Focus on SharePoint
This is the first in a series of notes examining SharePoint’s impact on the business environment. The next note will cover SharePoint usage in different enterprises. |
A search for SharePoint on Microsoft’s site will immediately lead to the product page for Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 (MOSS 2007). Almost as an afterthought, there is a link to Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) as an underlying technology. What the site does not immediately reveal is that many enterprises benefit from the collaborative capabilities of SharePoint by installing WSS alone.
Two Levels
The many versions of SharePoint can be divided into two groups: entry-level (WSS) and advanced (SharePoint Server). Table 1 describes the differences between the two.
Table 1. Differentiating Between Versions of SharePoint
Source: Info-Tech Research Group
|
Level |
Description |
Versions |
|
Windows SharePoint Services |
- Basic content management and collaboration functionality through a Web portal interface
- Serves as foundation for SharePoint solutions, including SharePoint Server products
- License is included with Windows Server 2003
|
- WSS 3.0 (current)
- WSS 2.0
- SharePoint Team Services (STS)
|
|
SharePoint Server |
- Collaboration platform with content management, portal, and enterprise search functionality
- Standard edition is priced at $4,400 for server software, $94 per client
- Enterprise edition costs an additional $75 per client
|
- MOSS 2007 Enterprise Edition (current)
- MOSS 2007 Standard Edition (current)
- SharePoint Portal Server 2003
- SharePoint Portal Server 2001
|
Six Functions
SharePoint documentation typically discusses the solution in terms of six major functional components. The table below explains these functions and the products that include them. Keep in mind that SharePoint is designed for integration with Microsoft’s browser and productivity tools. Any enterprise standardized on non-Microsoft software will likely have limited functionality and interoperability.
Table 2. SharePoint’s Six Functional Areas
Source: Adapted from Microsoft product information
|
Function |
Tools & Features |
Products |
|
Collaboration |
- Shared workspaces
- Outlook integration (tasks, calendars,
e-mail)
- Social computing (blogs, wikis)
- Basic project management
|
- All SharePoint versions (WSS and SharePoint Server)
|
|
Content Management |
- Document management (versioning, check-in/check-out, document locking, metadata, workflow tracking, access controls)
- Records management
- Web content management
|
- WSS versions offer only document management
- All SharePoint Server versions include all content management features
|
|
Enterprise Search |
- Contextual search (within an individual document, document library, or site)
- Search of enterprise content and people
|
- WSS versions offer only contextual search
- All SharePoint Server versions include enterprise-wide content and people search
|
|
Portal |
- Enterprise Portal template
- Site Directory
- My Sites (personalized, user-specific sites)
- Privacy controls
|
- SharePoint Server versions only
|
|
Business Forms |
- Rich forms and Web forms
- Line of business actions
|
- Only MOSS 2007 Enterprise Edition
- InfoPath also required for full forms functionality
|
|
Business Intelligence (BI) |
- Excel Services (server-based spreadsheets and data visualizations)
- Report Center
- BI Web Parts
- KPIs/Dashboards
|
- Only MOSS 2007 Enterprise Edition
|
Depending on which functions the enterprise requires, WSS may be a fully adequate solution, or at least a solid initial step.
Key Takeaways
1. Prioritize functional requirements. List all present and anticipated must-have functionality, and use the list to determine the most appropriate version of SharePoint. If business forms and BI are not on the list, MOSS 2007 Enterprise Edition is most likely unnecessary.
2. Consider WSS as a starting point. Many organizations interviewed by Info-Tech used WSS as an initial, limited implementation to familiarize themselves with the platform and get a taste of SharePoint’s potential. If WSS meets the enterprise’s needs, it is a very cost-effective solution. Info-Tech’s newly-completed SharePoint study reveals the average per-user cost of WSS to be $36, while that of SharePoint Server versions is $704.
3. Use the pilot to identify functional gaps. If critical features are missing or inadequate in WSS, MOSS 2007 may be a better fit. Upgrading to MOSS from WSS will be easier than implementing it from scratch, since the organization can leverage existing content, Web parts, and templates.
Bottom Line
Market interest in SharePoint is higher than ever, but some enterprise decision makers do not fully understand the various versions and functions of SharePoint. Refer to this primer to avoid buying more than the enterprise requires.
