Strategic 7Tasks for a Superlative Implementation ABSTRACT: By Owens Gollamandala SharePoint, Microsoft s web application framework, is an incredibly powerful tool that can integrate an organization s content, manage documents, and serve as an intranet or internet website. But it's difficult to recruit, hire, and train the people needed to operate SharePoint at best-practice levels of support around the clock. In this white paper, we describe seven strategic tasks a managed services provider will undertake to ensure your organization has a superlative SharePoint implementation. We conclude with three case histories of SharePoint solutions our clients followed that boosted business value.
Seven Strategic Tasks for a Superlative SharePoint Implementation
content About The Seven Strategic Tasks... 1 1. SharePoint Performance & Maintenance... 1 2. Monitoring SharePoint... 3. SharePoint Upgrades & Patches... 2 2 4. SharePoint Enterprise Search Implementation... 2 5. Custom SharePoint Development... 2 6. SharePoint Administration Services... 7. Migrating to SharePoint 2013... SharePoint Implementation Case Studies... 3 3 3 Is Managed Services Right for You?... 5 About Datavail... 6
SharePoint, Microsoft s web application framework, is an incredibly powerful tool. It could be thought of as the software equivalent of a Swiss Army knife; able to assist organizations with varied tasks such as content integration and document management, and also provide organizations with a framework for their intranet. Despite having software with such a range of capabilities available to them, few organizations are using all SharePoint offers. We have identified seven strategic tasks to ensure your organization has a superlative SharePoint implementation that functions as an ongoing business asset. If you re not using SharePoint to its fullest potential, you re not alone. Most of our customers use SharePoint today, but we found an estimated 75 percent of them also regularly ask for help with supporting their implementation. It is, for many organizations, a mission-critical technology asset used as a knowledge base, to drive business, and to support business processes. About The Seven Strategic Tasks Then, we will review the service applications configuration and make any necessary changes to ensure SharePoint is fully optimized and performing properly. This may include modifications that enable each required service to run on the appropriate server or enabling or disabling services. Other reviews are conducted to ensure SharePoint is properly available to the correct users and is running securely. This includes tasks such as finding any memory leaks that could be making the system run slowly or causing performance issues. We will also monitor long running or blocking SQL server queries. SharePoint needs to query the corresponding SQL server database to retrieve and display content. If the query is either trying to retrieve a large amount of data or else trying to use multiple criteria to retrieve data, then the query runs very slowly. This might be caused by a query on a SharePoint list with a large number of joins or because of degraded SQL server performance. Identifying these issues and mitigating them helps enhance SharePoint performance. The seven strategic tasks to ensure a superlative SharePoint implementation are: performance and maintenance; conducting ongoing monitoring; installing upgrades and patches; implementing enterprise search; undertaking custom development; regularly performing SharePoint administration services; and migrating your organization to SharePoint 2013 or SharePoint 2015. Each task contributes, in aggregate, to the optimal, ongoing performance of SharePoint. Let s look at each of these tasks and the benefits associated with attending to them. 1. SharePoint Performance & Maintenance The importance of tuning SharePoint for optimal performance as well as insuring its continued error-free operation through routine maintenance cannot be overstated. My team starts by reviewing SharePoint design and architecture, looking for any bottlenecks or deadlocks within the environment. We then examine the topology of the server farm on which the application is running, including any web front end and/or database servers. We want to determine whether these are set up and operating using Microsoft s recommended best practices for SharePoint. In the process, if we find any issues, we will then propose a new architecture that is aligned with those best practices and made to fit the organization and user base. Another related issue we address, is to implement or adjust a caching configuration. Within SharePoint, caching allows data to be loaded without directly accessing stored data from the database. This allows any frequently used content, such as image files and scripts, to be quickly available to SharePoint, ultimately increasing performance. Some of the caching mechanisms available in SharePoint that may be implemented include Object, Output, and BLOB cache. Optimizing the server and server farm infrastructure settings can also enhance performance. We check to determine whether the server infrastructure is aligned with the SharePoint hardware requirements. If it is not then the amount of RAM or the number of processors might need to be increased or disk space added to meet SharePoint s hardware needs. Page 1 Seven Strategic Tasks for a Superlative SharePoint Implementation 2015 Datavail, Inc. All rights reserved.
