Software Platform, its award-winning product line for managing, governing, and scaling enterprise technology platforms with support for Microsoft SharePoint 2013.
Some companies need more than governance, management, and backup support. Some enterprises struggle to implement a SharePoint infrastructure because of staffing, funding, or other shortages. That is where a third party add-on can help bridge the gap. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise is quick, cost-efficient, and service oriented. Its intuitive interface flattens out a potentially steep learning curve. Furthermore, Mindbreeze works as a standalone solution, or as an addition to an existing infrastructure.
Emily Rae Aldridge, November 5, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
Microsoft 2013 Releases Head to Production
October 26, 2012
Microsoft is releasing the 2013 suite of solutions to manufacturing. Updated solutions include Office 2013, Exchange 2013, and SharePoint 2013. More information can be found in the full article, “Office 2013, Exchange 2013, SharePoint 2013 Released Oct. 18.”
Kirk Koenigsbauer, corporate vice president of the Microsoft Office Division, announced the RTM milestone in a blog post. He claimed that the 2013-branded Office represents ‘the most ambitious release of Office we’ve ever done.’
In July, Koenigsbauer and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer showed off touch-friendly Office 2013 apps. These apps will run on the “Desktop” side of the Windows 8 user interface. Microsoft is also building ‘Metro-style’ Office apps, but so far only the OneNote Metro-style app is available for testing. Gartner analyst Steve Kleynhans has described the new Office 2013 apps as very similar to those in Office 2010, but with screen layouts optimized for touch.
Many organizations are excited to implement the newest iteration of SharePoint, but others may be nervous about the transition. The fact is that there is always a steep learning curve when it comes to a new Microsoft product, particularly SharePoint. However, third party solutions can ease that transition. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise offers more frequent updates that are intuitive, easing use without a steep learning curve. Additionally, Fabasoft Mindbreeze can enhance an existing SharePoint infrastructure, meaning that large disruptive updates may be a thing of the past.
Emily Rae Aldridge, October 26, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
SharePoint Training Videos: Useful but Often Not Enough
October 10, 2012
The long-awaited preview for SharePoint 2013 has arrived and SharePoint gurus are on their way to exploring the collaborative content management platform’s new potential. The new SharePoint does have new strange twists and turns that could confuse even the most experienced SharePoint developer, which is why we are so thankful for Web sites like Microsoft’s TechNet that provide official reference material. Recently, TechNet has launched a series of videos on “SharePoint 2013 Training for IT Pros:”
“Find IT pro-focused how-to training and walkthrough videos with this interactive course about SharePoint 2013 including changes and new features for search, social, plus deployment and performance/scalability.”
Each of the new videos is a training module that focuses on a different aspect of the new SharePoint 2013 deployment. There are a total of fourteen training modules and each has videos and presentations about new features and concepts. For example, Module 1 focuses on a basic overview of the 2013 version with key changes to the SharePoint 2013 Server and SharePoint Foundation 2013. All of the modules cover areas that IT professionals will have questions about, server farms, architecture, social features, customization options, upgrading from older versions, etc.
Module 7: SharePoint 2013 Enterprise Search Overview is the lesson that really caught our attention:
“Learn about the redesigned Enterprise Search in SharePoint 2013 including architectural changes to physical and logical topologies, details about configuration options for crawling, content, and query.”
In the past, SharePoint’s out-of-the-box search solution was not the best search application. The best way to make it work was to rely on ISVs with products designed to augment and enhance SharePoint search. Generally the third-party software was a vast improvement over Microsoft. The new SharePoint search makes the same promises to fix problems from past versions and upgrade it with better features. Module 7 promises to teach about:
“Learn about the redesigned Enterprise Search in SharePoint 2013 including architectural changes to physical and logical topologies, details about configuration options for crawling, content, and query.”
As SharePoint has moved from its old role solely as a collaborative content management platform to a more robust platform with more social features and Web tie-ins, there will be much more for the search engine to peruse.
However, in our experience, a training video is a useful adjunct to other types of professional support. For example, Comperio, a firm with deep experience in search and related activities, offers a range of services that can be tailored to meet the needs of an organization implementing SharePoint and SharePoint search. The company offers search consulting, development, application management services, and “consultants for hire.” To learn more about Comperio’s services which bridge the gap between an instructional video and hands-on implementation, we suggest you check out Comperio services at http://www.comperiosearch.com/services/.
Understanding how SharePoint 2013 has integrated a more powerful enterprise search is the first step to harnessing its new capabilities and empowering the user. Search is a key function that powers many other features on SharePoint. If users cannot find their data, then SharePoint 2013’s key purpose has been lost.
Stephen E Arnold, October 10, 2012
MetaVis Leaders in SharePoint Migration Web Site Launch
August 30, 2012
MetaVis Technologies are innovation leaders in the semantics industry. They are well known for their SharePoint Migration and data managing tools. Their company just recently announced the launch of their new web site, http://www.metavistech.com. The site is said to offer new solutions for migration, administration, and have different tools for SharePoint users. The article, MetaVis Technologies Launches New Website goes into more detail:
“Our new Website reflects the tremendous growth we have seen with sales growing more than 175 percent year over year,” said Peter Senescu, President and Co-founder of MetaVis Technologies. “Our new product suites are built on the MetaVis platform providing one user interface to manage all your migration, security, backup and information architecture needs in SharePoint or Office365. Customers no longer need multiple third-party vendors or products.”
MetaVis Technologies is a household name in the SharePoint migration world and nothing but the newest technologies and highest grade is expected from their latest installment. You can expect to see things like their Migration Suite, Administration Suite, Tools for Office 365, and Tools for SharePoint Users on the new site. As an added bonus all products from this company already come SharePoint 2013 ready.
