January, 2009

Here is a list of events that Fpweb.net will either be sponsoring/exhibiting.  From our Event Calendar:

MS Exchange vs. Lotus Notes

The past couple weeks there has been some news on the spats and quibbles between IBM and Microsoft over the popularity of Lotus Notes and Microsoft Exchange 2007.  With dedicated e-mail servers and Enterprise business email appeal growing at an increasingly faster pace, the stakes are high to grab as much of the market as possible.

With the current popularity of dedicated Exchange hosting and a new version on the horizon with 3.5 million Exchange 14 beta testers, it’s not too surprising to me if Microsoft has the larger reach.

I have been using theGoogle Calendar since its release in 2006 for home and personal use; however, just recently, I discovered that it can also be synchronized with Microsoft Outlook Calendar. Some may ask why I would want to synch these two calendars in the first place, so let me explain.

Hot off the Fpweb.net Twitter Page:

• Microsoft’s Tips for faster and better performance on Dynamics CRM 4.0
• Screenshots of the new Windows Mobile 6.5 UI – With a beehive-hexagonal type look
• Get it while it’s hot! Update Rollup 2 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0
• Check out the Microsoft Exchange 14 Intro video!
• Microsoft will compete with MobileMe next month with their launch of SkyBox and Skyline
• Microsoft foresees Cloud Computing to be a billion dollar business over the next three years
• List of SharePoint Conferences for 2009
• Mac users can now sign up for the Entourage 2008 beta for MS Exchange 2007
• VP and CTO of Hitachi Data Systems lists his Top 10 trends for 2009 in data storage, including SaaS / Cloud
• Understanding Connections in the List Web Part for Dynamics CRM 4.0 – from the Microsoft Team blog

January 22, 2009 – Managed hosting provider Fpweb.net (www.fpweb.net) has become a qualified telecommunications provider for the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). Under this qualification, Fpweb.net can now offer managed hosting services to participants of the Universal Service Fund (USF) programs.

The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) issues a Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN) to telecommunications providers that receive support from federal Universal Service Fund (USF) programs. Fpweb.net has been certified and assigned a SPIN number that will allow the USAC to assist qualified applicants in the funding needed for Fpweb.net managed hosting services.

There are four USF programs: High Cost, Low Income, Rural Health Care, and Schools and Libraries (E-Rate). If an organization participates in one of these programs, they can utilize Fpweb.net’s SPIN to get managed hosting services at a reduced rate. “Many organizations cannot afford the I.T. services necessary for daily operation,” said Rob LaMear IV, Fpweb.net CEO. “With the help of the USAC, we are excited to provide these companies with affordable Software-as-a-Service solutions.”

For more information on Fpweb.net managed hosting services or their USAC service provider identification number, contact them at 866.780.4678.

Founded in 1996, Fpweb.net provides managed hosting services for SharePoint, Exchange and Project Server. Their worry-free solutions offer clients the ability to focus on their core business, while cutting IT costs 60%. With more than 1 million SharePoint users around the world, Fpweb.net strives to become the leading customer service organization in the hosting industry. As a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner with 24/7 US support, they’ve earned the trust of over 5,000 enterprise clients including the NY Yankees, U.S. Air Force, IBM and DOW Chemical.

What a week. The Internet Retailers Web Design 2009 Conference is over, and I am left sitting back waiting to catch a flight back home, sweet home. At any conference, attendees like myself often get overwhelmed with the sheer number of keynote speakers, messages, and complex – cutting edge concepts that we are presented with. Lucky for me, and I suppose you if you’re reading this blog, there was one message that stuck out.

One message seemed to ring true no matter who was speaking, or what specialty they were representing on-stage. The message was, believe it or not,

Where’s the Cheese?

I just finished reading HP’s Best Practices on MOSS 2007 builds using virtual machines (VM), specifically Hyper-V.  HP does it right in my opinion.  Hardware, software, testing and processes.  Their rigorous VM testing and guidelines confirm and reinforce what we have found in the field.  And there are definitely a couple gold nuggets in these Best Practices which I successfully panned and will share with you.

To simplify moving a large number of files to and from SharePoint libraries, or from one library to another, you can create a Network Place or map a Network Drive that links to the library.  No matter which method you choose, functionality will be about the same.  The main difference is that a Network Place must be accessed via My Network Places, while a mapped Network Drive will show in ‘My Computer’ just as an additional hard drive would.

Whether you choose to map a Network Place or Drive, you will now be able to access the library through a window, without having to login to the SharePoint site via internet browser.  It’s actually quite easy.  All you need is the URL of the library to which you would like to connect.