modery.net

May

Webinar: Hybrid SharePoint 2013 and Office 365 Environments

Tags: hybrid, office 365, sharepoint 2013, sharepoint online, webinar

by Rene Modery

This coming Wednesday, I’ll be doing a webinar hosted by MetaVis Technologies on Hybrid SharePoint 2013 and Office 365 Environments:

More and more companies are interested in moving some or all of their operations to Office 365 / SharePoint Online. However, many of them have existing SharePoint environments, which they still want to continue using. In this Webinar, Office 365 MVP Rene Modery will look at how a hybrid environment which leverages the best of both systems can be set up. He will address the reasons for doing so, and share insight on which governance aspects need to be considered for a hybrid environment.

You can register for it here: http://www.metavistech.com/resources/webinar/hybrid-sharepoint-2013-and-office-365-environments

May

Simplified POP, IMAP, and SMTP settings for Office 365

Categories: Office 365 Grid

Tags: email, exchange, IMAP, office 365, POP, SMTP

Comments: 4

by Rene Modery

Good news, everyone! While previously we had to use a fairly long URL name for IMAP, POP, and SMTP settings on clients, Microsoft has now provided a standardized set of URLS for Office 365. In most cases, the client (e.g. Outlook) provided auto discover of the URL, however In some cases it still had to be entered manually. Instead of having to look up the correct URL for a given tenant, one can now use the standard URLs.

Here’s the official announcement:

Simplified POP, IMAP and SMTP Namespaces

It’s now much simpler to set up a POP or IMAP connection to an Office 365 account. If a phone, tablet, or desktop email program can’t take advantage of Exchange Online’s auto discover capabilities, the new Exchange Online now provides the ability to connect using unified server namespaces. Instead of being asked to locate unique POP/IMAP/SMTP server settings through Outlook Web App (which looked like “podxxxxx.outlook.com”), the following standard server names can now be used:

o POP & IMAP: outlook.office365.com
o SMTP: smtp.office365.com

Additional information
For specific steps for connecting your phone or tablet to your Office 365 email, see Phone and Tablet setup reference. For specific steps for connecting your desktop email program to your Office 365 email, see Email program setup reference.

Office 365 Service Updates (Note: this applies to all plans with an Exchange Online service, I’m linking to E/M/EDU here)

Apr

Major Update to: Hybrid for SharePoint Server 2013 and Office 365

Categories: Office 365 Grid, SharePoint

Tags: hybrid, office 365, sharepoint, sharepoint 2013, sharepoint online

Comments: 8

by Rene Modery

The official Microsoft article on TechNet on Hybrid environments for SharePoint 2013 and Office 365 has received a major updated, now including a lot more information. Here’s what has changed:

Previously

The previous article was basically a summary of what resources are available for download for hybrid environments, namely the following four resources:

Configure a one-way hybrid environment with SharePoint Server 2013 and Office 365This document describes how to configure a hybrid environment that integrates SharePoint Server 2013 and the newest version of Microsoft Office 365 Enterprise, which includes the new SharePoint Online, with single sign-on, identity management, and one-way federated search in which Office 365 content appears in on-premises search results.

Configure a two-way hybrid search environment with SharePoint Server 2013 and Office 365
This document describes how to configure a hybrid environment that integrates SharePoint Server 2013 and the newest version of Microsoft Office 365 Enterprise, which includes the new SharePoint Online, with single sign-on, identity management, and bi-directional federated search.

SharePoint 2013 Business Connectivity Services Hybrid Overview
This document explains what a Business Connectivity Services Hybrid environment is and why you would use it. It identifies the components that are involved and explains their roles in the solution. It also shows you how a Business Connectivity Services Hybrid solution works.

SharePoint 2013 Business Connectivity Services Hybrid Poster
This full size poster explains the flow of data and authentication in a Business Connectivity Services Hybrid environment.

The updated article

The updated article (more specifically, articles, as the content has been spread of several pages) contains the information from the previously mentioned documents as well as more additional guidance, e.g. around setting up ADFS proxies. It is divided into the following three phases of a deployment:

Phase 1: Configure the hybrid environment infrastructure
In Phase 1, you configure the basic infrastructure for a hybrid environment by using SharePoint Server 2013 and SharePoint Online.
Phase 2: Configure the hybrid identity management infrastructure
In Phase 2, you configure identity management for your hybrid environment.
Phase 3: Configure a hybrid solution by using Search, Business Connectivity Services or Duet Enterprise Online
In Phase 3, you configure the solution or solutions that best meet your business needs.

