clipped from www.layer2.de
The fast, easy and complete integration of external LOB data, e.g. from databases, is a common requirement in the use of Microsoft SharePoint technology. Existing solutions, such as the Business Data Catalog (BDC) in SharePoint 2007 or the Business Connectivity Services (BCS) in SharePoint 2010, are often too complex at the facility, bring with them limitations or they are available for MOSS Enterprise Edition only.
The SharePoint Business Data List Connector by Layer2 on the other hand, connects a REAL SharePoint list (no Web Part) to external business data, using a very simple list settings dialogue. It can be configured easily with 3 simple settings only. The desired data can be populated to the list and presented without any restrictions, with the full read-only functionality of common SharePoint lists made available: views, sorting and grouping, filters, calculated fields can be created as usual.
Workflows and notifications per RSS or email can be used to take business actions if external business data records are changed.
Fig: To see the SharePoint BDLC presentation full-screen please select "full" and then play.
The SharePoint Business Data List Connector is available for Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 (MOSS, all editions) and also for the free Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 (WSS). It will be released for Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 and Windows SharePoint Servicves 4.0 with availability.
SharePoint Business Data List Connector (BDLC)
- Features and Benefits
- Free Registration and Download
- How to buy this product
- Product description
- FAQs (below on this page)
Features & Benefits
The SharePoint Business Data List Connector (BDLC) provides the complete read-only features of a common SharePoint list for almost any external LOB data sources in 3 simple steps only:
- To connect to your data source please enter the appropriate connection string (OLEDB.4) and validate it.
- To select the desired data, please enter a select statement that is supported by your external data source and validate it. Check the result in preview mode and select primary key(s), to make use of advanced features.
- Create the SharePoint list structure and update it using the command buttons with one click. If a primary key is available, only modified data is updated in the list with high performance (background batch update possible).
So you can enable workflow or change notifications per RSS or email to take business actions, if your external LOB data records are changed.
Fig.: Sample usage scenario of the SharePoint Business Data List Connector
The solution is currently available as RC1 and will be finally released in Q3/2009. Please register to download RC1 today.
Free Registration & Download
Please register to download an evaluation version for free now. Use the registration form on this page or contact sales@layer2.de .
How to buy this product
To buy a license for this product, please click the shopping card symbol on this page.
The product is licensed on a per server base. No additional clients licenses (CALs) are required. If you have several servers (e.g. in a farm scenario) all servers have to be licensed. You need a license for every web frontend server. Infrastructure server, e.g. for indexing or search don't need a license. For more information about licensing please check our FAQs or contact sales@layer2.de directly.
The product is licensed on a per server base. No additional clients licenses (CALs) are required. If you have several servers (e.g. in a farm scenario) all servers have to be licensed. You need a license for every web frontend server. Infrastructure server, e.g. for indexing or search don't need a license. For more information about licensing please check our FAQs or contact sales@layer2.de directly.
Product Description
INSTALLATION
The installation is done using a SharePoint Solution Package. The included wizard distributes all files to a SharePoint farm, if required, and does all necessary configurations. Before installation please make sure,
- that all servers are available online
- backup your current installation approve software on evaluation systems bevor installing in productive system
- use a regular service interval to install the solution The application will not be available for a short time, because the application pool is restarted (IISreset).
Start the installation process by executing the file "Install.Layer2.BusinessDataListConnector.exe" on the server, that hosts the SharePoint Central Administration with appropriate access rights.
Fig.: Starting the installation process
First the considerations for the installation are being checked.
Fig.: Checking of considerations for the installation process
If there are any problems, please take a look at our FAQs (General FAQ, Installation).
As a next step you have to accept the EULA.
Fig.: Accepting the license agreement
After successful installation please select the desired web applications for deployment of the new feature.
Fig.: Deployment of the new feature to the selected web applications only
This installation step can take up to 15 min.
FEATURE ACTIVATION
After successful deployment there is a new site collection feature available in all site collections of the selected web applications. To use it, the new feature „Business Data List Connector" has to be activated on Site Collection level by a Site Collection Administrator. That has to be done in Web Site Settings > Site Collection Administration under Site Collection Features. After activation the feature can be used.
Fig.: Activation of the feature "Layer2 - Business data List Connector" on site collection 
After successful activation on site collection level the feature is generaly available as the new list type "Business Data List Connector" within the "Custom Lists" section.
USAGE OF THE BUSINESS DATA LIST CONNECTOR
In order to connect a SharePoint list with external business data, you have to create a new custom list first of the special type "Business Data List Connector".
Fig.: To create a new Business Data List Connector please first choose a custom list of the type "Business data List Connector".
Remark: It is currently not possible to connect existing lists of any other type - e.g. tasks or contacts etc. - with external business data using the BDLC.
As a next step you have to give a name and description to the newly created list of the type Business Data List Connector as usual, e.g. MyBDLC in this sample.
Fig.: Enter name and description of the newly created list
To connect this list with your external business data, goto list settings and choose Business Data List Connector Settings to enter your connection string, select statement and primary key(s).
Fig.: Choose "Business Data List Connector Settings" in the common SharePoint list settings dialogue to enter your connection string, select statement and primary key(s).
BUSINESS DATA LIST CONNECTOR SETTINGS
In the settings dialogue please go the following steps to configure your list connection.
Fig.: Business Data List Connector Settings dialogue
STEP 1 - Connect the external data source using a connection string
Enter your connection string to your external data source and validate it. Connection strings are available for virtually any external data sources, e.g. databases like Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, Informix, DB2 etc, Microsoft Office data like Excel, Access or even text data files. Btw. connection strings are available for external SharePoint lists too...
Fig.: Step 1: Enter the connection string and validate it
STEP 2 - Select the desired data using a select statement
Enter your select statement supported by your external data source and validate it. Select statements are available for virtually any external data sources, e.g. databases like Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, Informix, DB2 eetc, Microsoft Office data like Excel, Acccess or even text data files. Btw. select statements are available for external SharePoint lists too. For most data sources you can start with e.g. "Select * FROM Tablename" where tablename should be a valid name of a table or view in your data source.
Fig.: Step 2: Enter select statement and validate it.
Fig.: Preview your result set to verify your select statement. You can paste the given field names, if required for primary keys.
STEP 3 - Optionally enter primary key(s) to use advanced update features
In most cases your external data would have one or more primary key(s). A primary key of a relational table uniquely identifies each record in the table. It can either be a normal attribute that is guaranteed to be unique (such as Social Security Number in a table with no more than one record per person) or it can be generated by the DBMS (such as a globally unique identifier, or GUID, in Microsoft SQL Server). Primary keys may consist of a single attribute or multiple attributes in combination.
If a primary key is available, then advanced update features can be used. For more information about possible primary keys / field names please take a look into your result set using the Preview button.
If a primary key is available, then advanced update features can be used. For more information about possible primary keys / field names please take a look into your result set using the Preview button.
Fig.: Step 3: Optionally enter primary key(s).
Remarks:
The validation function only validates, wether the entered field name(s) exists in the result set or not. If invalid primary keys are given, the resulting SharePoint list data could become invalid too.
If no primary key is given, with any update the whole result set of the given select statement is re-inserted again. That can cause performance problems and change notifications per RSS or email will not work as expected.
If valid primary key(s) are given, modified data will be updated only - very fast in background. Change notifications and workflows can be used in this case, to take business actions, if external data records are changed.
STEP 4 - