Compelling SharePoint 2010 Features and Enhancements

After parsing the information from last week's SharePoint Conference 2009, I've come up with a list of SharePoint 2010 features and enhancements that might make it worth considering an upgrade. Some of these features are in SharePoint 2007 but have been improved in 2010, like the concept of content types. Some of these features are new, like tagging and rating.

Administration

• Services a la carte via Service Applications; Can build your own
  
• Performance enhancements
  
• Throttling
  
• Tens of millions of documents per library
  
• Multi-tenacy - Keep content separated via application level security
  
• Claims (SAML) based communication - sort of like Kerberos for external authentication
  

User Experience and Content Management

• Managed Metadata Service
  
• Enterprise Content Types
  
• Tagging and Rating (Taxonomy & Folksonomy)
  
• Content Organizer (routes content based on pre-set policies)
  
• Records Management (in place or upload to record center)
  
• Delete, Hold in-place, Archive with Link options
  
• Social features, social search, social bookmarking, search for user content
  
• My Sites: Customizable My Site templates, org chart, user's activity feed
  
• User Profile Service; Sync data from multiple sources into SharePoint profile
  
• Unique document IDs
  
• Visual Upgrade from 2007 sites - gradual or immediate
  
• Cross-browser support (IE 7+, Firefox, Safari)
  
• Improved mobile support
  
• SharePoint Workspace for offline collaboration
  
• ...and Office online applications
  

Development

• SharePoint Designer as a respectable development platform
  
• Visual Studio templates for SharePoint development
  
• InfoPath and Visio development of web forms and workflow (along with SharePoint Designer)
  

I plan to post more detailed blog posts on certain topics as time permits. For now this should give you a taste of what's coming in the new SharePoint.

SharePoint Conference 2009

I arrived in Las Vegas on Sunday to attend the SharePoint Conference 2009. I came exited to learn about all of the new enhancements and features of SharePoint 2010. Two days into it I can say that this is definitely one of the most useful conferences I've ever been to.

I'm here with about two dozen of my colleagues and another 7000 or so of our closest SharePoint friends. Sessions have ranged from the overview keynote by Steve Ballmer and Jeff Teper, user experience improvements, social media, topology, administration, upgrade from 2007 to 2010, development with InfoPath, SharePoint Designer, and Visual Studio.

Two more days of sessions that are getting more and more advanced. Day 1 and 2 had many 100-300 level sessions. Tomorrow and Thursday have more 300-400 level sessions.

When I get some time I'll post some notes from the sessions I attended. What I can say now is: SharePoint 2010 is a big step up from 2007. I want to be working in 2010 sooner rather than later.

Oh, BTW, SharePoint/Office 2010 public beta will be released sometime in November 2009 with the final product release sometime in the first half of 2010.

Still here

Yep, I'm still here.

Been in and out of SharePoint for the past five months. Mostly in.

Looking forward to the SharePoint Conference 2009 in Las Vegas from October 18-22 and the release of more information about SharePoint 2010.

More to come.