Especially the additional guidance around setting up an ADFS proxy, here naturally Forefront TMG, is extremely valuable as it wasn’t available before.

Apr

Speaking at SharePoint Connections Amsterdam in November

Categories: Office 365 Grid, SharePoint

Tags: conference, hybrid, office 365, powershell, presentation, sharepoint, spconf

Comments: 1

by Rene Modery

For the third time, the SharePoint Connections will take place in Amsterdam on 19th and 20th November 2013. There’s a very nice line-up of lots of international and renowned speakers (Michael Noel, Joel Olesen, Penelope Coventry, Steve Fox, Dan Holme, Mirjam van Olst, Spencer Harbar to mention a few), and I’m happy to be presenting alongside them as well.

My two sessions there are:

Hybrid SharePoint 2013 and Office 365 environments for decision makers
Which value do hybrid SharePoint 2013 and Office 365 environments offer, which drawbacks do they have? Why do companies use them? How do you plan them, and which governance aspects need to be considered? And which resource requirements do they impose? These and many more questions will be answered in this session, targeted at IT Managers and other decision makers who want to learn more about hybrid environments

Automating Office 365 with PowerShell
With the new Office 365, there are many more possibilities for administrators to manage Office 365 with PowerShell, especially regarding SharePoint Online. In this session, you will get an overview of the existing cmdlets, and learn how common tasks such as creating a mailbox and granting access to a SharePoint site can be automated.

Hope to see you there!

Apr

Renewed for another year as Office 365 MVP

Categories: Office 365 Grid, SharePoint

Tags: mvp, office 365, renewal

Comments: 5

by Rene Modery

Today, I’ve been awarded as Office 365 MVP for the second time. I am truly happy and honored to have received this recognition once again, and I’m also looking forward to working with and for the community in the coming year.

mvprenewal (Well yes, even though I live in Singapore, I receive the confirmation in German)

What can you expect from me during the next few months? As I’ll be moving to Europe and start my new job there soon, I’ll be publishing more content in German. I also promise to write more in English (more on hybrid SharePoint / Office 365 environments), I’ve been extremely quiet during the past few weeks. There’s also a SharePoint 2013 book for which I was a co-author which will be published soon, more on that once we’re closer to having it finished. And lastly, I’ll be presenting at the ShareConf in June in Düsseldorf, with further speaking engagements slowly getting lined up.

Mar

[DE] Vortrag auf der ShareConf in Düsseldorf: Implementierung von Hybridumgebungen mit SharePoint 2013 und Office 365

Categories: Office 365 Grid, SharePoint

Tags: conference, Deutsch, hybrid, office 365, presentation, shareconf, sharepoint 2013, SharePoint Onlune

Comments: 2

by Rene Modery

Nachdem ich ja vor kurzem bekannt gegeben habe, dass ich ab Juni wieder in Europa arbeiten werde, freue ich mich nun auch meine erste Zusage für eine Konferenz erhalten zu haben.

Vom 11.-13. Juni 2013 findet in Düsseldorf wieder die ShareConf statt, ich werde dort einen Vortrag zum Thema Implementierung von Hybridumgebungen mit SharePoint 2013 und Office 365 halten. Hier die Kurzinfo zum Vortrag:

Was sind die technischen Anforderungen an eine Hybridumgebung mit SharePoint 2013 und Office 365? Welche Funktionalität ist verfügbar, und wie können die zwei Systeme miteinander integriert werden? Und wie genau implementiert man eigentlich eine Hybridumgebung? Dieser Vortrag beantwort all diese Frage und gibt einen allgemeinen Überblick, wie Unternehmen ihre eigene Hybridumgebung aufsetzen können

Ich freue mich jetzt schon, zahlreiche deutschsprachige MVPs (unter anderem auch Martina Grom, evenfalls Office 365 MVP) dort erstmals persönlich kennenzulernen, und einen ersten Kontakt mit der deutschsprachigen SharePoint und Office 365 Community aufzubauen.