2. Monitoring SharePoint Monitoring SharePoint is also critical. There are various hardware components that must be running properly in order to seamlessly provide users with SharePoint services. By not attending to those flags raised by regular, routine monitoring, SharePoint will slow or even shutdown, resulting in degraded productivity across the organization. All SharePoint servers and sites, for example, need to be running in order to provide users with SharePoint services. All business-critical sites need to be available so users have an interface to access the SharePoint data. SharePoint is a resource-intensive application. Hardware needs to be monitored regularly to eliminate or mitigate any issues that can degrade performance. CPU spikes and insufficient memory can trigger critical problems with SharePoint. When use of either resource exceeds 60%, the issue needs to be addressed. One possible corrective measure might be adding more hardware. Disk space also needs to be routinely monitored. There must be sufficient disk space is available for ongoing processes given the read-write intensive nature of SharePoint. Patches keep the servers or server farm current, which makes the process of migrating to the next version smoother. Datavail can resolve any missing server side dependencies that might cause the process of upgrading/patching to fail. 4. SharePoint Enterprise Search Implementation Enterprise Search enables users to find appropriate information from within distributed enterprise content based on user roles, responsibilities, and permissions. Keywords or Search criteria are used to consolidate and find the information. All the organization s relevant data can be queried using Enterprise Search. 3. SharePoint Upgrades & Patches Regular upgrades and patching are needed to maintain the SharePoint servers and/or server farm at a level supported by Microsoft. Patching also helps in fixing those known problems for which Microsoft has issued fixes. These may be in the form of Service Packs, Cumulative Updates, or Hotfixes. The results are consolidated and can be presented as search results. This is an effective means for users to find relevant content. It eliminates the need to search vast repositories or collections of data manually, saving time as well. 5. Custom SharePoint Development Although SharePoint can provide organizations with many key functions straight out of the box, there may be some organization-specific functions or processes that might require custom development to be properly achieved. Using tools such as SharePoint Designer and/or Visual Studio, we can create custom workflows, webparts, features or solutions that may be too complex or too different from those that are standard with SharePoint. Since SharePoint is built on the.net framework, custom code can be easily and seamlessly integrated with SharePoint. Seven Strategic Tasks for a Superlative SharePoint Implementation Page 2
6. SharePoint Administration Services Third party administration services like Datavail can also provide numerous administrative services for SharePoint. This can include creating SharePoint server farms from scratch as well as the management and maintenance of those in operation. Remote DBAs function as extensions of your administrative team, but specifically work to set up and/or maintain SharePoint such that it meets Microsoft s best practices. Administration should also include regular health checks to maintain SharePoint such that it runs with high availability including resolving any problems causing it to be less than productive or stable. 7. Migrating to SharePoint 2013 Organizations typically want to migrate to newer versions of SharePoint as they are released to take advantage of the new and/or enhanced functions available. Typically, the newer product is improved such that it resolves or fixes issues found in previous versions. Another rationale for upgrading is to prevent complications resulting from a lack of support as older software becomes obsolete. Microsoft does end support for older iterations of its products, including SharePoint. Often, significant resources are required if your organization must upgrade or change SharePoint versions while staff is still working on projects using it. You may not have any option but to upgrade if your organization still uses SharePoint 2010. Microsoft is ending support for SharePoint 2010, effective October 2015. Microsoft still supports SharePoint 2013 and is releasing SharePoint 2016 this year, so you may want to upgrade now to avoid losing support. As you make the transition to the new version of SharePoint, you will want your organization to have a decommissioning plan in place. This includes plans for data backup, virtualization, and testing. The process is not a one-click affair. There are some third-party tools designed to help in the transition, but these have limitations which is why Datavail uses products we have tested and have proven to work in this process. You will want to fully investigate your options and have even more scenarios available in the event aspects of the move and deployment don t go precisely as planned. Your version choices with SharePoint 2015 are On Premise and Online. With SharePoint On Premise, SharePoint is managed in your data center by the IT staff. SharePoint Online is a cloud-based iteration that Microsoft manages. Most of our clients using SharePoint have adopted the On Premise version. There are advantages to each configuration. The On Premise version is flexible and custom solutions can be easily developed with it. There is also a need to invest in infrastructure. The cloud-based version of SharePoint requires customization, which is not easy. There is, however, no need to invest in infrastructure, which is a boon for small organizations. Indecision regarding upgrading may prove costly over time. If you aren t migrating to the newest version of SharePoint, the biggest issue is there will be no support available. Also, any new security vulnerabilities endemic with outdated or outmoded technologies are not patched, leaving organizations open to cyberattacks. In the SharePoint migration process, we use proven and tested tools from third-party vendors such as Metalogix, ShareGate, etc. We begin with an environment review, followed by a complete documentation of the existing SharePoint configuration. We then develop a comprehensive migration strategy. The source SharePoint is cleaned up before the process commences. We demystify the SharePoint migration steps for the client, identify boundaries and limits as well as any potential migration roadblocks. SharePoint Implementation Case Studies 1. One of our clients is a large U.S.-based business services firm with international operations. We provide them with 24/7 database monitoring and SharePoint support. This includes making planned upgrades and conducting scheduled maintenance for their sites. This includes an intranet site for internal use as well as an extranet site for their customers, internal staff as well as MySites. Page 3 Seven Strategic Tasks for a Superlative SharePoint Implementation 2015 Datavail, Inc. All rights reserved.
