Windows 7 / Getting Started

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Collaboration Servers

Most users are used to the File Sharing service, and for them, this service is an effective way to collaborate with their peers. But for several years now, a new movement has been dawning in IT circles: the use of collaboration web sites that replace the need for file shares. This is the focus of Windows SharePoint Services (WSS).

WSS is based on the Internet Information Services Web infrastructure and is designed to provide a collection of integrated services to support collaboration. Its main capabilities include the ability to create team-based web sites that support the exchange of information as well as document sharing. WSS is also the base platform for Microsoft's flagship collaboration tool, Office SharePoint Portal Server. While the inclusion of SharePoint turns WSS into a comprehensive collaboration environment, the use of WSS on its own still provides several powerful features for working with peers.

For example, administrators can create a custom team site that hosts all of the tools they need to manage servers. This could include integration with Terminal Services in Remote administration mode to provide Web access to the Server Manager application on each of the servers you need to manage. If you need to manage a server, go to the team site, locate the TS Web Access Web part, find the link for the server you want to manage, and doubleclick it. Team sites are also great for integration of all administrative and operational documentation. Microsoft provides a host of team site templates that can be loaded, once WSS is deployed, to provide free starting points for collaboration environments of all types.

In addition, WSS sites can be a boon to end users in every category in your network. But most importantly, because they are based on Web technologies, team sites can provide both structured and unstructured information to your end users, without the need for special system infrastructures, because everything runs through the Web browser.

CAUTION: WSS also provides workflow services, but in order for most of the features of these services to work, you need to e-mail-enable your server. Do so by installing the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) Server feature in Server Manager. Note that you will need to use the IIS 6 Management Console to manage and administer this service.

Deploy Windows SharePoint Services

Because it is in its third iteration, WSS provides several enhancements over its predecessors:

• The administration model has been integrated into one central location, making it easier to control the various features of WSS.
• A better security model based on IIS 7 to provide more thorough compliance with regulations.
• Simpler network configurations.
• Simpler programming model for custom development.

The base structure of WSS is a two-tiered structure. The interface front end is provided by IIS 7 and is the main component users will interact with. The second part of the WSS infrastructure is the data persistence component. In simple deployments, this is provided by the Windows Internal Database (WID). In more complex deployments, you will need to rely on the installation of SQL Server.

NOTE: In order to locate WSS in the Add Roles Wizard, you need to update Server Manager with available add-ons. Use the Windows Update Web site to do so.

Deployment is simple. Once again, you rely on the Add Roles Wizard in Server Manager.

1. Begin by launching the Add Roles Wizard.
2. Select the Windows SharePoint Services role.
3. Use the values in Table 9-5 to complete the entries in this wizard.

Once the role is installed, you will find two new additions to Administration Tools:

• SharePoint Central Administration
• SharePoint Products and Technologies Configuration Wizard

The first is used to centrally administer WSS. The second is used to perform mostly one-time configuration changes to your WSS installation.

The first thing you need to do to finalize the WSS installation is to launch the SharePoint Products and Technologies Configuration Wizard. This wizard will perform ten automated tasks to finalize the configuration of your server. Then, once it is finalized, you can use the Central Administration interface. You'll have to provide your credentials for the connection. Make sure you sign on with local administrative access rights, and make sure you select Remember My Password in the credentials dialog box. Also, since you are using Internet Explorer (IE) with enhanced security, it will ask you to add the local host as a trusted site. Do so, and the Administration home page will appear.

TABLE-5 Installing Windows SharePoint Services

Windows SharePoint Services Add Roles Wizard Page	Values
Select Server Role	Select the WSS role. This role is dependent on a wide series of different components. For example, it requires the IIS 6 Management Compatibility components, because it makes use of the IIS 6 Metabase, a component that is no longer used by pure IIS 7 sites. Add the required components.
Windows SharePoint Services	Review information about this role, if required, before you move on.
Configuration Type	Select Install Only On This Server if you are performing a simple installation of WSS. This will automatically use the WID to store WSS information. Select Install As Part Of A Server Farm (Advanced) if you intend to connect this server to a central database running SQL Server on another server.
Administration Language	Select the appropriate administration language.
E-mail Settings (for simple configurations)	Add the values for the Outbound E-mail Server as well as the To and From e-mail addresses. This is used by WSS to send status and system messages to users and administrators.
Web Server (IIS)	Review information about this role, if required, before you move on.
Role Services	Review required role services for IIS support of WSS, and proceed.
Confirm Installation Selections	Review your choices before proceeding. Use the Previous button to make corrections if required. Click Install when ready.
Installation Progress and Installation Results	Review the installation progress, and click Finish when done.

Note the structure of the new Central Administration page. The home page is a summary page. Two additional tabs are displayed here: Operations and Application Management. Server administrators will mostly work with the Operations page. The home page lists administrator tasks you need to perform. As you can see, several tasks are required to finalize the configuration.

NOTE: If you have worked with Windows SharePoint Services version 3.0 or Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server before moving to WS08, you will be familiar with this interface already, since it hasn't changed.