Feb

Goodbye Singapore, Grüezi Switzerland: A New Opportunity

Categories: SharePoint, Singapore, Switzerland

Tags: 1stquad, office 365, relocation, sharepoint, singapore, switzerland

Comments: 9

by Rene Modery

In early March 2006, I arrived in Singapore for what I thought would be a limited time only: an 8 months internship and the plan to graduate afterwards and start working in Germany. Obviously, things changed a bit, and I fell in love with the country here. That’s why I came back to Singapore in September 2007, and have been here ever since.

During the past 5 1/2 years I’ve been working exclusively with SharePoint (2007 and 2010), and have been working for a German as well as a Swiss company. I have learned a lot in these past years (not just regarding SharePoint, but IT in general, soft skills, and all that other stuff that comes with a job), and I can thankfully say that I have had the chance to work with and for some very supportive managers and colleagues. From a personal perspective, the biggest change was meeting my wife, completely surprising her by proposing at a very unexpected moment and later getting married to her, and buying a flat with her.

It is now time for another big move. Starting 1 June 2013, I will be working in Zurich, Switzerland, for 1stQuad Solutions. I will have the opportunity to work a lot more with my big passion, Office 365, and also do a lot more community work, naturally mostly in German (so, if you’re in the DACH region, get in touch with me!). My wife and I are of course very excited about this new opportunity, and the chance to experience living in a new city and country. My last day with my current company will be in April, followed by a short holiday trip to Bali with my wife. In May, we’ll be flying to Germany to visit my family, and move to Switzerland towards the end of that month.

Note: I’ll be available for some freelance work (SharePoint / Office 365) from mid April onwards for around 5-6 weeks, if you think I can be of help, or want to recommend me to someone, let me know.

Does moving to a German-speaking country have any impact on my blog? I’m considering writing articles in English and in German, but haven’t fully decided yet if and how I’ll do that. One option could be to write in German on the company blog, and to write in English on my blog here. Either way, I hope to get more content on Office 365 published.

Feb

New Office 365 Sign-In Experience and ADFS

Categories: Office 365 Grid

Tags: adfs, federation, office 365, signin, wave 15

Comments: 9

by Rene Modery

office365signin

Existing customers of Office 365 should have received an email notifying them about an upcoming change for March 2013: The sign-in experience will be improved with a new interface that is compatible with different devices (laptop, tablet, phone, for example). In addition to that, Microsoft states that “This update provides easier and enhanced access to Single Sign On for federated users and is designed to save you and your users’ time by simplifying your subsequent sign-in process.”

But how does this easier and enhanced access for federated users work?

The old (current) Sign-In Experience

Visiting https://portal.microsoftonline.com now, you will get to see the following log in screen:

hybridlogin-1

When you enter a username for a federated domain (I setup ADFS federation for hybridoffice365.com as part of my hybrid demo environment), the screen changes slightly: you can’t enter your password anymore, and a link appears at the bottom of the log in form, asking you to sign in at your domain:

hybridlogin-2

The new Sign-Experience

The new log in form has been redesigned and made look nicer:

hybridlogin-3

Once you enter your federated credentials here you are then being redirected immediately to your ADFS server’s login page, without the need for the user to click on the log in link himself:

hybridlogin-4

Benefit: Users don’t need to click a link to get to the right place, and their sign-in experience is improved by making it easier and faster to get access to Office 365!

Feb

Book Review: MOS 2010 Study Guide for Microsoft Office SharePoint

Categories: Books&Movies, SharePoint

Tags: 77-886, exam, microsoft office specialist, MOS, sharepoint, sharepoint 2010

Comments: 1

by Rene Modery

Note: Wow, this article was in a nearly finished state for nearly a year now (last edit: March 2012)….better late than never!

Back in May 2011, I took the beta exam for Microsoft Office Specialist – SharePoint 2010 (77-886), and heard in July that I had passed. Later that year (2011), I got the ebook MOS 2010 Study Guide for Microsoft® Office SharePoint® by Geoff Evelyn from O’Reilly, here’s my review:

The Study Guide here is, as the name says, intended to help people prepare for the Microsoft Office Specialist – SharePoint 2010 exam. It is not meant for people who are new to SharePoint, but rather targets an audience that already has some experience with SharePoint (for example as a site owner). It helps them by following the “Skills Measured” section of the exam in exact detail. All items listed on the exam page are covered with step-by-step instructions in the book, when needed with some additional background information as well. Geoff explains everything in simple to understand terms, and avoids technical jargon as much as possible.

