Microsoft Sharepoint Downloads - MSDN

Here is a quick link for MSDN downloads available for Microsoft SharePoint 2007

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc262788.aspx

Back up and Restore your Site Collection in Sharepoint

You can use the tools included with Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 to back up and restore your site collections. The Stsadm command line tool offers a fast and flexible, command line-based approach to content backup and recovery. You can use the Stsadm command-line tool together with Windows Scheduler to schedule delayed or periodic backups.

For more information about how the data protection tools included with Office SharePoint Server 2007 compare with other tools for protecting the SharePoint data, see Choose backup and recovery tools (Office SharePoint Server).

Important:
If changes are made to the site collection during the backup process, the backup can become corrupted. Backing up large site collections can take a long time. To reduce the chance that user activity will interfere with a site collection backup, or that the time that is required to back up large site collections will exceed the available maintenance window, follow these recommendations:

• For the duration of the backup, set the site collection URL to read-only by using the Setsitelock operation in the Stsadm command-line tool. This lets users view content on the site, but prevents activities such as adding or changing content that interfere with the backup process. When the backup is complete, return the access setting of the site collection URL to its default state.

• If the size of the site collection that you want to back up is 15 gigabytes (GB) or smaller, use the Stsadm command-line tool as shown in the procedures that follow.

• If the size of the site collection that you want to back up is from 15 GB through 100 GB, use Microsoft SQL Server 2005 or Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 to perform a full backup of the site collection database.

• If the size of the site collection that you want to back up is larger than 100 GB, use System Center Data Protection Manager to perform a differential backup of the site collection database.

For more information about backup and recovery tools, see Choose backup and recovery tools (Office SharePoint Server).

Back up a site collection by using SharePoint built-in tools
Use this procedure to restrict access to the site collection during backup by using the Stsadm command-line tool.

Important:
Membership in the Administrators group on the local computer is the minimum required to complete this procedure. Limit access to the site collection during backup
1. At a command prompt on the drive on which SharePoint Products and Technologies is installed, change to the following directory: %COMMONPROGRAMFILES%\Microsoft shared\Web server extensions\12\Bin.

2. To determine the current access level of the site, type the following command, and then press ENTER: stsadm -o getsitelock -url <> where URL name is the URL of the site collection that you want to back up.

3. If the current access level allows changes to the site content, change it to read-only by typing the following command, and then pressing ENTER:
stsadm -o setsitelock -url <> -lock readonly where URL name is the URL of the site collection that you want to back up.

4. When the backup is complete, reset your site collection lock from read-only to none
stsadm -o setsitelock -url <> -lock none

Use this procedure to back up a site collection by using the Stsadm command-line tool.

Important: Membership in the Administrators group on the local computer is the minimum required to complete this procedure. To back up a site collection by using the Stsadm command-line tool 1. On the drive on which SharePoint Products and Technologies is installed, change to the following directory: %COMMONPROGRAMFILES%\Microsoft shared\Web server extensions\12\Bin.

2. Type the following command: stsadm -o backup -url <> -filename <\\server. name\folder name\file name> [-overwrite] where URL name is the URL of the site collection that you want to back up, and where \\server name\folder name\file name is the UNC path of the backup folder and the name of the file that you are backing up to. If there is an existing file for the backup, use the -overwrite parameter to overwrite the existing file.

3. If the backup is completed successfully, the Command Prompt window displays the following text: Operation completed successfully.

4. If the backup is not completed successfully, the Command Prompt window provides additional details about the failure. Most typically, an incorrect URL or file name was given.

Use this procedure to restore a Web application by using the Stsadm command-line tool.

Important:
Membership in the Administrators group on the local computer is the minimum required to complete this procedure. To restore a site collection by using the Stsadm command-line tool

1. On the drive where SharePoint Products and Technologies is installed, change to the following directory: %COMMONPROGRAMFILES%\Microsoft shared\Web server extensions\12\Bin.

2. To restore a site collection, type the following command, and then press Enter:
stsadm -o restore -url <> -directory <\\server. name\folder name\file name> -restoremethod overwrite where URL name is the URL of the site collection that you want to restore and UNC path is the UNC path of the backup shared folder.

