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So, you know your organization needs hosted Microsoft SharePoint 2010. What are the next steps?

Which version of hosted SharePoint 2010 is best for your organization? Should it be hosted in a cloud environment? Is a single server adequate?

These are good questions. Once you identify a Microsoft-certified SharePoint hosting company with which to work, a qualified hosting expert can help you make sense of all the considerations involved in determining an optimal SharePoint 2010 architecture. Until then, here are a few guidelines.

Getting Started With SharePoint 2010

The choice of Foundation vs. Standard vs. Enterprise is not based on the size of your installation or even the number of users. Rather, it is based on how SharePoint will be used within your organization. What functionality will the end users require? Which SharePoint features will solve their business problems?

Why isn’t a SharePoint configuration based on the number of users? The number of end users is less meaningful than what they’re doing with the application.

For example, if 100 users all log onto SharePoint and don’t do anything except stare at their home page, there is absolutely no burden placed on the server(s). If the 100 users do only their wiki or blog updates, there is minimal impact on the SharePoint server(s). If the 100 users click and go from one page to another to look at media files, there is also only minimal impact on the server(s). If, however, all 100 users are uploading documents, downloading documents, and searching through documents, then the server(s) may be seriously impacted.

Why focus on functionality and features? SharePoint 2010 has so many cool features that the temptation to turn on all the features is irresistible.

But, bear in mind that the manner in which those SharePoint features are utilized will significantly impact the architecture of your solution. It may mean adding one or more servers, so that’s why it’s important to comprehend fully how SharePoint will be utilized by the end users.

For example, want a daily content crawl for 100,000 documents totaling 90GB? It’s entirely feasible. However, if you have everything residing on a single server, it may take up to 12 hours to complete if you are simultaneously running your system and SQL server backups. An end user attempting to access SharePoint while this crawl/backup process is in progress may find that the system performs poorly, freezing up at times because it cannot readily access its databases. That’s why if you were planning to give your end users all the features and leave it to them to figure out on their own which are best suited to their needs, you should resist that urge now. Ask them for their input and simply plan ahead.

SharePoint Installations: Some Due Diligence Questions to Ask

To get started on configuring a SharePoint 2010 installation, take several first steps:

1) Estimate your SharePoint user numbers. SharePoint 2010 is a database-driven application; everything is managed and presented via the SQL server database. Knowing the number of users is going to drive your storage requirements, which also affects performance. You should also be able to define who they are. Are the end users casual, daily, concurrent or critical? Are they employees? Contractors? Clients?

2) Determine how SharePoint will be utilized by the end users. What specific business problems are you trying to solve for end users within – and even outside of – your organization? What end user expectations are there?

3) Decide what features you need. The required features not only determine the architecture of your solution but they also dictate what version of the server software you should use. For example, if the ability to have (Excel, Access, Visio, etc.) forms and data access displayed directly within a SharePoint Web site is required, then the Enterprise version of the software is required.

4) Ask the right questions. To determine sizing, versions, and hosting environment, here are some initial questions that you must first ask yourself:

Access

How will users log in? Will you be using Active Directory? Will you require Anonymous user access from the Internet?

Content

Is this an Intranet, Extranet or Internet Web site? Documents and files are a big factor in determining storage requirements. How many do you anticipate? What types of content exist (surveys, images/graphics, forms, discussion boards, lists, etc.)? What are the average sizes of your documents/files? Is that static? How often will it change? Weekly? Monthly? Yearly? Will the content be made available to all users or to controlled groups of users? Will any content require user permission assignments or an approval process before users can see it? Do you require a collaboration workspace for end users to work on documents, projects or meetings? Will you require daily content crawls?

Search

Will you be using the Fast Search feature? Are advanced search features needed? Will users be able to narrow their search results via selecting search topics? Do users need to be able to search for content on a specific site? Or, on a server?

Services & Support

What services do end users require? Status reports, online payroll, human resource policies, etc.? What level of interaction will end users require? How often? Short-term or long-term? What are your setup, support and administrative needs? Who will fulfill those on an ongoing basis? Have you designated administrative roles (site manager, security manager, etc.)?

