Introduction to Windows SharePoint Services DEVELOPMENT

1. Christchurch .NET User Group Christchurch SharePoint User Group (C-SPUG) Introduction to Windows SharePoint Services DEVELOPMENT

2. Overview • What is SharePoint (WSS/MOSS)? • WSS Out Of The Box • WSS Development (select topics) • Why SharePoint? • Calls to Action and Resources

3. What is SharePoint?

4. Titanic Software Stories... Line of Business functionality Content + Document Management Glorified Database Editing Tools Workflow and Process Engines Comms Mgmt and Threading Multi-Tenant Management/Duplication Extensible Field Architectures Security Nightmares Dashboards and Navigation Control Base Language + API

5. Work Smarter, Not Harder! Line of Business functionality App Framework: Windows SharePoint Services Rich Frameworks: WWF, WCF, WPF, … .NET + API

6. WSS as an App Framework Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) Microsoft Project Server Microsoft Dynamics CRM ? Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) IIS, SQL, ASP.NET, WWF

7. Platform ServicesWorkspaces, Mgmt, Security, Storage, Topology, Site Model Have your Pie (WSS)… Docs/tasks/calendars, blogs, wikis, e-mail integration, project management “lite”, Outlook integration, offline docs/lists Collaboration

8. Platform ServicesWorkspaces, Mgmt, Security, Storage, Topology, Site Model … and eat it too (MOSS) Server-based Excel spreadsheets and data visualization, Report Center, BI Web Parts, KPIs/Dashboards Docs/tasks/calendars, blogs, wikis, e-mail integration, project management “lite”, Outlook integration, offline docs/lists Business Intelligence Collaboration Enterprise Portal template, Site Directory, My Sites, social networking, privacy control Rich and Web forms based front-ends, LOB actions, enterprise SSO BusinessForms Portal Content Management Search Integrated document management, records management, and Web content management with policies and workflow Enterprise scalability, contextual relevance, rich people and business data search

9. for Intranet, Internet Single Infrastructure and Extranet portals

10. Site Collection /sites/Main Root Site / Site /Div1 Site /Div2 Site /D2A Architecture/Site Topology Farm Web Application http://x.com:1 Web Application http://x.com:2 Site Collection /sites/Marketing Site Collection /sites/Development Root Site / Root Site / Site /Div1 Site /Div2 Site /Div1 Site /D1A Site /D1B One Configuration DB per Farm >= 1 Content DB per Web App

11. WSS-OOTB

12. Requirements: ChCh DNUG Site • Home page with logo and welcome message • Announcements (RSS-able) • List of events (sync with Outlook Calendar) • Useful links list (configurable) • Documents with description (sync with Explorer and RSS) • Discussion board (RSS-able, conversation mgmt, posting by e-mail) • Editable database of possible topics • Ability for members to customise views (e.g. only relevant topics) • Search engine on all the above • Navigation facilities • For Dan and Bryn: • Interface/admin to update all the above (e.g. upload docs) • Wiki for DNUG charter development/collaboration • Admin task list (sync with Outlook Tasks)

13. Demo • Whirlwind tour of WSS

14. Typical Aucklanders! • What if Auckland DNUG wants in? • Server admin templates (.stp) – easy, limited • Site admin templates (.wsp) – requires developer, powerful • Many pre-built business solutions are provided this way (“Top 40”) • Community Kit for SharePoint (CKS): UGE!

15. Before we code... • WSS inherently customisable/flexible • New breed of “solution developers” - blurred roles • Power users/IT pros can develop solutions without code • Great for prototyping and POCs • Don’t worry, coders needed more than ever! • For solution development, best to approach in feature-oriented fashion with quality process

16. WSS Development

17. Development Setup: Checklist • Server 2003 hosted in a VM • VS 2005 • SharePoint: .NET 3, WSS, SDK • WSS Extensions for VS 2005 • Ready shortcut to the 12 HIVE • U2U Query Builder for CAML • IntelliSense – copy 12\Templates\XML\*.xsd to Visual Studio\XML\Schemas • STSADM.EXE in the ClassPath • SharePoint Designer • Patience + Coffee

18. Extensibility • Everything you see is exposed programatically via the Object Model, including UI • Also extensible through declarative feature, list and site definitions - CAML • Large number of web services exposed – easy to build composite apps • SharePoint plays nice in your SOA or can be a focus of it

