bart's blog

about mixing form based authentication with other types....

2007-04-17T23:53:00Z

Tom Vandaele has opened up his blog on the newly created Trycatch community site with an awesome post on sharing his growing experience on sharepoint (and FBA).
He put together a nice scenario and explains how to "reach the goals"

Situation:
You're working at a company with a bunch of freelancers. Let's say a newspaper. When a freelancer works for you, you would like to give him access to your SharePoint environment. Since you use a lot of freelancers (and not always for a long time) you don't want to put them into your Active Directory.

Continue the story on his blog and subscribe to his feed as this guy is awesome !

//Bart

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

Developer & IT Pro Days 2007 - my round up

2007-04-01T21:16:00Z

Last Week i was invited by the kind people of microsoft to attend the Developer & IT Pro Days 2007 in Ghent - Belgium. This is a 2 day event with 2 different tracks one for dev-people and one for IT-Pro's. As an old school IT PRO this was off course the track i was most interested in.

Day - 1 - preconf

It all started with a pre-conf day about virtualisation done by Ronald Bekelaar. He delivered a good day about the stuff Microsoft will release in the future and what microsoft virtualization will bring us. I was kinda dissapointed in the depth of the content. (I always want more ;-) ) but it was a nice day and the content was interesting enough to stay awake and not run away. The way Microsoft will enter the virtualization world will be a big bang once Longhorn will be released. Until then the market will still be dominated by the competitor. (keyword here: Viridian). There will also be a nice API to plug things into (and not to mention the things that will be possible now : hot add memory, hot add processor, hot add nics, a nice clustering thing for longhorn....) Can't wait to get my hands on this technology.

Day 1

I woke up at 6, fell asleep again and was brutely awaken by my flashy PanterA mp3 ringtone due to a arranged confcall with SQLUG president Peter (he was my reminder as waking up is the hardest part of the day for me ) and left for the venue to get the SQLUG booth ready.
I attended a sessions about Longhorn and one about IIS7 (an administrators guide). (all by David Lowe). IIS 7 will definitely be a nice platform. True xcopy deployments, possibility to host farms from CIFS shares (or even DFS). Things I allways wanted to be just there are now getting released. Deploying webfarms will become soooo much easier !
There was a very interesting side-session exclusive for SQLUG members by Bob Beauchemin about event notifications. Thx Bob for being willing to put this up for us. (the scripts can be found on www.sqlug.be)
The last session I attented was the Powershell Chalk Talk by Bruce Payette and the powershell guy (a ~~Belgian~~ Dutch powershell MVP !). A good session filled with nice examples of the powerfull language. I wanted to see more of the work of the the powershell guy as he absolutely rules in this area ( check the fantastic powershelled WMI explorer !)

Day 2

The second day started with an excellent session by Fred Baumhardt called DMZ'ology, Is it dead?. Except from having a great blog he also is a very good speaker. I never saw someone making a kinda difficult topic (security in general) so easy to follow. The session was excellent and the lessons learned is that a DMZ serves almost nothing and IPsec is the way you want to secure your perimeters. And use an application firewall like ISA ;-). Something I knew allready but due to it all being kinda difficult to setup for novice admins I never deployed to customers. I will take the time to convince them moving in this area as it has lots of advantages. Him saying you don't need a DMZ after all I kinda disagree on that. What about other OS's and systems that are not IPsec aware, anyway good food for more discussions !
Next session was about Terminal Services in Longhorn by our local man Arlindo: A good overview but hey nothing beats CITRIX ;-). Microsoft improved some things but if you want real Server Based Computing you go third party.
A good session was also delivered about the Intelligent Apllication Gateway (aka Whale tech, aka acquired by Microsoft some time ago). this is a solution that offers granular information protection (mostly know by the name SSL-VPN). For the sharepoint community this is technology you'll want to invest time and effort into as this offers so much more then ISA and other security appliances. (And since it was acquired by MS license fees dropped )
Concluding this day was the fun Closing keynote by Chad "Kudzu" about usability of software and more. A good laugh and lots of "aha erlebnis" ;-)

Other Stuff

- Except from attending sessions i also helped running the SQLug booth and talked to a lot of interesting people and friends about all things we are all passionate about and the stuff we work with on a daily basis.
- By the way enjoy Arlindo[MSFT] trying to speak french and being very proud of his work for the belgian community in this video shoot. And he has the right to be very proud! The belgian IT community was never more alive then at this moment and this is just the beginning. SQLUG just started one year ago and now has more then 270 enthousiasts. Proexchange more then 400, and a new usergroup called winsec joins the growing gang of usergroups (ITTalks, BIWUG, VISUG, and many others...)
- I had great fun spending some time with Jake Zborowski and Ashvini Sharma from the SQL product teams. Talking with people so passionate about the stuff they work on makes you also some more passionate about the products.

