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Microsoft Visio is not a mere diagramming tool!

As described on several Microsoft sites, Microsoft Visio 2010 situates diagramming to an advance level with dynamic, data-driven visualization tools, and advanced Web sharing capability. It composes data from various sources, including Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Services list, Microsoft Office Excel workbook, Microsoft Office Access database, Microsoft SQL Server database, and other OLEDB or ODBC data source and presents it using vibrant graphics design. What is more, it facilitates SharePoint workflows creation and publication for instantaneous implementation.

The Visio Graphics Service is a SharePoint Server 2010 service application that enables dynamic viewing, refreshing, and sharing of data-driven Microsoft Visio 2010 diagrams through Visio Web Access Web part, Web part Connections, and Visio Services Mash-up API. This piece will provide high-level steps in consuming this service application.

Step 1: Enable Visio Graphics Service

Using the Farm Configuration Wizard from Central Administration, as illustrated below, enable the Visio Graphics Service. This is not to mention that the same configuration could be done through Windows PowerShell.

Step 2: Create SharePoint List

For the purpose of demonstration, create a SharePoint list to server as the data source of the Microsoft Visio diagram to be created in Step 3. Conversely, this is an optional step since we could use Microsoft Office Excel workbook, Microsoft SQL Server database, and other sources mentioned above.

Step 3: Create Microsoft Visio Diagram

Create a Microsoft Visio diagram and link the shapes to data from the SharePoint list created in Step 2, as illustrated below.

And to have an effervescent presentation of data, edit the data graphics of the diagram.

As illustrated below, save the diagram to SharePoint as Visio Web Drawing.

Step 4: Embedding Microsoft Visio Diagram

Embedding Microsoft Visio diagram in SharePoint Server 2010 could be facilitated through Visio Web Access Web part in SharePoint Server 2010.

And finally, it could also be viewed directly from a SharePoint list through View in Web Browser facility.

Recommended readings:

Installing and Configuring Visio Services - http://blogs.msdn.com/visio/archive/2009/11/12/installing-and-configuring-visio-services.aspx

Introducing Visio Services - http://blogs.msdn.com/visio/archive/2009/10/30/introducing-visio-services.aspx

Publishing Diagrams to Visio Services - http://blogs.msdn.com/visio/archive/2009/11/03/publishing-diagrams-to-visio-services.aspx

Embedding a Web Drawing into a SharePoint Page - http://blogs.msdn.com/visio/archive/2009/11/05/embedding-a-web-drawing-into-a-sharepoint-page.aspx

Thanks!

Office Web Apps are online companions to Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft OneNote applications that allow us to access documents from anywhere. Yes! You read it right! We can view, share, and work on documents within supported Web browsers, including Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari. Not to mention its availability through Windows Live, Office Web Applications can be greatly hosted in Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010 or Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010, where this piece will focus.

We are three steps away from this groundbreaking technology:

1. Download and Install Office Web Apps
2. Activate Office Web Apps Services
3. Activate Office Web Apps Feature

Download and Install Office Web Apps

Important notes in installing Office Web Apps:

1. Download Microsoft Office Web Apps from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=27d81b1c-18ae-4983-8e1c-224bb747eb99
2. We will use the pre-release product key stipulated in this document.
3. For our purpose, choose the default file location on the Choose a File Location window.
4. Upon completing the setup, make sure to check the Run the SharePoint Products and Technologies Configuration Wizard now checkbox. Below is the illustration.

5. On the Modify Server Farm Settings page of the configuration wizard, let us make sure to select Do Not Disconnect From This Server Farm. Below is the illustration.

Activate Office Web Apps Services

Important notes in activating Office Web Apps services:

1. As illustrated below, we will use the farm Configuration Wizards in activating the services. This is not to mention that we can correspondingly use Windows PowerShell in activating the services.

2. During the configuration process, merely choose the Office Web Apps services that you want to activate.

3. Note that you can optionally create a top-level site.

Activate Office Web Applications Feature

1. As illustrated below, let us activate the Office Web Apps feature in all our site collections.

2. Additionally, we can similarly use Windows PowerShell in activating this feature.

We could now enjoy our Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft OneNote within a web browser.

We can download the detailed installation guide from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=4ac8442d-0974-4902-84fe-1ade382ab2a1#filelist

Thanks!

Are you now ready to explore Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 Beta? This piece will provide us basic installation guide. The first screen that will prompt us provides access to review the hardware and software requirements, and to read the installation and upgrade guides. And naturally, it provides us the facility to install the software prerequisites and the SharePoint Server.

Step 1: Review Hardware and Software Requirements

Before installing the software prerequisites, we basically need to:

• Understand the fundamental information about deploying Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010.
• Review the hardware and software requirements.

Step 2: Install Software Prerequisites

The next step is for us to install the software prerequisites using SharePoint Preparation Tool. It installs the following:

• Application Server Role, Web Server Role
• Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Native Client
• Microsoft “Geneva” Framework Runtime
• Microsoft Synch Framework Runtime
• Microsoft Chart Controls for Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5
• Microsoft Filter Pack 2.0
• Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services ADOMD.NET

Step 3: Install SharePoint Server

In installing SharePoint Server, we are primarily required to enter the product key.

The next screen is a facility where we will determine our preferred installation type. It may be a Standalone or Server Farm installation. If our server is not a member of a domain, we will only be allowed to install a standalone type.

If we have chosen the Server Farm installation, we will be prompted to choose the server type. It may be Complete where all components will be installed and we can add servers to form a farm, or Standalone where all components will be installed on a single machine and we cannot add servers to create a farm.

Then, the installation will start.

To complete the installation, we need to run the SharePoint Products and Technologies Configuration Wizard.

During the configuration, we need to determine whether to connect to an existing server farm or create a new server farm.

In addition, we also need to specify the configuration database settings.

With the above settings, the SharePoint Server configuration will be performed.

After completing the configuration, we will have now our Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 up and running!

That’s it! Thanks.

An article of Jeff Teper of Microsoft, Corporate Vice President, SharePoint Server, Describing SharePoint 2010 in 1 Sentence, 8 Categories and 40 Feature Areas, clearly describes the significant features of SharePoint 2010. In a sentence, according to him, SharePoint 2010 is “The Business Collaboration Platform for the Enterprise and the Web”. What does it mean? From the same article is it explicated, and I quote:

“We decided “Collaboration” was broad enough to cover the spectrum of publishing, sharing, finding, analyzing and managing information that SharePoint enables. We chose “Platform” not only because custom solutions are a major focus of the 2010 release but also "platform" conveyed a solid base for all the out-of-box usage that never requires a developer. Finally, we want to call out “the Web” to highlight both internet scenarios reaching customers and partners and the cloud-based delivery of SharePoint Online.”

The entire features of SharePoint 2010 could be categorized as Sites, Communities, Content, Search, Insights, or Composites. Other features are categorized as Administration and Development.

Below are the top investment areas/features highlighted by Microsoft for each category:

Additionally, there are significant investment areas under Administration and Development categories. For the detailed description of these features, it is recommended to visit http://blogs.msdn.com/sharepoint/archive/2009/10/19/sharepoint-2010.aspx .

Thanks!

Microsoft has provided us the hands-on lab manuals in C# and Visual Basic for us to get started learning SharePoint 2010 development.

We need to have Visual Studio 2010 Beta and SharePoint Server 2010 Beta. However, since SharePoint Server 2010 Beta is not yet available for download, we could start reviewing the manuals.

The manuals could be downloaded from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=C010FC68-B47F-4DB6-B8A8-AD4BA33A35C5&displaylang=en#filelist .

Thanks!