Custom Development

Do you know if you will be using Web parts? Any third party Web parts? Will direct access to MS Office applications/ other applications be required? Do you need custom functionality?

5) Identify a SharePoint hosting provider. Then, review its standard configurations, pricing and service level agreement (SLA). You’re still in due diligence mode. Ask the hosting company to send you their standard configurations for a dedicated server environment as well as their pricing; this will help you to determine which additional features and options might be attractive to your organization. Remember: Underestimating size requirements for the SharePoint environment can lead to problems down the road. For multiple reasons, squeezing everything into one server may not be optimal, so planning ahead is critical. It’s also important to review the company’s SLA. What level of support is promised? Are 100% network availability and uptime guaranteed? Is the company Microsoft certified? Does it have a Microsoft hosting competency? If security is an issue for you, is the SharePoint hosting provider SAS 70 Type II certified?

6) Contact the SharePoint hosting provider for a consultation and proposal quote. A good SharePoint hosting company has likely been hosting Microsoft products for years and can answer a litany of questions. The company’s SharePoint hosting expert will guide you through the process and help you make smart choices.

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Live chat solutions are popular with various types of customer-oriented businesses, as they’re a serious tool for increasing sales. Web chat can be an informal yet effective means of communicating with potential customers and can give a business an advantage over its competitor.

They’re also easy to use. Most live chat solutions are web-based and require no additional software from the customer’s side. On the business’s side, live chat services are capable of astounding flexibility. Reports can be generated to monitor a sales department’s efficacy and visitor demographics, standard answers to common questions can be delivered automatically and a sales department’s productivity can increase quickly. Live chat solutions can easily improve a business’s sales, but for the best possible results, it’s important to find an appropriate service and to make sure that a sales team is coordinated when dealing with online customers.

Features to Look for in a Live Chat Service

The best live chat solutions have features that instantly interact with new website visitors.

A web visitor might be asked whether he or she needs assistance through a specialized chat portal that appears on the side of a page. When used correctly, these solutions have a minimal impact on the average user’s experience and offer an easy way for a web visitor to get information about products, pricing and more.

The best of these types of solutions provide a seamless experience for the customer. Most live chat services coordinate colors, graphics and text in their web chat portals with company websites. If a web chat looks unprofessional, customers won’t use it, and it may even drive some customers away from a business’s website.

Other important features include report generation. Reporting is especially important with online sales, as the slightest problem with a salesperson’s approach or a website’s design can drive potential customers away from a purchase. The best way to avoid this is to track website traffic, the average time that customers spend on chat and other numbers that might indicate weak areas. Live chat solutions should be able to easily generate these types of reports.

Coordinating a Sales Department

Dealing with customers through a web chat interface isn’t exactly the same as talking to them over the phone or in person. A sales team will need to have a unified approach when dealing with customers through live chat. This approach will vary depending on the business and its products. For some businesses, simply providing information about products in a web store can be enough. Live chat software can be configured with automatic answers to eliminate any possibility of inaccurate product info or spelling mistakes, allowing salespeople to focus more on making a light pitch and getting the customer’s info for later contact.

When a more high-pressure approach is necessary, a web chat service can collect a potential customer’s phone number before or after the chat. With the customer’s permission, the salesperson can make a follow-up call. The most important thing is to have a consistent approach, as your business will be able to control its image better with consistent salespeople and a solid, dependable web chat program. live chat solutions can make an enormous difference in only a few weeks, especially when a sales team is on point and ready to improve customers’ shopping experiences.

This approach will vary depending on the business and its products. For some businesses, simply providing information about products in a web store can be enough. Live chat software can be configured with automatic answers to eliminate any possibility of inaccurate product info or spelling mistakes, allowing salespeople to focus more on making a light pitch and getting the customer’s info for later contact.

When a more high-pressure approach is necessary, a web chat service can collect a potential customer’s phone number before or after the chat. With the customer’s permission, the salesperson can make a follow-up call.

The most important thing is to have a consistent approach, as your business will be able to control its image better with consistent salespeople and a solid, dependable web chat program. Live chat can make an enormous difference in only a few weeks, especially when a sales team is on point and ready to improve customers’ shopping experiences.