While many of the development challenges faced early in a SharePoint project are not unique to SharePoint, they can be exacerbated due to the breadth, number of options, and interaction points presented to users by the application. And the situation can present an even greater challenge to consultancies and service providers as they must be able to mirror multiple environments—at least one to match each of their customers.
If you’re doing any customization of SharePoint—from the simplest branding tweak to the most complex application—you’re going to want multiple environments. But setting up a SharePoint environment can be a major undertaking. The number of servers alone in a non-development environment is significant. For example, it might include:
- Multiple web servers
- One or more (clustered) database servers
- One or more application servers (index, workflow, service application, sandbox, etc.)
From a software perspective, the list can be equally formidable—a fully patched operating system (including drivers), SharePoint itself, the .NET Framework, various service add-ons, and all of the current patches and updates required for each distinct base requirement.
Our white paper, SharePoint in the Cloud: SharePoint Environment Management and Complex Application Integration, was created with development and test professionals in mind. As SharePoint has evolved from an emerging composite of technologies into the fastest growing server product in Microsoft’s history, it has created unique challenges for companies that want to implement it.
The paper presents an overview of several pain points often experienced when working with SharePoint and information on how a cloud solution can help to mitigate that pain. It also addresses options for creating secure hybrid cloud solutions that support organizations as they grow, evolve, and require configurations for increasingly complex scenarios.
Download SharePoint in the Cloud: Environment Management and Complex Application Integration