3. When you receive a warning that all selected items will be overwritten, type y, and then press Enter.

4. When prompted, type the user name and password for the Web application and content databases.

5. If the recovery is completed successfully, the Command Prompt window displays the following text:

Operation completed successfully.

6. If the recovery is not completed successfully, the command Prompt window provides additional details about the failure.

Most typically, an incorrect URL or file name was given.

It is not possible to schedule backups from the SharePoint Central Administration Web site. There is no operation that enables you to automate backups by using the Stsadm command-line tool.

You can, however, automate the process by creating a batch file and then using Task Scheduler in Windows Server 2003 to run the batch file at a specific time. Because performance can be affected when doing backups with the Office SharePoint Server 2007 built-in tools, you might want to schedule your backups for off-peak times such as at night or on weekends.

Use this procedure to create a batch file that will run a full backup of your site collection. This procedure assumes that you have already created a shared folder for your backups.

Tip: When using Task Scheduler, make sure that the system date and time on your computer are accurate. To verify or change this information, double-click the time indicator on the taskbar. To create a batch file

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. Type notepad, and then click OK.
3. In Notepad, type the following text:

Copy Code

@echo off
echo ===============================================================
echo Back up sites for the farm to C:\backup
echo ===============================================================
cd \Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\BIN
@echo off
stsadm -o backup -directory <\\server name\folder name> -backupmethod full -item 
echo completed

4. where \\server name\folder name is the UNC path of the backup folder and where Web application name is the name of the site collection that you want to back up. You might use the full farm path notation as displayed by the showtree parameter or the name of the component in the path if it has a unique name — for example, Windows SharePoint Services Web Application\SharePoint-80.
5. In Notepad, on the File menu, click Save As.
6. In the Save As box, select the folder where you want to keep your batch file.
7. Use the ".bat" file name extension; type the name of the file in the File name box, for example, backup_batch.bat.
8. In the Save as type box, click All files.
9. Click Save.

To schedule a backup
1. Start the Scheduled Task Wizard, and then click Next.
2. Click Browse, locate the batch file that you just created, and then click Open.
3. Type a name for your task, for example, backup_batch.
4. Select how often you want this task performed (for example, weekly), and then click Next.
5. To automatically perform this backup periodically, select an interval such as Weekly or Monthly. To perform this backup one time, or to delay a single backup, select One time only.
6. Choose a time and start date for your backup.
7. Type a name and password for a user, and then click Next. This task will run as if it were started by that user.
8. Click Finish.

To configure advanced settings for the task, select the Open advanced properties for this task when I click Finish check box in the final page of the wizard. This opens the properties dialog box for the task when you click Finish.

You can then change the program being run on the Task tab, fine-tune the schedule on the Schedule tab, customize settings on the Settings tab, or set user and group permissions on the Security tab.

Courtesy: MSDN

How to install Sharepoint 40 application templates - Installation scripts

Here are a few simple steps to install Microsoft Sharepoint fantastic 40 application templates in a jiffy.

Installation Guidelines: (follow them in the order specified)

a) Install all the 40 application templates in your local hard-drive, lets say you install them in C:/MOSSTemplates directory

Note: Before installtion, please make sure your Windows SharePoint Services Administration service is running.

b) In order to install the set of 20  application templates having .stp as extension, create a batch file namely: STPInstallation.bat, create it in the same directory, where you have installed the application templates. 

Copy the following code inside this batch file:

for %%f in (*.stp) do "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\BIN\stsadm.exe" -o addtemplate -filename %%f -title %%f

Run this batch file and your 20 application templates are installed without any effort.

c) In order to install the next set of 20  application templates having .wsp as extension, 

i) Create a batch file namely:  AddGACSolution.bat in the same directory

Copy the following code inside this batch file:

for %%f in (*.wsp) do "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\BIN\stsadm.exe" -o addsolution -filename %%f

Run this batch file.

ii) Create another batch file namely:  GacDeployment.bat in the same directory

Copy the following code inside this batch file:

for %%f in (*.wsp) do "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\BIN\stsadm.exe" -o deploysolution -allowgacdeployment -immediate -name %%f

Run this batch file to deploy the solution in the Global Assembly Cache and do an iisreset thereafter

d) You 're done installing the fantastic 40 application templates provided by sharepoint. Finally you get to see them all, when you create sites in sharepoint

If you find this post helpful, spread this to all the Sharepoint practioners you know...

