ComponentSource News | Layer 2

Distribute data to Cloud-based SharePoint systems

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:54:13 GMT

Configure a data source in Cloud Connector for Microsoft SharePoint 2010 and Office 365.

Easily connect to Office 365, SharePoint 2010 and Azure.

Cloud Connector for Microsoft SharePoint 2010 and Office 365 takes your local data and distributes it to cloud-based or hosted SharePoint systems. Content stored on almost any corporate data source (databases, files, ERP / CRM / ECMS) and in applications (Dynamics, SharePoint, Active Directory, SAP) can be replicated to cloud based native SharePoint lists via secure Web services. Cloud-to-cloud connections e.g. to Azure, Twitter, Facebook, Google etc. are also supported.

Features

Export external line-of-business data - Push external line-of-business data to a native SharePoint list in the cloud
SharePoint cloud capability - Extended to existing data on your corporate network
No programming or tools required - Setup in a few minutes guided by a wizard
Fast Setup - No installation or SharePoint customization required
Bi-directional connections
Compatible to all SharePoint offerings - Including on-premise, remotely hosted, sandboxed, e.g. Microsoft SharePoint Online / Microsoft Office 365
Secure data connection and transfer
Connection via Web Services (SSL) - A connection is only required for data exchange - not for list usage
Virtually all data sources supported - ODBC, OLEDB, Microsoft .NET based providers, Files (Excel, XML, CSV), SQL databases like MS SQL, SQL Azure, Oracle, MySQL, IBM DB2, IBM AS/400, IBM Informix, Notes, SharePoint, Exchange, Active Directory, Dynamics NAV/CRM, Navision and SAP. More complex data sources, web services, custom COM or .NET objects can be connected using 3rd party add-ons. Supported cloud-to-cloud connections include salesforce.com, Twitter, Facebook and Google
Start workflows in the cloud - All native SharePoint features are supported, e.g. views, sorting, filtering, grouping, mobile access, search, tagging and enterprise metadata, RSS feeds, change notifications via email or workflows in the cloud
Additional "SharePoint-only" columns can be created
Data aggregation - Multiple connections can rollup several different data sources to one list
High performance - Can manage large databases and lists (tested with 100,000 items)

About Layer 2

Layer 2 creates custom components and solutions for Microsoft SharePoint. For almost 20 years Layer 2 has been a reliable partner to customers in central Europe, offering consulting and services in the fields of SharePoint, .NET programming and IT infrastructure. As a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, Layer 2 offers a broad variety of technical knowledge as well as a focus on end users and customers.

Easily tag SharePoint content

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:53:47 GMT

Update Related Content Web Part settings.

Use managed metadata to drive navigation, discovery and reusability of content.

Knowledge Management Suite for Microsoft SharePoint makes it easy to manage tags, tag content and to use tags for knowledge browsing, navigation, content discovery and search. It was developed using the SharePoint Server Enterprise Metadata Management API, and no legacy or other external systems are used. You may include any external data source without any restrictions using Business Data List Connectors.

Features

Tag Suggester for SharePoint - While tagging an item or document a suggestion list is displayed
Auto Tagger for SharePoint - Tag items and documents automatically in the background without any user interaction
Taxonomy Manager for SharePoint - Manage Term Stores with additional managed metadata properties (e.g. tagging rules, related tags)
Tag Navigation Web Part for SharePoint - Use a SharePoint managed metadata taxonomy tree for content discovery and navigation
Tag Directory Web Part for SharePoint - Render a SharePoint managed metadata taxonomy tree as a flat A-Z directory category index
Tag Cloud Web Part for SharePoint - Navigate content by importance using a familiar taxonomy based tag cloud
Related Content Web Part for SharePoint - Automatically display related content in a given context using managed metadata taxonomies

About Layer 2

SharePoint BDLC adds write-back features

Thu, 27 May 2010 16:50:00 GMT

Defining Business Data List Connector settings.

