IMMIX SharePoint Brochure

Keeping with the color themes of our company pillars, the IMMIX SharePoint brochure consisted mainly of pinks and purples. The main focus was the SharePoint tree of knowledge, whereupon its roots represented the IMMIX SharePoint Deployment Planning Services (Upgrade and Migration, Healthcheck Assessment, Architecture Development and Deployment, Digital Branding Studio), these foundations lead to our service offerings that you see branched out (Collaboration, Social Networking, Business Process Management, Enterprise Content Management, Governance and Compliance, Intranets, End User Adoption)

SharePoint Quick Tips and Tricks

Today’s blog post is on a topic which is relevant to todays’ world. We read articles every day and we often find ourselves wondering how all this was created. Yes you got it right, it is a page. So if you are a SharePoint end-user, this post is dedicated to you – Thanks to IMMIX Solutions.

Without wasting any more time lets dive straight into it.

Create a SharePoint Page.

1.       Navigate to the desire site.

2.       Select Site Actions à Create Page.

3.       Fill out the form

a.       Title: This will appear at the top of the page.

b.      Description: This will appear in a search engine.

c.       URL Name: Keep it short - no special characters, spaces, or descriptive names.

d.      Page Layout: Select the page layout – e.g. Articles page layout in case you are creating a news article.

4.       Select Create.

5.       Save.

Please note that the page won’t be available to everyone not until it has been checked in. So use a check in option and click on publish to make it public.

by Sepaka Hlongwane (Consultant - SharePoint)

Installing Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 with Microsoft SQL Server 2012

So with the recently released Microsoft SQL Server 2012, I was pretty keen to get a virtual machine up and running with a working installation of CRM 2011 and SQL Server 2012.

The basic installation is no different to that of SQL Server 2008 RTM/R2 except for the fact that you need the updated CRM Installation files. This took a while to figure out as I had no idea that the installation files were updated in January 2012 already. I was so used to the CRM 4.0 install with Setup Updates that download from the internet.

First and foremost, download the latest CRM 2011 Installation files from Microsoft. These installs include Update Rollup 6 and Update Rollup 6 enables CRM 2011 to work on SQL Server 2012.

• Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Server:
  http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=27822
• Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Report Authoring Extension:
  http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=27823 
• Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 E-mail Router:
  http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=27818
• Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for Outlook:
  http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=27821 

By running each of these executables, you will be prompted to specify a folder to extract the installation files to.

I pre-created these folders in a temp directory and canceled the installer once all the files were extracted. Note. The installer does not remove these files from the temp directory when it is canceled.

I located my install folder that I created from the original CRM 2011 DVD  and removed the “old” files from the following folders:

• \Server\amd64
•  \BIDSExtensions
• \EmailRouter\amd64
•  \EmailRouter\i386
•  \Client\amd64
•  \Client\i386

Then I copied the files from my temp folder structure back into the folders above so that I now have a “new” CRM installation DVD v05.00.9690.1992

After installing a fresh copy of Windows Server 2008 R2 with SP1 – x64 – Standard Edition and converting it to a Domain Controller, I installed SQL Server 2012 – x64 – Standard Edition. The basics here apply – Database Server, Full Text Search, Reporting Server, BIDS and Management Studio.

I created all my services accounts:

• svc.CRMASync
• svc.CRMSandbox
• svc.CRMApplication
• svc.CRMDeployment
• svc.SSRS (NB! when you install SQL Server, you will need to use this account to start the SSRS Service otherwise the CRM SSRS Data Connector will not install)

I created the Organizational Unit for the CRM Security Groups and all the other bits and bobs required for the install, such as adding the two service accounts (svc.CRMASync & svc.CRMApplication) to the “Performance Log Users” security group etc.

I have been able to successfully install CRM 2011 on SQL Server 2012 in one fowl swoop without any errors or complications. Note. This is just a lab and was created in an “all-in-one” server scenario.

Additional Important Notes.

Update Rollup 6 enables CRM 2011 to work on SQL Server 2012 but is not fully supported. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2686619

Fully supported deployments of CRM 2011 on SQL Server 2012 will be supported in the Q2 2012 release of CRM 2011 due for release around the end of April/May 2012

by Keith Hertz (Senior Consultant - CRM)

Business Technology Solutions Powered by Microsoft SharePoint

We at IMMIX Solutions are forward thinking when it comes to Microsoft SharePoint and perceive the product as phenomenal platform that supports the development of “best of breed” internet solutions within the walls of the enterprise. SharePoint promotes healthy collaboration, business optimisation and productivity. It also encourages the collection of collective intelligence via informal and formal structures, groups and communities, centralised with the basic business need to communicate, share and learn.  Enterprise collaboration is the 21st century business performance accelerator.

With the growth and expansion of our SharePoint Practice at IMMIX Solutions, we have a new leader at the helm. Claudia joined IMMIX in January 2012 and has brought a wealth of insight, experience and out of the box thinking into the team garnered from more than 15 years dedicated to Organisational Intelligence, Knowledge Management and Operational Excellence. 

Our focus is centered on driving an innovative business strategy and increasing customer market share through alliance and partnerships with respected service providers and solution verticals. But as much as we are focused on our strategy, what is a strategy without an excellent and dedicated delivery team.  We are first and foremost committed to service delivery and excellence within the SharePoint team. Our strength and ability to predictably deliver successful and cost-effective projects resides in that we have a passion for what we do and that will never change.

We do have a strong customer centric approach are passionate about doing things the right way, understanding the customer pain points and ensuring that the solution is made to fit the client’s business needs and not the other way around.

Together as a team have already completed numerous brainstorming sessions, unpacking what we do, asking ourselves why we do it?. As a team we are proud and excited with the outcomes. IMMIX Solutions SharePoint Center of Excellence has emerged with dedicated Analysts, Architects, Engineers and Product Specialists. Together coupled with a rich, diverse and competitive customer offering. As a team we are confident that not only do we bring the expertise, technical skills and know-how but also an deep rooted understanding of organisational intelligence and the human and business processes that drive business and unlock value and success for SharePoint projects.

IMMIX Solutions Service Offering includes the following exciting and leading business technology solutions:

Social Business and Enterprise Information Management
Social Intranets
Collaboration and Communities
Content, Document and Records Management
Business Process Automation and Workflows
Web Content Management
Knowledge Management
Innovation and Ideation Management
Business Transformation and Change Management
Gamification
End User Adoption

SharePoint Strategy and Deployment Services
Enterprise Intranets, Extranets and Internet Solutions\
SharePoint Strategy Invention
SharePoint Upgrades and Migrations
SharePoint Architecture Development and Deployment
SharePoint Healthcheck and Risk Assessment
SharePoint Optimisation, Governance and Management
SharePoint Behavioural Analytics
SharePoint Digital Branding Studio
SharePoint and CRM Hybrid Solutions

IMMIX Solutions Strategic Partners and Leading Solution Verticals

K2
- K2 Blackpoint
- K2 Blackpearl
- K2 Connect

AvePoint
- DocAve 6
- SharePoint Integration
- SharePoint Management
- SharePoint Migration
- SharePoint Optimization
- SharePoint Protection
- SharePoint Reporting

OI Software
- nGage Prime for SharePoint 2010
- nGage Advances for SharePoint 2010
- nGage Intelligence

In upcoming blog posts, we will be discussing and unpacking the practical approach, implementation and business value of DocAve 6, K2 Blackpoint and Blackpearl as well nGage Intelligence. Be on the lookout for some awesome case studies, success stories and reviews that we will be sharing. You can also follow thought leaders from IMMIX Solutions Sharepoint Center of Excellence on Twitter. @MrThirsty – Andrew Shough @Collaboratrix – Claudia Correia de Araujo and of course follow the organisation @IMMIX – IMMIX Solutions for our news updates, community initiatives, marketing events and so much more.

Welcome to the world of IMMIX SharePoint

Since this is my first post of many for the SharePoint Practice at IMMIX, I thought I would start with an overview of who we are, what we do, and what the future holds for IMMIX SharePoint. We recently went through what we considered to be a rather large change – our SharePoint Practice manager of almost two years moved on to other business opportunities and left a gaping hole in our team. However, being who we are at IMMIX, we saw this as a fresh challenge and I am very glad to say that the position has been filled. The new SharePoint Practice manager has started with a bang.

Who are we?
IMMIX is a Microsoft partner and we are part of the Microsoft President’s Club for 2011 which includes the top 5% of Microsoft partners worldwide. IMMIX currently has two offices – the head office in Johannesburg and an office in Cape Town. We strive to provide business software applications that help clients to better manage their business, their customers, their software, and their information. Ultimately your business goals = our business solutions!

The goal of SharePoint Practice is to provide our clients with great business value with our solutions, be it a simple or a complex solution that has auditing, governance, and legal compliance.

by Andrew Shough (Senior Consultant - SharePoint)