MashPoint - A Breakthrough in SharePoint Data Integration

MashPoint Installation Guide

Lam — Sun, 25 May 2008 17:05:00 GMT

First download MashPoint, then extract the .zip archive onto the desktop of the Web Front End that hosts Central Administration.

Run Setup.bat.

Select "Bamboo MashPoint" under "Components," and click "Install." This will launch the setup program.

Click "Next."

The setup program will verify that you have enough permission to install and deploy SharePoint solutions, and that all required services are running. If any of the checks fail, make sure you are logged on as a user with enough permissions. A local administrator should have enough permissions.

The next screen shows you where the solution will be deployed, the only option here is the Central Administration Web Application, so click "Next."

The install will wait max 15 minutes for the deployment job to complete.

After this you should see the following screen:

You have now successfully installed MashPoint and the Bamboo Shared Services administration. Now it's time to activate the feature in Central Admin.

Start SharePoint Central Administration and navigate to the Site Settings page.

Select "Site collection features" under "Site Collection Administration."

Activate the Bamboo Shared Services Administration feature and you should see a new menu on the top link bar: Bamboo Shared Services Administrator.

Before we create a Bamboo Shared Service, we need to create a new Web Application to host it. (This is not required, you can pick an existing Web Application but it's suggested that you create a new one).

I won't describe how to create a Web Application.

I created a new Web Application called BambooSSP1 to host our new Bamboo Shared Service.

So now when we have the Web Application it's time to create the Shared Service. Click on the "Bamboo Shared Services Administrator" link.

Click the New BSS button.

Choose a name for your Shared Service then select the Web Application that will host the Shared Service, and click "OK." This process will take a few seconds and then you will be redirected back to the list view where you should see your newly created Shared Service.

The next step is to associate the Shared Service with existing Web Applications. By default, the service is always associated with the Web Application that hosts it.

We will choose to associate the default web site with this service so click "Change Associations."

Select the Web Applications you want to associate and click "OK."

Now you will see that the associations have been updated with SharePoint 80.

Now let's navigate to the Shared Service. Click on the link that corresponds to BambooSharedService1.

In the next section, we will upload a couple of Application Definition files into MashPoint. We'll begin by installing the AdventureWorks sample.

MashPoint FAQ

Lam — Sun, 25 May 2008 17:03:00 GMT

How much does MashPoint cost and where can I download it?

MashPoint is an absolutely free download, courtesy of your friends at Bamboo.

What version of SharePoint does MashPoint support?

MashPoint supports:

Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) 3.0; and
Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) 2007.

With what type of backend data or services will MashPoint work?

MashPoint will work with:

Databases (ODBC, Microsoft SQL Server, OLE DB, and Oracle);
Web Services; and
Custom providers.

Does MashPoint support Action, User Profiles, and Search?

Custom Actions are supported in the native MashPoint; User Profiles are supported if MashPoint is running on top of the BDC; and we plan to support Search in a future release.

Compared to the Microsoft BDC, what features are not available in the first Beta release of MashPoint?

Features not implemented in the Beta1 MashPoint release include:

Any user with access in the Web Applications associated with the Bamboo Shared Service Provider (BSSP) can use the APIs, but only users accessing the BSSP can modify MashPoint metadata (i.e., upload, delete, and modify application definitions). Whether the user has access to the data in the external system depends on what authentication mechanism is configured: If PassThrough authentication is used, the user's identity is used to access the data; if RevertToSelf is used, the application pool account is used to access the external system;
No Export of application definitions;
No Editing/Adding of custom Actions from the WebUI;
No Bamboo Single Sign-On (SSO) Provider exists, but if you're running (non-Enterprise) MOSS, you can use Microsoft SSO. You may also write your own SSO Provider, or use one that you have already written; and
No Integration with User Profiles unless MashPoint is running on top of the BDC.

Will any of the above features be represented in the next Beta release of MashPoint?

Security on metadata will be implemented in the next Beta release, and we may have a simple SSO provider available in that release as well.

When can I expect to see the next MashPoint Beta release?

We're targeting the end of June for the next release.

Compared to the Microsoft BDC, what features are "extra" in the first Beta release of MashPoint?

The ability to write custom providers and use them from MashPoint is an extra feature not found in the BDC.

Are there any features that work differently from their BDC counterparts?

No, all features which MashPoint has in common with the BDC behave just as do their BDC counterparts.

Can I create a List Column or Site Column based on a MashPoint entity?

Yes, but creating a List Column or Site Column based on a MashPoint entity will require coding a custom column.

What application files are available in MashPoint today?

The following application files are available in the Beta1 MashPoint release:

All BDC application definitions should be supported provided they don't use Profile filters or other unsupported features;
AdventureWorks sample;
Amazon Web Services sample; and
Microsoft CRM.

Which Bamboo Web Parts are compatible with MashPoint in this first release?

Bamboo Web Parts which are compatible with MashPoint in the Beta1 release include:

Does MashPoint work with application definition files generated by BDC Meta Man or Microsoft Definition Editor?

Yes, MashPoint works with application definition files generated by both BDC Meta Man and Microsoft Definition Editor.

Does Bamboo Shared Services work with multiple WSS Web Apps in a farm?

Yes, Bamboo Shared Services works with multiple WSS Web Apps in a farm.

What is the Bamboo Shared Services Provider (BSSP)?

BSSP exists solely to host MashPoint, and it is through BSSP that you will manage MashPoint.

Will I be able to get technical support for MashPoint?

Yes, technical support will be available via the MashPoint forum.

What features are being planned for future releases of MashPoint?

A few of the new features scheduled for future MashPoint releases include:

Support for SharePoint lists;
Support for Relationships between entities in different LOB systems (allowing users to relate data in their CRM system with data in SharePoint lists);
Support for the Entity Framework;
Support for REST-based Web services;
One-to-one Object Model mapping with the BDC API;
Enhanced support for updating data; and
Security on metadata.