The client opted to work with Datavail when a key administrator left the company. Rather than undertake a lengthy process of evaluating and screening potential replacements, the company contracted with us for these services, which includes mentoring of the junior database administrator remaining on staff. The challenges this client had were associated with updating its servers to the latest service packs/updates; using Citrix Netscaler for load balancing two different web front ends each of which uses different services; and working with various third-party solutions, which made updating and upgrading more difficult. Another significant challenge was a lack of data governance. There was no content management and/or records retention policies in place; therefore, obsolete data could not be routinely purged. They also maintain very large databases. We were able to decrease the number of alerts related to SharePoint based on continuous monitoring. Any issues were immediately addressed. We also identified the scope for SharePoint best practices for this client and implemented them. This has resulted in a very stable environment. We installed the patches and updates as well as completed performance optimization tasks. In short, we continue to act as an extension of this client s database team. We provide technical direction for their SharePoint requirements and issues and empower the client to proactively address their SharePoint-related needs and challenges. 2. Another client, a high tech company specializing in datacenter and cloud computing services for the insurance industry, was an existing Oracle customer that needed our help for SharePoint when it ended a contract with an offshore firm. The Oracle system was continually experiencing performance issues and our staff suspected these were related to the artifacts stored and retrieved from SharePoint as their system is designed to support all the company s internal processes, including documentation storage and retrieval as well as human resources workflow. The company s customers also use the site for documentation. This client was using SharePoint 2007 when our services were engaged. They also needed to replace a SharePoint administrator and wanted to leverage more of their offshore support. They also were having more and more customers asking to use SharePoint. Datavail helped them migrate to SharePoint 2013 over a three-month period. We now provide support for all their SharePoint work, both front end and back end as well as monitoring and incident response. We also assist with projects on an as-needed basis, such as implementing workflows for their human resources processes and creating procedures for storing their artifacts in SharePoint by application. As a result of our collaboration, their team has been able to pursue more business opportunities. As they continue to grow, Datavail services are able to scale with them. We ve stabilized their SharePoint service and function as a SharePoint administrator to help them support their customers. 3. In working with a Fortune 500 company offering its customers a diverse range of financial services and solutions, we knew they wanted to use SharePoint primarily as an intranet technology and to be able to use it out-of-the-box with some customized solutions and branding. Although SharePoint is widely adopted throughout the firm, they wanted to use it with ServiceNow as a collaboration platform for tasks such as internal training and presentations, and supporting the various departments and projects. While the internal IT staff concentrates on the client s day-to-day business operations, Datavail provides roughly 90% of its SharePoint support. The goal was for the internal staff to have fewer issues, less tickets, fewer middle of the night alerts, and better documentation. The client s team typically receives as many as 10 user-generated tickets each day. Datavail now handles its Level 2 support, including any tickets escalated from the helpdesk, while the client s staff is responsible for any tickets escalated to Level 3 status. Among the future projects planned are integrating the client s systems, such as the PlanView time tracking system and Forms Management tool, with SharePoint. Since this client is not moving to SharePoint 2013, we will assist them with a migration to SharePoint 2016 when it becomes available. Datavail is also helping this client with standardization of best practices for SharePoint. They are now, for example, using Item-Level permissions; we are educating users about the problems and challenges associated with this. We also help them with monitoring and maintenance, including those related to Microsoft Windows and security updates. This includes implementing a server reboot schedule and maintenance window as well as a back up plan and comprehensive data governance policy. Seven Strategic Tasks for a Superlative SharePoint Implementation Page 4
Is Managed Services Right for You? Why would you work with a remote database administrator on your SharePoint implementation? There are several compelling reasons to enter into a partnership. A managed service provider will be able to prove their knowledge about the product and best practices for implementing and maintaining SharePoint. A managed service provider should able to provide support for those companies for which SharePoint is integral to their workflow, even though their staff is smaller. Many organizations ofte can t afford to ramp up staffing coverage in the short term. Clients who work with Datavail for their SharePoint are able to structure their contract such that they have the support of multiple people with different levels of expertise. Any third-party staff should keep their certifications current and participate in ongoing SharePoint training and the ability to fill the various SharePoint roles. These include SharePoint architect, administrator, developer, and/or designer. With such a range of experts available, they should be able to provide you with high quality SharePoint services specifically tailored to your needs. Within our core practice, for example, a U.S-based SharePoint Administrator is appointed to each client to facilitate real time communication and project management. This expert is supported with other SharePoint experts who are able to give your organization round-the-clock coverage if needed. Many working IT professionals have tried to learn SharePoint themselves using a variety of resources as well as trial and error, but this may be insufficient, particularly given the reliance organizations now have on their databases. The data-driven enterprise needs experts able to proactively complete tasks within the SharePoint environment at any given time. Filling this expertise void which may include little depth of knowledge, the SharePoint architecture, and/or knowledge of SharePoint best practices can prove a challenge to organizations. You may need an expert to ensure SharePoint is being correctly implemented and maintained. Datavail provides certified experts with a deep understanding of and experience with SharePoint. Many organizations also have difficulty finding qualified SharePoint administrators and team members. Most of the available IT talent is either highly specialized or very broad. Those people who fall into the highly specialized category are able to focus on one specific SharePoint role. Those individuals with broad knowledge are usually system administrators who have been forced to take on SharePoint as an additional duty. Even if you are able to find a qualified individual to work with SharePoint, the workload may be too much for an in-house team. The needs of the organization and the attendant workload creating Intranet sites as well as workflows is typically far too much for one person. We uniformly perform several tasks for all clients designed to stabilize the SharePoint environment before moving forward. The precise execution of these tasks may change incrementally, depending on the client s technology resources, SharePoint configuration, or immediate needs. These include installing our tool and metrics for 24/7 monitoring such that any emergent problems are escalated to get immediate attention; stabilizing the SharePoint environment; identifying any need for patching, which may result from the latest service pack or cumulative update not having been installed; and providing the staff with those SharePoint best practices that are aligned with Microsoft s recommendations for improving SharePoint performance. We also are constantly and proactively in communication with clients. These communiques may be in the form of Scrum calls, or perhaps through taking and distributing meeting minutes, or through issuing regular reports. We also mentor and train the client s SharePoint administrator on an as-needed basis. If you would like to know more about our managed services and how we can help your optimize your SharePoint environment, please contact Datavail to discuss a custom solution designed for your enterprise. Page 5 Seven Strategic Tasks for a Superlative SharePoint Implementation 2015 Datavail, Inc. All rights reserved.
BIOGRAPHY Owens Gollamandala Lead SharePoint Administrator for Datavail With more than 10 years of IT Industry experience and eight years in SharePoint alone, Owens has a deep knowledge in SharePoint including versions 2001/2003/2007/2010/2013. He brings in a blend of strong administration and development skills, contributing to a holistic view of SharePoint. During off hours he loves spending time with his family and friends, and he likes taking part in Spiritual activities. Reading technical and inspirational books are also his interests. ABOUT DATAVAIL Datavail Corporation is the largest pureplay provider of remote database administration (DBA) services in North America, offering database design and architecture, administration and 24x7 support. The company specializes in Oracle, Oracle E-Business Suite, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, MongoDB, DB2 and SharePoint, and provides flexible on-site/off-site, onshore/offshore service delivery options to meet each customer s unique business needs. CONTACT US General Inquiries: 1-877-722-8247 Fax Number: 303-469-2399 Email: info@datavail.com Corporate Headquarters: Datavail Corporation 11800 Ridge Parkway Suite 125 Broomfield, CO 80021 Database Operations Control Center: Datavail Infotech Pvt. Ltd 3rd Floor, Unit No. B-3 Ashar IT Park, Road No. 16Z Wagale Estate Thane (West), Thane 400604 Direct Telephone Number: 022-61517000 Bangalore Office Datavail Infotech Pvt. Ltd Concept Business Park #319/9, 1st floor, Block A Hosur Main Road Bommanahalli, Bangalore 560100 Seven Strategic Tasks for a Superlative SharePoint Implementation Page 6
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