19. Demo • Object Model + Querying with CAML

20. Web Parts • Re-usable interface components • Build from scratch, or with VS WSS extensions • Customisation and personalisation • Custom properties • Can aggregate standard user controls • Can consume/provide data to/from other parts • Can be AJAX-ed

21. Demo • Creating a Web Part using VSE

22. Features • Major new Feature (!) of WSS 3 • Collections of interdependent components • Declarative extensibility (CAML) – many elements • Activate/deactivate manually/programatically • Installed in Farm, four activation scopes • Can have dependent features • Site definitions • Real templates – collect all components for a site • Best to simply aggregate and package features

23. Demo • Features, Custom Actions, Page Provisioning

24. Event Receivers • Most actions in WSS generate events • Before (ing) vs After (ed) • Pre-synchronous with cancellation support • Useful for plugging in business logic/ validation/integration/… • Handle through event receiver DLL (in GAC) • Best packaged inside feature • Feature events themselves can be handled • Significantly improved over WSS 2

25. Demo • Event Receiver

26. WWF and WSS • WSS adds custom extensions to WWF runtime • Allows Workflows to hook into any SharePoint content item, with tasks and notifications • Useful “UI” for Workflow • Great for process automation, business process visibility, compliance • Use SP Designer (no code) or VS (for tough guys)

27. Demo • WWF and WSS (if time)

28. SharePoint Designer • Needed for drag-and-drop customisation • Replaces FrontPage (hooray!) • Branding/Style: extensive use of master pages + CSS • No-code Workflows • Customised pages vs non-customised pages • Data view web part: composite apps with no code

29. Demo • Branding + Style (if time)

30. Some Other Concepts… • Site columns • Content types • Custom field types • List, view, and site definitions in detail • Solution packages and provisioning assemblies • Workflow definitions, activities, templates • Timer jobs • Custom e-mail connectors • Custom file convertors • Search extensions • Records + version management • Custom authentication • Advanced Web Part techniques • Architecture/administration/governance: plan planplan! • Deployment/installation/upgrading • All the MOSS stuff… • Change management, best practices…

31. Summary: Why SharePoint?

32. For end users... • Personalisation • Desktop integration • Can own the content • Web 2.0 is SharePoint (!) • Can and should contribute to design – rapid turnaround • Collaboration and knowledge sharing is a philosophy – requires change management and buy-in from all involved

33. For IT power users... • Work smarter, not harder • Appear agile to the business • Easy to develop POCs • Create powerful functionality with no-code

34. For developers... • Work smarter, not harder • Build solutions, not foundations • Focus on business value in your software • Re-use, adapt, customise • Leverage existing skills • Extend reach of software • SharePoint skills in demand

35. For businesses... • Powerful base collaboration/ intranet functionality at low cost • Ubiquity – fastest growing server platform ever! • Scalable road map – small steps • Microsoft are very committed to this platform • No-one was ever fired for choosing IBM SharePoint! • Significant improvements in 07 - extensibility + integration

36. Calls to Action

37. Get Started... • Install WSS and play • Download the Top 40, and CKS projects • Online learning resources, labs, web casts (start at http://www.wssdemo.com) • Get certified: 70-541 (WSS), 70-542 (MOSS) • Try using it within your organisation for collaboration – it sells itself

38. Try it Internally! • IT help desk • Development wiki • Development standards + quality systems • Project workspaces/portals • Social club portal, events etc • Process automation e.g. leave approval • Customer portal/support site • Knowledge base • Internal blogs + knowledge sharing • Your ideas…

39. Plug for the C-SPUG • Want to go deeper? • Register at www.sharepointusergroup.net.nz • Technical and business audience • Monthly meetings (approx last Tues) • Geek and business user lunches in 2008 • Knowledge shared as part of the NZ SPUGs • Looking for contributors... • See Matt Smith or Gary Payne  • Please tell your friends!

40. Resources • http://sharepoint.microsoft.com/sharepoint/ • http://www.sharepointusergroup.net.nz • http://www.codeplex.com/CKS • http://www.wssdemo.com • http://www.chandima.net • http://www.sharepointforbusiness.com • http://www.mattsmith.co.nz