SharePoint (and Project Server) Shenanigans

Twitter: @pcgriffiths

So as I’m waiting for my 12 hr flight home, I thought I’d start the process of trying to share some of the mountain of information I’ve acquired this week in California. Firstly it’s important to say that Microsoft and all the presenters did a fantastic job, it really was a great week.

This first item is very cool – particularly if you’re an admin/architect. How good would it be if you could render near to real time SharePoint 2010 Farm health information, directly to Visio – then publish it into SharePoint?

Well you can, with the SharePoint Network Topology Diagram Add-in for Visio 2010.

Using a combination of Visio Services, a SharePoint Timer Job and Visio 2010 you can make this happen:

System Requirements;

SharePoint Topology Data Collection Timer Job

64-bit edition of Windows Server 2008
.Net Framework 3.5
SharePoint 2010
SharePoint Farm administrator permission

SharePoint Network Topology Diagram Add-In

English version or Localized English version of Windows OS. Windows 7 is preferred.
.Net Framework 3.5
Visio 2010 Licensed Professional or Premium version. Visio 2010 standard version and trial versions are not supported.

Note: There are two versions for SharePoint Network Topology Diagram Add-In: one for 32 bit and one for 64 bit environment.

Download from the official Microsoft Visio website using the link below;

http://tinyurl.com/42cgjd5

Full installation and usage instructions are all on that page.