Well, it’s been over a year since the last posting of this blog. Why am I now coming back? It could be my conscience, my wife bugging me about my lack of posts, or the fact that I have 6.5 blog post drafts sitting uncompleted, or the numerous requests from partners, Microsoft friends, clients and seminar/class attendees to post to my blog. When @TweetSharePoint retweets friends tweeting about believing a blog post when they see it [enough Twitter references there?], it’s THAT time. So, where to begin when you’ve been away for over a year?
It’s time to revisit my SharePoint Development Environment, the base of which I use for the classes, seminars, and presentations I create and present. It’s also a handy base for Proof of Concepts (POCs) for consulting clients. As always, the basis for creating something new is a plan. Where is it we want to go or be (Point B)? Where is it we are now(Point A)? And, then, what is the best way to get from Point A to Point B?
Today, my SharePoint environment consists of the following:
| TF-SP-DC | Windows Server 2003 Enterprise
Domain Controller
Mail Server |
| TF-SP-SQL | Windows Server 2003 Enterprise
SQL Server 2005 Enterprise |
| TF-SP-MOSS | Windows Server 2003 Enterprise
Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) 2007 Enterprise
Office 2007 Enterprise
SharePoint Designer 2007
Visual Studio 2005 Team Suite
Visual Studio 2008 Team Suite
|
| TF-SP-CLIENT | Windows Vista Enterprise
Office 2007 Enterprise
SharePoint Designer 2007 |
My plan is to update all servers with the latest released software. I want to be clear, the new environment is a base environment. My plans are to use a clone of the new environment for testing new beta releases (e.g. VSeWSS 1.3 Feb 2009 CTP). So, the plans are almost the same. Below are the specs for the new environment, with changes in bold:
| TF-SP-DC | Windows Server 2008 Enterprise without Hyper-V
Domain Controller
Mail Server (no longer supplied in OS) |
| TF-SP-SQL | Windows Server 2008 Enterprise without Hyper-V
SQL Server 2008 Enterprise |
| TF-SP-MOSS | Windows Server 2008 Enterprise without Hyper-V
Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) 2007 Enterprise with SP1 and IU
Office 2007 Enterprise with SP1
SharePoint Designer 2007 with SP1
Visual Studio 2008 Team Suite with SP1 (including .NET 3.5 SP1) |
| TF-SP-CLIENT | Windows Vista Enterprise SP1
Office 2007 Enterprise with SP1
SharePoint Designer 2007 with SP1 |
As you can see, the lowest levels of the platform (OS and DB) are changing. So, I’ll be redoing all three servers. My client can stay the same, but will have to migrate from the old domain.
To accomplish the new server builds, I’m going to start with a new sysprep image of a Windows Server 2008 Enterprise without Hyper-V. Unlike in previous versions of Windows Server, the sysprep.exe utility is now included in the OS. It is located at C:\Windows\system32\sysprep\ directory. You can execute it from the command line there. [Remember, by default, UAC is enabled in Windows Server 2008, so run the Command Prompt as Administrator.] You’ll want to use the OOBE option and have the Generalize option selected (to reset the SID). Finally, if like me, you are creating virtual images, you’ll want to select the Shutdown option, so you can save the sysprep image for reuse on other images. An important note, activate the image prior to using sysprep and make sure all updates are downloaded and applied. Only activated images can access the optional updates, and there will be several you’ll want to have (e.g. Microsoft .NET 3.5 SP1, etc.).
On the next post, we’ll create the new domain controller and add a third-party mail server, since MS, in their infinite wisdom, decided to drop the POP3 service from the Windows Server. We’ll obviously be using something else…
To be continued…
