Microsoft BPOS Limitations – Be Careful.
Daily, we get customers who are learning the hard way that Microsoft’s Online Services BPOS (business productivity online service) does have significant limitations when it comes to SharePoint. To save you time, they are listed below. Go ahead and skip to the bottom if you like, you won’t hurt my feelings. I would also like to qualify this post by saying that BPOS is a solid offering for a small startup that also needs Exchange hosting and Live Meeting. For a couple of users, it is a good value, however, for more than a few users with growing storage needs, maybe not; crunch the numbers and decide for yourself.
Another interesting note is that Microsoft is encouraging Fpweb.net to put forth a BPOS offering of our own incorporating fully functional SharePoint (WSS v3). I think you will see a fully functional SharePoint Hosting / BPOS on steroids offering in Q3 from the friendly folks at Fpweb.net.
So, before you get too far down the road, pause and add this list to your due diligence.
WARNING – failure to read and think through the following may cost you and your team hundreds of man-hours and lots of moola.
Features NOT Available in Microsoft BPOS:
- Anonymous users supported
- UI enhancements
- Server control
- Customization / Code Deployment
- 3rd party web parts installation
- Unlimited user account creation with no additional fees
- Daily site backups
- Custom domain names supported
- Dedicated solution for any number of users
And yes, if you’ve just finished reading that list – those are all features that are supported by WSS v3, MOSS 2007 and SharePoint Server 2010 from SharePoint Hosting Provider Fpweb.net.
When do you mean by Q3 for BPOS on steroids? (Not sure of your fiscal calendar.) As someone who is already using your hosted Exchange and WSS, we would love to hear more!
M.
Have your opinions of BPOS changed over the last 12 months?
Are your noted shortcomings in the BPOS offering still gaps or do you believe Microsoft has addressed them?
Thank you – Jackson
@Jackson Wilson
Jackson,
BPOS will continue to evolve and there are even rumors that some server access will be allowed in future releases. However, with both BPOS and BPOS-D, you are limited by the number of users you have. You can only have so many for BPOS, and you have to have an EXTRAORDINARY number to even qualify for BPOS-D. Even with server access – Microsoft will never support the level of free, unrestricted customizations that we do.
Fpweb.net will continue to serve our customer base – comprised of everyone else, needing flexible SharePoint hosting that’s “just right” for them. No matter the users, the storage, or the customizations our clients need – we fit the bill. We also continue to provide personalized customer service to our customers who we know by name – not by number. That is something that a company the size of Microsoft will never be able to provide.
It is important to point out that we work very closely with Microsoft – including the BPOS team to ensure that every company who needs SharePoint – has a solution that works for them. We are happy to be the provider that Microsoft recommends to those who need customized, flexible SharePoint Hosting solutions.
Thanks for reading.
HELP! I don’t know where else to go. I recently closed a new client and am getting them set up on BPOS. Exchange gives 25GB per seat. But Sharepoint… 1.25 GB for five seats?! that’s 250MB/seat. This is 2010, storage is not measured MB. To purchase 100GB of additional storage is $250/per month. Deal killer! I can get a $6/month hosting account at Godaddy.com with 150GB.
What am I missing here? 1.25 GB is useless for Sharepoint. Why 25GB per mail box and such a uselessly small amount for Sharepoint?
No, seriously, I have to go back to the client an tell them that their licenses will cost $50/month, but storage is $250/month. Then the laughing begins. Then I lose the client. MS, what ARE you thinking?