In case you facwe any issue, post a comment on this blog and i will try to solve your issue...

Top Sharepoint WSS/MOSS via RSS Feeds

A few must subscribe RSS feeds for SharePoint, i thought should share

#1. Sharepoint Blogs, all Posts
http://www.sharepointblogs.com/MainFeed.aspx?GroupID=3
#2. Sharepoint Blogs, posts by Sharepoint Experts
http://www.sharepointblogs.com/MainFeed.aspx?GroupID=2
#3. Microsoft official Sharepoint Blog
http://blogs.msdn.com/sharepoint/rss.xml
#4. Sharepoint University Forums WSS/MOSS v3 Setup/Admin/Deployment forum
http://www.sharepointu.com/backend2.asp?fid=75
#5. Sharepoint University Forums
http://www.sharepointu.com/backend2.asp?fid=76
#6. Andrew Connell [MVP]
http://feeds.feedburner.com/AndrewConnell
#7. Shane Perran's Blog [MVP]
great for the creative sharepoint developer/designer
http://feeds.feedburner.com/SharePointCustomizationBlog
#8. Andrew May's
http://blogs.msdn.com/andrew_may/rss.xml

#9. John Holliday
http://feeds2.feedburner.com/johnfholliday

Domino directory to Active directory migration using Exchange 2003

Its been a long time, since i have updated you guys on my research work going on with Lotus to MOSS user account & application migration.

I am in the last leg, yes, but the most intricate and the most challenging one too. User account migration from Domino directory to Active directory using the Exchange 2003 migration wizard.
My test environment: I am using two virtual VM-Ware environments, one which has Exchange 2003 and another one which has Domain & Active directory installed , these two virtual pcs are configured to talk to each other. I have my lotus client 6.5.5 installed in Exchange 2003 to connect to my Lotus Domino server installed in Domain VM.

Users created via Exchange migration wizard gets created automatically on my Active Directory in Domain VM. Incidentally mailboxes too get created in Exchange, even if i wish to migrate only users from Domino directory to Active directory. I will have to measure the impact of the same in the real-time environment too.

Follow this step-by-step wizard to migrate Users & Mailboxes from Domino directory to Active directory via Exchange 2003 :

A) Prerequisites for Migrating Users to Exchange Server 2003

Ensure that the server on which you run the Microsoft® Exchange Server 2003 Exchange Migration Wizard meets the following requirements:

• The server is running Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2.
  
• If you configured Connector for Lotus Notes and directory synchronization, stop the Connector for Lotus Notes service. Stopping this service is necessary if you intend on running the Exchange Migration Wizard directly on the server running Connector for Lotus Notes. Otherwise the Exchange Migration Wizard is unable to extract data from the Lotus Domino server.
  
• You have installed and configured a Lotus Notes 6.x Client on Exchange Server 2003.
  
• You have network connectivity to the Lotus Domino server from Exchange Server 2003.
  
• You have administrative permissions in Exchange Server 2003 and in Lotus Domino.
  

B) How to Install Exchange Migration Wizard for Lotus Notes

This topic explains how to install Exchange Migration Wizard for Lotus Notes to establish mail and directory connectivity between Domino and Microsoft® Exchange Server 2003.

To install Exchange Migration Wizard for Lotus Notes

1. Download Exchange Migration Wizard for Lotus Notes.
2. To launch the file, click Start, click Run, and then go to the downloaded file.
3. On the Exchange Migration Wizard for Lotus Notes Installation Wizard Welcome page, click Next.
4. On the Component Selection page, in the Action menu next to Exchange 2003, click the arrow and select Install, and then click Next.
   Figure 1 Exchange Migration Wizard for Lotus Notes
   
   
5. On the Exchange Migration Wizard for Lotus Notes menu, select Install, and then click Next.
6. On the Licensing Agreement page, if you agree, select I agree that I have read and will be bound by the license agreements for this product, and then click Next.
7. On the Component Summary page, ensure Exchange Migration Wizard for Lotus Notes is selected, and then click Next.
8. After Setup completes successfully, click Finish.