It was a good week.... on to the real life again...

kind regards
//Bart

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

SQLUG.be 1 year anniversary event & Installing MOSS as a claims aware application in ADFS

2007-02-15T02:48:00Z

Hi, a quick note to all SQL involved people in Belgium: the Belgian SQL server User Group is celebrating their first year of existance in Brussels next week (22/02). If you want to be part of this event subscribe quickly as seats are limited. And the goodies that will be shared also

and a quick note about Installing MOSS as a claims aware application in ADFS
This is something very interesting and promising for the future. I can't wait for the technet article....

In this blogpost the authors talk about how to configure Active Directory Federated Services (ADFS) with SharePoint 2007. The TechNet team has leveraged this document and will be publishing their content very soon. There are a few screen shots in this doc that couldn’t make it into the Technet document, also the format and order of steps will be slightly different.
Read the entire article here.

//Bart

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

BELUX - Sharepoint 2007 and SQL Technet evenings

2007-01-31T22:12:00Z

TechNet Evening : Planning and Deploying Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007

This session will give a detailed overview of the SharePoint 2007 architecture. Joris Poelmans will present the concepts of topology, server roles and network conditions.The session will also provide an overview of administration features with SharePoint 2007. We will introduce the three tier administration model: central administration, shared services, and site settings.

What we will cover:
- SharePoint 2007 Architecture
- Administration Features
- Deployment Options

Level: 200

Speaker: Joris Poelmans, Information Worker Solution specialist, Dolmen

When: 07/02 - 18:00 - 20:00

Where: NH Hotel Diegem

Register Here

TechNet Funcast: BI: The Mac-Guyver Techniques : SQL Server Integration Services

How do you combine the tasks and transforms offered by Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Integration Services (SSIS) into a real extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) system? In this Funcast, we present design patterns for building an application that is maintainable, auditable, and scalable to populate your dimensional Kimball Method data warehouse and Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services database.

Speaker: Gunter Staes

When: 14/02 - 16:00 - 16:45

Register Here

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

The tagging game...

2007-01-22T01:18:37Z

Steven Van De Craen (excellent sharepoint blogposter by the way !) wanted to know some of my personal thingies..So here goes…

I don't drink alcohol.
Living in a country (Belgium) being known for its beers (& chocolates) people give you strange faces when you don't drink the national brew...
My favorite kind of music is MetalCore and Hardcore/Punk.
my favorite bands include: Length Of Time, Madball, Biohazard, Sick Of It All, Caliban, All Out War, Machine Head, Mastodon, Earth Crisis, E Town Concrete, Walls Of Jericho, Terror, Hatebreed, and lots more… I have a really huge record collection ;-)
Best of the new breed: Amen Ra Go Check Them out ! Intensive gigs !
I enjoy playing online FPS games.
I have my own clan called the belgianclan. I used to be the youngest of age. (Who said gamers are youngsters? Our oldest member is in his late fifties) We aren't quite active anymore due to the fact that most of the members are busy building houses, raising kids. But every now and then we still gather on our teamspeak channel and storm beaches together playing Call Of Duty or Battlefield…
I graduated as a mechanical engineer.
But then started a career in IT and I have never regretted that decision. Never touched my school books ever again except for giving some them to my girlfriend who graduated as something similar. (by the way: she graduated this year as an engineer Chemistry and found a job as researcher, so congrats Ljubow !)
Almost a year ago I helped starting a Belgian SQL Server User Group.
and now one year later we are organizing already our fourth event, we are on the edge of becoming a legal entity and the future looks bright. It has been a fantastic ride, the community is very active and the response is superb. A shout out to all core-members for making this possible. Visit our website @ sqlug

I'm throwing sticks to the Belgian SQL Server Community here:

Peter De Seranno: Por Dentro Sql
Frederik Vandeputte: Primum vivere, deinde philosophari
Wesley Baeckelandt: EXEC dbo.LongTermMemory__Archive
Steve Verschaeve: Steve's SQL Server Blog
Geoffrey Samper: DrivenBySQL

//Bart

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

[WSS-V3] Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 Application Templates - downloads...