Understandably, what this book does not do is explain in detail how you can set up your own test environment (this goes way beyond the skillset that one may expect from someone taking this exam, though the book does provide a link if you want to), and simply suggests to use an externally-hosted environment. This is where I would have preferred to see a little more information, as some people may not know where to turn to in order to prepare for the exam.

All in all, the book should provide anyone (still) planning to take the exam a very good preparation in order to pass the exam.

Feb

What happens with my public website during the Office 365 update?

Categories: Office 365 Grid, SharePoint

Tags: office 365, public website, sharepoint, sharepoint online, wave 15

Comments: 10

by Rene Modery

With the new version of Office 365 for enterprises to be officially launched on 27 February, there are many questions for existing customers regarding the upgrade process. In this article, I will explore what is known regarding the public website that is provided as part of a Office 365 tenant.

In the (still) current version of Office 365, the public website is using a simple design with limited functionality, which has been criticized by a lot of people:

public-website-2010

With the new version of Office 365, the public website will however make use of many SharePoint publishing features and allow more flexibility and functionality:

public-website-2013

Customers who will sign up for Office 365 after the general availability of the new version (27 February) will have the new website only. But what happens to existing customers and their existing public websites once Office 365 will be updated from Wave 14 (based on the 2010 versions, and using the “old & simple” website) to Wave 15 (2013 versions, using the “new & shiny” website)? Following are some important questions and their answers, as far as they are known

Will I lose my existing website once I upgrade?

You’re using Office 365, and you already have a public website. Once you upgrade, this website will not be lost and replaced by a new public website, but rather an additional public website (in the new format) will be made available. So, both of them will co-exist, and you can choose if you want to use one of them, both of them, or none.

How long can I keep my existing ‘old’ website?

This is something that I do not know right now, and I couldn’t find any information on this.

Can I use two custom domains, one for the ‘old’ website, one for the ‘new’ one?

So you want to use something like www.myawesomecompany.com for your old website, and www.ourawesomeproduct.com for the new website? Sadly, this is not possible, as only one custom domain is allowed. So one website can use your custom domain (www.myawesomecompany.com), whereas the other public website would then use the ‘internal’ name (such as mycompany-web.sharepoint.com)

Shall I use a custom domain for the old website or the new one?

I’ll start by quoting Microsoft here (see link at the bottom of this article):

Use the earlier website, which appears on the top of the Manage public website page, if one or both of the following are true for you:

You’ve already worked on the website’s design, and you don’t want to spend time designing another Office 365 website. You also might have already associated the website with your custom domain.

You’re almost finished designing your original website and you don’t want to start a new one.

Use the new website, which appears below the other website on the Manage public website page, if one of the following is true for you:

You haven’t yet started designing a website.

You started designing the earlier website, but you haven’t worked on it very much.

We recommend that you use the new website and tools if you haven’t already finished, or have nearly finished, an earlier website. The new website has more features, and includes updated design tools and new templates. It’s faster and easier to create the look and feel that you want for your Office 365 public website compared to the earlier website.

And some additional comments from me: when uncertain, go for the new website. It offers much more functionality, and while this comes with a bit more effort, the end result will be much better, and the benefits outweigh the (small) drawbacks in the long term.

In which ways is the new public website better than the old one?

The old website used a simple web-based editor, that made it easy for companies with little web design knowledge to create their own website. However, this came at the cost of limited functionality and no extensibility.
The new public website makes use of most of SharePoint’s publishing features. It is now possible to use more advanced designs and layouts for content, make use of a lot more SharePoint functionality, and provide a more compelling experience for editors, designers, and visitors. To see an example of the new public website, visit http://www.contosobistro.com/

Where can I find more information on the two public websites?

Resource: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/office365-suite-help/work-with-your-two-office-365-public-websites-HA103148336.aspx

I have more questions about the public websites!

Please leave a comment below, or feel free to contact me