C) How to Migrate Users and Mail Databases to Exchange Server 2003

This topic explains how to migrate users and their mail from the Lotus Domino server to Microsoft® Exchange Server 2003.

Note:

If the Exchange Migration Wizard for Lotus Notes is installed on the same Exchange Server 2003 that's running Exchange Connector for Lotus Notes, stop the Connector for Lotus Notes service. Stopping the service is necessary to prevent directory synchronization from deleting Lotus Domino mailboxes before you verify that migration is successful. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Services. In the details pane, right-click Microsoft Exchange Connector for Lotus Notes, and then click Stop.

To migrate users and mail databases to Exchange Server 2003

1. Start the Exchange Migration Wizard for Lotus Notes: Click Start, point to Programs, point to Microsoft Exchange, point to Deployment, and then click Exchange Migration Wizard for Lotus Notes.
   

   Note:
   Do not select the Migration Wizard deployment option because this does not include the Lotus Notes migration tools.

   Note:
   It is assumed that you are using the Exchange server that you installed the Exchange Connector for Lotus Notes and configured as described in the preceding procedures. This server is already configured with a Notes client and user ID file to access Lotus Domino.

2. On the Exchange Server Migration Wizard Welcome page, click Next.
3. On the Migration page, select Migrate Lotus Notes mailboxes from a Domino server, and then click Next.
   Figure 1 Migrate from Domino server
   
4. On the Lotus Notes Mail Migration page, confirm that the relevant prerequisites have been met and click Next
   Figure 2 Confirm prerequisites
   
5. On the Migration Procedure page:
   
   1. Under Select the migration method, select One step migration (recommended).
      
   2. In the Path to migration files text box, type the path to which the migration files are to be temporarily copied. Ensure the hard disk drive has sufficient space to copy the mail databases for all the users you migrate. You must specify a valid folder path. Click Next.
      Figure 3 Migrate to Exchange Server
      
6. On the Migration Destination page, select Migrate to a computer running Exchange Server. The Server list box should now show the name of the Exchange server where the Exchange Connector was installed. in the Information store list box, select the appropriate mailbox store. The default information store settings is Mailbox Store. Click Next.
   Figure 4 Migration Destination
   
7. On the Access Information page:
   
   1. In the Notes.ini file text box, type the path to the Notes.ini file on the local hard disk drive (including the filename). Typically, this path is x:\program files\lotus\notes\notes.ini, where x is the drive letter for your hard disk drive on which Lotus Notes is installed.
      
   2. In the User.ID file text box, type the name of the Notes user ID file that the Exchange Migration Wizard for Lotus Notes will use to access the Domino server. The Notes user ID you specify must have access to each user's Lotus Domino mailbox. It is recommended that you implement the same Notes user ID earlier configured for use by Exchange Connector for Lotus Notes.
      
   3. In the Password text box, type the password (if there is one) for the Lotus Notes user ID used by Exchange Connector for Lotus Notes. Click Next.
      Figure 5 Path to Notes.INI
      
8. On the Hierarchical Name page, select the name of the Lotus Domino server (with certifier information) from which you will migrate users. This information is populated from the Notes.ini file that you specified during the previous step. Click Next.
   Figure 6 Hierarchical Name page
   
9. On the Migration Information page, you should accept the defaults.
   However, if you do not want to accept the defaults, you can change the following options:
   
   • The Information to create mailboxes check box. When selected, this option creates a new mailbox for users migrated from Lotus Domino to Exchange.
     
   • The Personal e-mail messages check box. When selected, this option migrates the user's mail that is stored on the Lotus Domino server to the Exchange server. You can either select All to migrate all of the user's mail, or select Dated from to specify a date range of messages to migrate.
     
   • The Schedule information check box. When selected, this option migrates the user's schedule information to Exchange. You can either select All to migrate all of the user's schedule information, or select Dated from to specify a date range of schedule information to migrate.
     