2006-12-29T03:33:00Z

hot hot hot?

This download includes a set of Version 2.0 Application Templates that have been upgraded for Windows SharePoint Service 3.0. The upgraded templates are offered in English only.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=35EBF87F-BF98-4E6F-9987-E861533E3A8D&displaylang=en

Overview

The solution accelerator for Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 provides guidance and tools to enable IT Professionals to successfully upgrade their Windows SharePoint Services 2.0 custom sites and templates. The result: A set of custom sites and templates that will operate in a Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 environment.

This download includes a set of Version 2.0 Application Templates that have been upgraded for Windows SharePoint Service 3.0. The upgraded templates are offered in English only.

The Upgrade Toolkit for Windows SharePoint Services Sites and Templates
These upgraded application templates are for use in conjunction with the Upgrade Toolkit for Windows SharePoint Services Sites and Templates, and are only a part of the full solution accelerator. To complete the toolkit, visit the toolkit download page to obtain upgrade guidance, documents and other tools.

To install this download:

Please refer to the guidance and documents provided in the Upgrade Toolkit for Windows SharePoint Services Sites and Templates.

Instructions for use:

Please refer to the guidance and documents provided in the Upgrade Toolkit for Windows SharePoint Services Sites and Templates.

To remove this download:

Please refer to the guidance and documents provided in the Upgrade Toolkit for Windows SharePoint Services Sites and Templates.

//Bart

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

windows server 2003 Service pack 2 (Release Candidate) has improvements for SQL Server

2006-11-30T01:21:00Z

I just reviewed the technical overview for the upcomming service pack for windows server 2003.
There will be some new features introduced and lots of enhancements.

One the caught my eye is : Service Pack 2 provides performance improvement for SQL Server 2005 under intensive workloads. Service Pack 2 installation installs these improvements by default.

Others I like are Enabling ‘Firewall Per Port’ Authentication, Improved IPsec filter management, Performance Improvements under Windows Virtualization (finaly blazing fast vpc's???)

Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 is especially important for organizations planning on testing and deploying Windows Vista and Windows Server “Longhorn.” SP2 contains important enhancements to support the deployment and management of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2003 SP2.

one thing to keep in mind: it needs lots of diskspace:

Check the disc space requirements. The following are the approximate storage requirements for the installation of SP2.

	Hard Disk Space that is required if you install Windows Server 2003 SP2 from a shared folder on the network (SPCD):	Hard Disk space that is required if you install Windows Server 2003 SP2 from the Windows 2003 SP2 CD (Signed SPCD)
Service Pack	600MB	1750MB
Working Space	256MB	256MB
Total Hard Disk Space Required	1200MB	2900MB

Find more info here: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsserver/sp2/overview.mspx

//Bart

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

publishing sharepoint or MOSS using ISA 2006 (or other sites ;-) )

2006-11-28T04:24:00Z

I just did some tests publishing sharepoint sites using FBA with ISA2006 using LDAP as authentication method. The process has been made very easy by using nice wizards.
There are lots of improvements over ISA2004. The url mappings are far more exhaustive, working with certificates is now childs play. Listeners really rock now.
I just love the SSO option to publish entire url sets using just only one listener. If this info deafens you: imagine switching from your OWA to your portal url and back without re-authenticating, then switching to your mysite and back to OWA, connecting to your extranet sites and back to OWA all without re-authenticating.

ISA 2006 definitely rocks. I will dedicate some articles to this stuff.

enjoy my modificated FBA logonscreen ;-)

//Bart

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

Funcast about blogs & wikis: the aftermath

2006-11-26T20:53:00Z

Last Wednesday Arlindo Alves [MSFT] and myself hosted a little funcast (31 minutes) about blogs & wikis in a sharepoint environment.
Alltough it was my first "webcast-type-thing" it all turned out very well. (except my phone got disconnected and then my screen seemed to freeze, the keyboard allways typing tooooo many characters (hence all the spelling mistakes (please don't send me anymore emails about this )).

For those who attended this session. Thanks a lot for freeing up your time to watch and bear with me being damn nervous.
In case you missed out or want to see this short session again here is the URL for watching:

https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/microsoft/view?id=SMX73Z&pw=SP7q%7E2%3C%3Bp

If you would like to comment on this funcast or ask questions, please do so. There's a community out there people !
There is lots more i wanted to talk about but since it's supposed to be an introduction to the topic, all things were kept simple. I'll try to post some nice things in the future. Maybe in the form of videos as those small movies tell more then using screenshots.