Version 3 adds optional write-back to external data source features including CRUD support.

SharePoint Business Data List Connector connects a SharePoint list (no Web Part) with external business data using list settings. The data can be presented without any restrictions, with the full read-only functionality of common SharePoint lists available: views, sorting and grouping, filters, calculated fields can all be created. SharePoint Business Data List Connector (BDLC) can be used to connect SharePoint lists to databases, such as MS SQL Server, Oracle, IBM DB2, MySQL, Sybase Advantage Database Server, Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise, Informix, Postgre SQL, IBM UniData, IBM UniVerse, AS/400 (IMB iSeries), Progress. With SharePoint Business Data List Connector you can add data to SharePoint lists directly from data files and can also link SharePoint lists directly to servers and services.

Updates in version 3

SharePoint Business Data List Connector includes optional write-back to external data source features.
CRUD (Create, Update, Delete) is fully supported for the external data source, if SharePoint list items are created, updated or deleted. In this way any SharePoint list, e.g. contacts, tasks, events, KPI-lists could be used as "front-end" to LOB data, e.g. databases, Office data, CRM and ERP systems.

About Layer 2

Layer 2 is a specialist in creating custom components and solutions for Microsoft Office SharePoint Products and Technologies. Based in Germany, Layer2 offers products and solutions that add additional features to portals based on Microsoft SharePoint technology, e.g. Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 (MOSS) or the free Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 (WSS). The products - SharePoint web parts, features and solutions - are completely based on the Microsoft .NET Framework and especially designed to run on top of SharePoint technology and to integrate fluently into the SharePoint user interface. The solutions are sold directly to end-customers worldwide or distributed via a worldwide fast growing partner network of resellers and implementers. For almost 20 years, Layer2 has been known as a reliable partner to customers in Central Europe, offering additional consulting and services in the fields of SharePoint, .NET-programming and IT-Infrastructure. As a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner Layer2 offers a broad variety of deep technical knowledge as well as a focus on end users and customers.

ComponentSource partners with Layer 2

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:12:00 GMT

Defining Business Data List Connector settings.

SharePoint Business Data List Connector now available.

Features

With SharePoint Business Data List Connector, you can connect SharePoint lists directly to databases, such as:

SQL Server 2008
SQL Server 2005
SQL Server 2000 / 7.0
Oracle
IBM DB2
MySQL
Sybase Advantage Database Server
Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise
Informix
Postgre SQL
IBM UniData
IBM UniVerse
AS/400 (IMB iSeries)
Progress
FireBird
Interbase
Paradox
Ingres
Mimer SQL
Lightbase
Pervasive
SQLBase (Gupta/Unify)
Cache
Teradata
VistaDB
DBMaker
Netezza DBMS
Valentina
and more.

SharePoint Business Data List Connector can pull data to SharePoint lists directly from data files too, for instance:

Microsoft Office Excel 2007
Microsoft Office Excel (other versions)
Microsoft Office Access 2007
Microsoft Office Access (other versions)
Visual Foxpro
DBF / Foxpro
SQLite
Filemaker
Textfiles (csv) with delimited columns or fixed length columns
HTML-tables

SharePoint Business Data List Connector can also link SharePoint lists directly to server and services:

OLAP, Analysis Services - to provide Business Intelligence data in a real SharePoint list for further processing
Microsoft SharePoint - to pull list data from another SharePoint site collection or installation
Microsoft Project - to access project management data via a SharePoint list
Active Directory - to provide user or device data in a custom SharePoint list
Microsoft Exchange - to access contacts, events, tasks or other Exchange data
Microsoft Index Server - to access Index Server queries via a custom SharePoint list
IBM Lotus Notes - to connect a custom SharePoint list to Notes data
Intuit Quickbase - to access online application data
Composit Information Server - a Java-based application server
ODBC DSN - to connect further data sources via ODBC Data Source Names
UDL - to connect SharePoint lists via the Universal Data Link protocol with external data sources