     Note:
     Any meeting requests in users' inboxes that have not been accepted are migrated as text messages. Users must manually add these meetings to their calendars. Before you complete the migration, ensure that users accept any outstanding meeting requests.

   • Under Specify how to convert Notes DocLinks, select the format that the Exchange Migration Wizard for Lotus Notes uses to convert Lotus Notes document links:
     - OLE This format is represented by an icon in the Exchange message. When the user clicks the icon, Lotus Notes launches and the document link works as usual, provided the ID file that is being used has access to the document (Lotus Notes must be installed on the client).
     - RTF The document is converted to an RTF attachment. Because this attachment is a copy of the data from the actual Lotus Notes document, users are not able to edit the document.
     - URL This format converts the link to a URL. Clicking the URL launches the default Web browser, which tries to access the Domino server to which the link points. (The user still requires a Lotus Notes name, password, and license to access the document, unless anonymous authentication is allowed.) Click Next.
     Figure 7 Migration Information options
     
10. On the Account Migration page, select the Lotus Notes users you want to migrate to Exchange. The Notes user ID used by the Exchange Migration Wizard for Lotus Notes must have access to the mail database for each selected user in order to migrate doclinks. For more information about granting this Notes user ID access to the user's mail databases, see How to How to Change ACLs on Domino Directory and Mail Databases. Click Select All to select all users, or press CTRL and select users individually. Click Next.
11. On the Container For New Windows Accounts page, select the Active Directory® directory service container to which users will be migrated. The Exchange Migration Wizard for Lotus Notes creates a new Active Directory account for each user in the specified container. Click Options.
12. On the Account Options page, select Generate random password, and then make sure the User must change password at next logon check box. This option generates a random strong password for each user, which is stored in the Accounts.Password file in the \Program Files\Exchsrvr\Bin directory on the server running Exchange Server 2003. Alternatively, you can select other advanced options on this page, such as whether to create disabled user accounts that point to actual accounts in a different domain. For the purposes of this procedure, it is assumed that you are not selecting these other options. Click OK, and then click Next.
13. On the Windows Account Creation And Association page, you see a list of all the user accounts that will be created. In some instances, these are new accounts, but they might also be updates to existing accounts. For example, when you configured coexistence with Lotus Domino, you might have decided to create disabled Windows accounts for each Lotus Notes user. These disabled accounts appear for each corresponding user migrating from Lotus Notes. Lotus Notes users are matched with Exchange accounts based on their e-mail addresses. Verify that the accounts are matched correctly. If they are not, you can find the correct account using the Find Existing Account option. You can also choose to create a new account, using the Create New Account option. After you finalize the account list, click Next.
    Figure 9 Account creation
    

    Note:

    This figure shows an example of Lotus Notes users who had enabled Windows accounts resulting from Exchange Server 2003 and Lotus Domino coexistence. When these users are migrated, the accounts are matched to the users' e-mail addresses, and then the users' Lotus Notes messaging data is imported to the users' Exchange mailboxes. If you created disabled Windows accounts through directory synchronization, you must enable the user accounts in Active Directory Users and Computers after migration occurs to enable users to log on to the Windows domain.

14. The Exchange Migration Wizard for Lotus Notes extracts the data from the Lotus Domino server and then imports it into Exchange Server 2003 and Active Directory. Migration can take some time, depending on the number of users and messages that are migrated, the speed of the server, network latency and other factors. On the Migration Process page, verify that the migration process proceeds normally, and when the process completes, click Finish.
15. In the Exchange Migration Wizard for Lotus Notes dialog box that informs you that the migration is complete, click OK.

How to Check the Migration Log

This topic explains how to verify successful migrations by checking the migration log.

To check the migration log

1. On the Exchange server that performed the migration, click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Event Viewer.
2. Click Application.
3. Look for event log messages with the source MSExchangeNotesMig. Double-click the message to view it. Use the up and down arrows to scroll through the message.

Finally you are done. In case you find this post useful, drop in your valuable comments
Happy migration :)

Source: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb125058(EXCHG.65).aspx