Edie Marie, August 30, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
To Customize or not to Customize SharePoint
August 13, 2012
Chris Wright discusses the look and feel of SharePoint in his recent CMSWire.com post, “Microsoft Doesn’t Advise You Customize SharePoint 2013.” The author points out that many users get caught up in the “look and feel” of the system when working on SharePoint projects. Wright explains that the vast majority of projects he’s been involved with have had a significant branding and UI element.
He goes on to say this:
In my previously mentioned piece I argued that time spent on such endeavors would be better spent looking at functionality and content. Jeff seems to be advocating a slightly different view, though one that reaches the same conclusions. He is focusing on the importance of providing a stable performant solution, and appears concerned that custom code can be the quickest route to undermining this.
The article may be worth the read to help you stay on track with SharePoint goals and priorities. You may also consider investing in a third party solution that provides a rich SharePoint experience with a user-friendly interface out-of-the-box. One we like is Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise. Mindbreeze Enterprise Search lets you “be well informed – quickly and accurately. The data often lies distributed across numerous sources. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise gains each employee two weeks per year through focused finding of data (IDC Studies). An invaluable competitive advantage in business as well as providing employee satisfaction.”
Philip West, August 13, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Community Discussion on Microsoft Suite of 2013 Preview Releases
August 9, 2012
Kurt Mackie comments on the new SharePoint 2013 in his recent Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine post, “Microsoft Releases Previews of Office 2013, SharePoint 2013, and Exchange 2013.”
Mackie explains the recent preview releases from Microsoft:
Those previews include 2013 versions of SharePoint, Exchange, Lync, Office Web Apps Server, Project, Visio and Office Professional Plus. Microsoft has a single portal for downloading those trial applications, which can be found at its new Office site page here. Those releases come a day after Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Kirk Koenigsbauer, corporate vice president of the Microsoft Office Division, officiated over the launch of the next Office 365, which includes an actual service-enabled version of the full Microsoft Office productivity suite.
The author also discusses possible points of confusion among Office 365 as a service and as a premises-installed Office version. Only recently has Office 365 become cloud enabled. Mackie finishes up his article with a few comments on SharePoint 2013 and Exchange 2013 improvements, with enhanced social networking capabilities in SharePoint being a highlight. With the community buzzing about the new releases, the read may be worth it for you to stay in the loop.
But while you consider migrating options to new versions and new features, look to enrich your system now with a comprehensive and lean solution. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise provides consistent and comprehensive information access to both corporate and Cloud sources. The seamless Cloud solution makes sure you find the right information you need at any time. Check out the full suite of solutions at Fabasoft Mindbreeze.
Philip West, August 9, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Brief Recap of Office 2013 Preview Features
August 3, 2012
In “Capturing the Highlights of Office 2013,” some of the main features from the recently released Office 2013 preview are discussed. The author has this to share on new social capabilities:
Microsoft has enhanced the social networking capabilities in SharePoint 2013 and plans to integrate Yammer’s enterprise social networking capabilities when that acquisition closes. Microsoft announced a $US1.2 billion purchase of Yammer in June. There are new social networking features in SharePoint 2013 that provide Facebook-like ways to follow, “like”, and reply to the status of files, sites, tags, and users. The software will suggest items to follow and can aggregate outside feeds from Facebook and LinkedIn.
SkyDrive Pro, team folders, and Case Management site features set for SharePoint 2013 are also discussed. The brief read may be worth a glance to keep up with the new features coming in Office 2013 suite.
SharePoint is a powerful and complex system, and new features are exciting. But an out-of-the-box system is rarely comprehensive. For a lean and complete solution in your SharePoint environment, check out Fabasoft Mindbreeze. Here you can read about the power of information pairing.
Fabasoft Mindbreeze:
. . . smoothly integrates itself into your website so that the user doesn’t even realize that Cloud services are working in the background. Furthermore, InSite always knows what a user is interested in. Navigation behavior on the website serves as the basis for recognizing their interests. If the user finds themselves on one of your sub-pages on the topic mobility for example, even at this level Fabasoft Mindbreeze InSite still displays further information such as blogs, news, Wikipedia etc. on the relevant topic.
Check out the full suite of solutions at Mindbreeze to see what works for you.
Philip West, August 3, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Considerations before SharePoint Migration
May 30, 2012
The world of enterprise is now humming with news of migration – migration to the upcoming SharePoint 2013 release and also the currently available SharePoint Online. Writer Steven Pogrebivsky on CMS Wire gives his take in, “4 Considerations for Migrating to Office 365 and SharePoint Online.”
Pogrebivsky tackles the first, perhaps most important step, deciding what needs to move:
Chances are your content is not organized well, or tagged appropriately, so what’s the point moving it as is and having a big grey cloud? It doesn’t make sense. What makes sense is to carefully plan what content you really need to move, how it’s going to be used and by whom. Once you’ve done that, then work on your SharePoint Information Architecture. Plan your content types, metadata and keywords. If you are going to make the move to the cloud, move only the content you need and migrate it right from the start.
The author goes on to discuss security issues and having a proper backup system in place. These are all valid considerations. However, choosing a smart third party solution could mean that an organization does not have to address these challenges independently. We like Fabasoft Mindbreeze. Mindbreeze offers an entire suite of solutions, centering around Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise.
Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise understands you, or more precisely understands exactly what the most important information is for you at any given moment. It’s a center of excellence and simultaneously your personal assistant for all questions. The information pairing technology brings enterprise and Cloud together.
Additional offerings from Mindbreeze surround the central product and offer features such as Connectors to other solutions. The Mindbreeze suite is now fully mobile and security is guaranteed based on the highest EU standards. Explore the Mindbreeze solutions for yourself and see how it can improve or supplant your next migration.
Emily Rae Aldridge, May 30, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
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