SharePoint Technologies

SharePoint Technologies provide a logical framework, based off web part technology, for business users to easily create sites and share critical business information easily and quickly. Microsoft's SharePoint Technologies are comprised of two different versions: Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS).

What separates WSS 3.0 and MOSS 2007?

While both WSS 3.0 and MOSS 2007 are both powerful collaboration tools, the most basic difference between the two solutions is the investment.  Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 ships within a Windows Server 2003 or Microsoft Small Business Server 2003 purchase.  This allows organizations to implement WSS and setup an internal company web quickly.  The creation of sites and spaces is easy and once the underlying foundation is set up, the solution requires little if no assistance from an organization’s IT team. 

With an additional software investment, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 allows organizations to take the foundation laid by WSS v3.0 and expand on it.  Additional features can be created that sit on top of WSS, using the core WSS framework, and extending it in such a way that is beneficial to larger companies, enterprise deployments, and portal scenarios.

Here is a list of key features and functions that MOSS 2007 contains that WSS 3.0 does not. 

• Social networking sfeatures, including social networking web parts and profile linking.
• The ability for individual users of a portal to create their own "My Site".
• A site template called "Site Directory" that tracks links to sites, displaying site maps and site navigation lists, as well as searching through the site directory.
• Increased user security by leveraging an organization’s pre-existing Active Directory schema and integrating it with SharePoint user profiles.
• An easy drag-and-drop interface for managing navigation bars, navigation strips, portal hierarchy information, and more.
• Additional templates for portal sites.
• Enhanced relevance algorithm for its search engine, and the ability to include and search on content from multiple sites within an enterprise, including non-SharePoint web sites, file folders and databases.
• The extension of SharePoint data by integrating business data from external sources such as Web Services or Relational Databases through its Business Data Catalog.
• The automation of repetitive tasks and enforcement of business procedures through increased SharePoint workflow functionality.
• Excel Services allows user to take advantage of what could be considered a “Microsoft Office Excel Server”.
• Increased integration with Microsoft Office Outlook email and calendars.

In short, MOSS 2007 adds additional user and administrative functionality that give it the value proposition for all SharePoint implementations.  However, should a small company or workgroup wish to create a collaborative environment with the core SharePoint functionality, WSS provides a powerful low cost alternative that must be considered.  Should you have specific requirements that you would look at our Custom SharePoint solutions or like to discuss please contact us .  We’d be happy to assist.

CAMO Technologies is also aleading Microsoft SharePoint Server 2007 consulting firm