In February, Silver Chain approached Connected Systems to assist with their immediate requirement to update and standardise on an Intranet platform for the next 2-3 years.  They selected Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 as their platform of choice for the new intranet.

Background

Historically, Silver Chain had two (2) legacy intranet solutions:

1. The old Intranet HTML-based site with static pages and links to static content.  Some of this content was difficult to update for those user not proficient in HTML.  It contains FrontPage pages that are using FrontPage extensions which are not compatible with SharePoint 2007.
2. The second is Windows SharePoint Services v2.0 environment used predominately for project based collaboration.

Connecteds Systems outlined a strategy and design that will satisfy the immediate businesses requirements (merging the 2 legacy intranets into one) and planning for growth in the future.  Other considerations like search, web content management, document/records management, exposing line-of-business application information and access via mobile devices were factored into the design.

The core IT systems and bespoke applications were top of mind when considering integration.

Our Role

The role of a SharePoint Architect is to plan and coordinates technical activities and system architectural component development throughout the project lifecycle by working closely with the project management, stakeholders and users as well as the Design and Implementation team.

The SharePoint Architect surveys and analyses business and technical information, conceptualises the viable solutions and applies the Microsoft platform and unique features of SharePoint to obtain a best practices platform-based solution.  

Our Approach

Connected Systems used our mature and well documented process-bound approach that has been very popular with clients looking to improve on their Information Management needs through the likes of SharePoint.  For more information on our portal framework, please contact rick@connectedsystems.com.

Our Design consolidated their intranet(s) to a new Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 platform - taking into account other key applications in use within Silver Chain.

One of the paradigm shifts with Microsoft SharePoint 2007 is to a Workspace-based solution, where information relating to business areas, project areas and-the-like reside.   This takes data out of technology stove-pipes (or in this case file shares) and puts it with the business areas, making it more relevant and easier to collaborate on.   This design document considers:

1. An immediate requirement to migrate the existing intranet(s) into a consolidated platform that is better manageable.
2. To gain better accesses via Microsoft Search Technology for existing documents on file shares.
3. To gain the ability to “Find People”.
4. A solution that will scale to meet the information management needs for Silver Chain and all potential users (internal and external).
5. A migration of file shares document repositories a workspace-based paradigm with co-existence options yet to be determined.

For more information about this customer enagement, please email rick@connectedsystems.com.