//Bart

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

My Funcast about blogs & wikis with sharepoint 2007 due in 20h !

2006-11-22T01:43:00Z

I just finished rebuilding the demo VPC with MOSS 2007 RTM version. Yihaa to differencing disks in VPC2004!
Very short abstract:
"November 22, Bart Bultinck will show you during this 30min demo session you how you can create your own blog and wiki site with Sharepoint 2007. Register now and freeze 30 minutes in your calendar."

last minute registrations here:

http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/WebCastEventDetails.aspx?EventID=1032315615&EventCategory=2&culture=en-US&CountryCode=US

//Bart (ready and prepared)

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

WSS V3 :Coming Soon: New Application Templates for Windows SharePoint Services 3.0

2006-11-14T00:41:00Z

Application Templates are out-of-box custom scenarios for the Windows SharePoint Services platform, tailored to address the needs and requirements of specific business processes or sets of tasks in organizations of any size.
and the good news is there will be 40 of them (as in more then 30 )

Multi-Language Server Admin Templates


	Absence and Vacation Schedule
	Budgeting and Tracking Multiple Projects
	Bug Database
	Call Center
	Change Request Management
	Compliance Process Support Site
	Contacts Management
	Document Library and Review
	Event Planning
	Expense Reimbursement and Approval Site
	Help Desk
	Inventory Tracking
	IT Team Workspace
	Job Requisitions and Interview Management
	Knowledge Base
	Lending Library
	Physical Asset Tracking and Management
	Project Tracking Workspace
	Room and Equipment Reservations
	Sales Lead Pipeline
	Board of Directors
	Classroom Management
	Clinical Trial Initiation and Management
	Competitive Differentiation Site
	Discussion Database
	Emergency Management for Government Agencies
	Employee Activities Site
	Employee Self Service Benefits
	Employee Training Scheduling and Materials
	Equity Research
	Manufacturing Process Management
	Marketing Campaign Planning and Execution
	New Product Development
	New Store Opening
	Product Portfolio and Profitability Management
	Request for Proposal
	Sports League
	Team Work Site
	Timecard Management
	Vendor Performance Rating

i need more bandwith......

//Bart Bultinck

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

I Was Ready! Vista and office 2007 launch in Brussels Belgium

2006-11-11T23:55:00Z

Thursday I and lots of coworkers attended the readyforanewday event hosted by Microsoft Belux. I attended some interesting sessions (MOSS 2007!, Groove) and had lots of fun talking to people and customers. Afterwards there was a great party.

LTR: Karel Verhelst, Christophe Dejan, Bart bultinck, Tom Vandaele, another Bart

The final keynote was done by Mr Bill Gates himself and in case you missed it you can view it below

Bill Gates' Keynote Speech on Windows Vista Launch

//Bart

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services Add-in for Microsoft SharePoint Technologies - Community Technology Preview (CTP) November 2006

2006-11-11T16:06:00Z

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services Add-in for SharePoint Technologies (Reporting Services Add-in) allows you to take advantage of SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2 (SP2) report processing and management capabilities within Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 or Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007. The download provides the following functionality:

A Report Viewer Web Part that provides report viewing capability, export to other rendering formats, page navigation, search, print, and zoom.
Web application pages so that you can create subscriptions and schedules, and manage reports, models, and data sources.
Support for using standard Windows SharePoint Services features including document management, collaboration, security, and deployment with report server content types.

The Reporting Services Add-in works together with SP2, which is required on the report server. SP2 provides the following functionality for a report server that is configured for SharePoint integrated mode:

Synchronization from SharePoint content database to the report server database.
A custom security extension that uses SharePoint permissions to control access to report server operations.
A new delivery extension that you can use in subscriptions to deliver reports to SharePoint libraries.
A revised Reporting Services Configuration tool that you can use to configure a report server for SharePoint integrated operations.
A new SOAP endpoint for managing report server content in SharePoint integrated mode.

Warning: No automatic upgrade support
Pre-release versions of the Reporting Services Add-in cannot be upgraded to a future version. Also, it is possible that you might not be able to upgrade the report server database that you create in this release. If this occurs, you will have to republish all data files and redefine subscriptions, schedules, report history.

Get it here

//Bart

Posted on SharePoint Blogs