Using Amazon Web Services with SharePoint 2013

In addition to being a web application development platform, SharePoint is also used by a large number of enterprises for document and management. Microsoft has released SharePoint 2013 with a set of advanced features to broaden its capacity. It allows organizations to avail the latest cloud-based iterations of the collaboration platform. The SharePoint applications in the cloud can be further managed by users through customized applications designed by several companies including Microsoft.

The users also have option to run SharePoint 2013 with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to avail several benefits including no upfront investment, lower operational cost, enhanced speed and flexible capacity. Microsoft has made it easier for users to run SharePoint in AWS through the License Mobility through Software Assurance. Also, Amazon EC2 running Windows Server create a secure and reliable environment to deploy and run the SharePoint applications.

Important Advantages of Using Amazon Web Services with SharePoint 2013

No Upfront Investment

When an organization decides to deploy SharePoint in the cloud, it is not required to invest any funds upfront. As Amazon requires users to pay only for the cloud resources used by them, they are not required to procure any new hardware. In addition to pay-as-you-go pricing, Amazon further takes care of the hardware management. Thus, an organization can optimize its content management without incurring any initial cost.

Easy and Fast Deployment

An enterprise can further deploy SharePoint applications in the cloud without putting any additional time and effort. After obtaining the required license, it can deploy the application quickly without waiting for the required hardware to arrive. Microsoft has further optimized the online version of SharePoint by including several advanced features to eliminate the functional gaps associated with switching to a cloud-based environment.

Use Existing Skill and Software

Similar to hardware, a business can run SharePoint application with AWS without requiring skilled developers and resources. Microsoft has designed the platform with a set of simple and easy features. So an enterprise can quickly create and deploy new apps by using its existing developers and software assets. Unlike other cloud services, the AWS platform supports a large number of operating systems and programming language. So the .NET developers can create robust application by using familiar tools and IDEs like Visual Studio.

Curtail Capital Expenses

Each modern business explores option to convert capital expenses into operational expenses. But the team managing infrastructure always tries to sabotage such initiatives in order to retain control. An organization can use SharePoint 2013 with AWS to curtail both capital and operational expenses. It can scale down the cost according to its cloud resource requirements. At the same time, a business can further avoid the large and upfront expenses. The AWS Cloud allows organizations to add capacity according to the changes in business demand. So an enterprise can easily scale the cloud capacity quickly according to its needs.

Manage SharePoint through Customized Applications

Unlike large enterprises, the small and local businesses cannot afford to deploy an IT team to manage their content and documents. SharePoint 2013 facilitates document and content management without deploying a dedicated team. The users have option to manage the SharePoint application with AWS using a variety of applications developed by Microsoft and third-party companies. So it becomes easier for the small and medium enterprises to align technologies with business processes without deploying any additional resources.

Enhanced Security

While deploying an application in the cloud, users have to explore ways to keep it secure and inaccessible. As a secure and durable technology platform, AWS is widely used by companies belonging to different industries and regions. The certifications and audit standards used by the platform is further recognized across industries. Thus, an organization gets a secure and reliable environment to deploy SharePoint applications.

A number of recent reports have highlighted that a gradual increase is noted in the number of enterprises using Amazon Web Services with SharePoint 2013. However, each organization also needs to identify and address some of the important challenges while using AWS with SharePoint 2013. It also needs to choose the right third-party applications to get enhanced data privacy and security. You can hire developers from custom Sharepoint development companies who can help build sharepoint apps for you within allocated budgets and time schedules.

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Integrating Outlook and SharePoint – The Dynamic Duo

For meeting the objective of making things less complicated for the users, one of the best options is to integrate Outlook (OL) and SharePoint (SP) with each other. The main reason behind such an integration is completion of certain tasks along with access to bit information from within the SP and from any other office applications, where they are actively in operation.

It is possible to sync any library or list in a simple way, by accessing the Calendar, List Setting or Library on a ribbon and then click the “Connect to Outlook” option. This will allow in accessing the SharePoint information within the OL, without having to open SP at all.

Since most of the users spend a lion's share of time dealing with OL, naturally it is imperative that users have all the relevant information at their fingertips. This will ostensibly minimize or limit the use of other windows, making the task much simpler. The most pertinent uses of this phenomenon include:

Sync Calendars

This method can be used with the Outlook Connector in Outlook 2003/07/10/EAS of Outlook 2013 for syncing the calendar along with the contacts of other smartphones or computers when using an IMAP or a POP3 email account. All that is needed is a MS Account, for obtaining a valid email address. Hotmail, Outlook.com address or Live are not needed.

Sync Team Discussion

This will help in saving a considerable amount of time, by reducing the extent of email traffic as well as providing some astounding updates to people, irrespective of their time as well as location.

Sync Document Libraries

This is again an extremely handy property, that helps users to take a preview of any document or presentation in the OL Reading Pane. However, it is not without limitations.

Capture emails along with attachments or the attachments independently and separately

OnePlaceMail (which helps in connecting MS Outlook, MS Office as well as Windows Explorer to MS SharePoint 2007/10/13 along with Office 365) comes up with an obvious as well as common filing experience of saving mails from the MS OL to the SharePoint. OnePlaceMail provides the users the option of:

• Transferring emails from Outlook to SharePoint with drag and drop facility of attachments, and the option to drag and drop mails to the SP without any prompts whatsoever. This helps in capturing various attributes of the emails automatically like Attachment Names, To, From, Date, Subject, conversion ID, etc. This makes it far easier as well as efficient for the users, when it comes to sharing information.

A plausible way of synchronizing the documents of a library for using them offline, is to click on the SYNC option that is available on the site header adjacent to the user's name.

Let us discuss another classical way of integrating SharePoint with Outlook:

In case a user spends too much of time in MS OL but stores documents along with other stuffs in SharePoint, connecting SP with Outlook does make a sense. Connecting SharePoint, library, list of contacts along with other documents with Outlook will bring the contents in the SharePoint into Outlook and one can view the contents along with various other personal information in the Outlook itself. This also helps in searching as well as editing the contents of SP offline, even when the computer is not connected to the internet and then integrate the contents back to SP once the user goes online.

The option “Sync a Library To Your Computer” will help with additional information.

1) Go to calendar, list or library that is to be connected to Outlook

2) Click on “Calendar/Library/List, depending upon the kind of library or list connected to Outlook.

3) Click “Connect to Outlook”.

4) Once the dialog box appears, click on “Allow” and then “Yes” as deemed appropriate. If the site comes with Office365, the user name along with password are needed.

Once done, the calendar will appear in the Outlook that comes under “Other Calendars”. Contacts will appear in the “Other Contacts” option. Libraries, including document libraries, picture libraries, come under “SharePoint Lists”. The files of the library behave in the same way as the e-mail messages. In case of office files, clicking on the preview file option that appears in the Reading Pane will open it. Right clicking on the file will give more options. You can hire developers from top companies in SharePoint development who can help you build products within allocated budgets and time schedules.

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