Getting the Most from SharePoint’s User Profiles

SharePoint Saturday Virginia BeachMike Oryszak

January 8th, 2011

• Practice Manager with Intellinet• Microsoft SharePoint Server MVP• Dev and Architect with MS stack since 1996• Working with SharePoint since 2002• Raleigh-Durham, NC Area since 1998

About Me

• Architecture and Feature Overview• Planning for Deployment• Planning for User Profiles• Approaches to Governance

Session Overview

ARCHITECTURE AND FEATURE OVERVIEW

Getting the Most from the User Profiles

• Two sections– Shared MySite Host– Personal Site Collection

• Shared Host Includes– Newsfeed– User Profile Pages

• Personal Site Collection– “My Content”

• Can Include Targeted Links

Architecture and Feature Overview

• Aggregated List of Events– Profile Changes– Anniversaries– Birthdays– Blog Posts– Tagged Items – Status Messages

• Settings Personalized– Subscribe to Events

Architecture and Feature OverviewNewsfeed

• Bio Info• Organization Browser• Extended Profile• Content Authored• Note Board• Colleague List

Architecture and Feature OverviewUser Profiles

• Personal Site Collection– User is the Owner– Personal & Shared Content– Can Create Sub-Sites– Great “home base”

Architecture and Feature OverviewMy Content Site

PLANNING FOR DEPLOYMENTGetting the Most from the User Profiles

• Always Deploy MySite Host– My Site Host Site needed to support User Profiles

– Set User Permissions to:• Allow Personalized Features• Allow Provisioning of My Content site• Allow Social Features

• Without MySite Host– Cannot view User Profiles– Social Features only partially functional

Planning for DeploymentMySite Host Configuration

• Decide Where to Configure MySite Host

• Dedicated Web Application– Segment Personal from Intranet and Collaboration Sites

• Provides better scalability• Dedicated Content Database(s), can be restored separately• Apply different Policies

• Within Existing Web Application– Very small number of users (under 25 users)– User Profiles only, limited or no My Content sites– With Custom Auth to prevent additional Auth request

Recommendation: Plan ahead and separate unless requirements dictate it is on the Shared Web App.

Planning for DeploymentMySite Host Location

• My Content Sites - Minimize Customizations – Maintaining customizations difficult across n site collections– Use Feature Stapling if needed, avoid Custom Site Defs

• User Profiles– Easier to customize since shared by all users

• Limitations– Turning some features off can be difficult (ex. User Status)– Privacy Policies Pre-Set

Planning for DeploymentMySite Customization

• Share Services Between Farms– Can centralize User Profiles in Multi-Farm Global Deployment– Can specify multiple MySite Host Locations with targeting

• Segment User Profiles– Can provision additional User Profile Service Applications

• Internal versus External users• Segment by organizational boundaries

Planning for Deployment - AdvancedMultiple Farms or Groups of Users

PLANNING FOR USER PROFILES

Getting the Most from the User Profiles

• Attributes– @60 Out of the box attributes– Can define custom attributes for your organization– Makes finding people easier– Highly Configurable

• User Editable• Show on Profile• Show on Edit Form• Show in Newsfeed• Privacy Policy

Recommendation: Define attributes that describe and support your organization and processes.

Planning for User ProfilesCustom Attributes

• Privacy Controls– Defines who can see what; – Default Global Policies– User Override – Standard Levels (not customizable)

• Only Me• My Manager• My Team• My Colleagues• Everyone

Recommendation: Be mindful of sensitive data (pay grades) but as open and transparent as possible.

Planning for User ProfilesPrivacy Policies

• Leverage Existing Systems– Create a comprehensive profile with attributes from each system– Continue to manage attributes in the Source Systems

• Import Options– Active Directory– BCS calling Custom DB or Line of Business System

• HRIS System• Learning Management System

• Export Options– Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)– Sun Java System Directory Server– Novell eDirectory– IBM Tivoli

Planning for User ProfilesProfile Synchronization

• Example:– Active Directory for core attributes– HR System for Position and Education Info– Learning Management System for Training and Certifications

Planning for User ProfilesProfile Synchronization

• Can Provide Be Leveraged in Workflow Processes– Centrally maintained, not process dependent

– Key attributes like:• Manager• Delegation• Division• Department• Approval Budget

– Fully accessible via the API and Web Services for use in other systems

Planning for User ProfilesSupport Business Processes

APPROACHES TO GOVERNANCEGetting the Most from the User Profiles

• Leverage or Reference other Appropriate Use Policies– Information, Email and Internet Use Policies

• Match to organization’s maturity– Harassment incidents, IM or Social Networking abuse?

• Strike balance appropriate balance to build teams and support collaboration

• Make the policy accessible

Approaches to GovernanceAppropriate Use Policies

• Provide a mechanism to report violations

• Allow the community to self-police as much as possible

• Take action for any valid incidents and reinforce expectations

Approaches to GovernanceEnforcement

• Focus on Business…– New Products, Industry News and Reports– Keep employees informed and connected

• Support Social Interactions– New Baby, promotion, softball league– Strong social ties enhances collaboration and engagement

• Allow Creativity– Support creativity and expressiveness within reason– Some employees are clowns or jesters

• Employees Already Using Social Tools– Already using tools like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter– These other tools cannot be fully monitored

Approaches to GovernanceSetting the Tone

WRAP-UPGetting the Most from the User Profiles

• Understand the Capabilities

• Define Custom User Attributes

• Synchronize Profiles with Existing Sources

• Deploy the User Profile Service Application

• Utilize User Profiles to Support Biz Processes

• Governance, Governance, Governance

Keys to Getting the Most…

• TechNet – User Profile Service Overview– http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee662538.aspx

• User Profiles – Creating Custom Properties– http://

nextconnect.blogspot.com/2010/06/user-profiles-creating-custom.html

• User Profiles – Driving Business Process– http://

nextconnect.blogspot.com/2010/06/user-profiles-driving-business-process.html

• Social Computing Posts– http://nextconnect.blogspot.com/search/label/Social%20Computing

Additional Resources

Questions?

Contact Info

• Blog - http://nextconnect.blogspot.com• Twitter - @Next_Connect• Email – nextconnect@live.com• LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeloryszak