Will you be able to leapfrog from SharePoint 2010 to SharePoint 2016?

Microsoft’s unveiling of SharePoint 2016 this past May revealed a plethora of cool new features coupled with improvements to existing technology, such as integration with the cloud. There is seemingly something for everyone: admins can enjoy zero downtime patching, users can search Office 365 & on-premises SharePoint via a singular interface, and pro-cloud security experts will love the move to cloud-based authentication via SAML. There’s one group, though, that is expectantly awaiting further clarification… and they have about 6 to 9 months of impatient finger-tapping ahead of them: SharePoint 2010 users.

In previous versions, SharePoint upgrades took a step-by-step approach. For example, SP 2007 users needed to take a pit stop at SP 2010 before moving on to SP 2013. All of the signs indicate that this process will again be the case for those who wish to upgrade from 2010 to 2016.

The reasons behind this are based on the architecture used for 2016: SharePoint 2016 was built on 2013 technology; specifically, with regards to the treatment of Site Collections. SharePoint 2010 databases need to be upgraded to SharePoint 2013 before continuing the upgrade to 2016 (i.e., Site Collections must be in SP 2013 v15 mode, not SP 2010 v14 mode).

Okay, end of story, right? It’s not possible, move along, there’s nothing to see here…

But then we have this tweet from Microsoft Senior Technical Product Manager Bill Baer:

Of course the Twitter replies were overwhelmingly positive for obvious reasons. Who wouldn’t want to skip a step and go straight to the latest & greatest version without the hassle of juggling databases?

From a business perspective, enabling SharePoint 2010 users to easily upgrade to SharePoint 2016 makes a lot of sense. A substantial number of organizations still use SP 2010, and many of them are interested in transitioning to enterprise platforms with more cloud-centric features. An easy transition to SharePoint 2016 would enable 2010 users to gain quick access to more cloud-friendly features, such as Office 365 Experiences.

SharePoint 2016 (both on-premises and cloud) makes it easy for end-users to connect and enjoy Office 365 features, such as Groups and the Video Portal Experience. The integration of cloud and on-premises features in the SharePoint/Office 365 universe represents the hybrid approach that Microsoft is keen on promoting.

In a nutshell, Microsoft is moving inexorably towards the Cloud. The more organizations that get on-board the SharePoint 2016 Express Cloud Train, the better. The intent and business reasons are clearly there, but is a jump from SP 2010 to 2016 possible from a technical standpoint?

That’s the million dollar question. The fact is that we’re just ending Q4 2015… and Q2 2016, SharePoint 2016’s expected release date, is still about 6 months away. Nothing is written in stone and it would be a marketing (and technical) coup―from Microsoft’s standpoint―to surprise the IT world with direct migration support for SharePoint 2010 users.

by Scott Restivo via Everyone's Blog Posts - SharePoint Community

The Barcode Advantage in IT Asset Management Software

Are your IT Assets barcoded? Adding barcode technology can take a SharePoint-based IT Asset Management program to another level. Barcoding greatly eases asset intake, check-in/check-out, audits, inventory, and integration with service tickets.

The Benefits of Using Barcoding for SharePoint IT Asset Management

Barcoding can offer immediate access to large amounts of data relating to each asset, whether that data is in SharePoint or other databases. Physical location, acquisition and utilization information, as well as the scheduling of maintenance and upgrades can all be accessed quickly, accurately, and cost effectively.

Barcoding can be used with a SharePoint-based IT Asset Management program to help your IT Department effectively and efficiently manage the equipment vital to the business’s operations. When the asset management program is used with an IT Helpdesk for SharePoint, the combination leverages the collaborative power of SharePoint to provide a powerful way to establish and maintain high levels of service to your organization.

Key Benefits of Implementing a Barcode Solution:

• Efficient capture and reconciliation of vast amounts of information
• Increases data integrity and reduces error reconciliation
• Increased accountability and control simplifies mandatory record-keeping
• Easily implemented with short employee training time
• Reduces labor costs while drastically cutting time for physical inventory management
• Immediate access to equipment and inventory location
• Accounts for lost and misplaced assets
• Eliminates missed maintenance schedules
• Helps discover and allocate idle equipment
• Increased security of sensitive information is facilitated by ready access to asset positioning
• Automatic id and data capture with RFID can track assets that are on the move

Barcodes are often overlooked as a method for cutting costs and saving time in SharePoint IT Asset Management. They are inexpensive to design and print and easily customized to contain the precise information you need. We can help you implement this accessible cost-effective choice for businesses looking to improve access, increase efficiency and reduce overhead. In this way your SharePoint IT Asset Management Program is optimized to best and most cost efficiently work for you.

by Scott Restivo via Everyone's Blog Posts - SharePoint Community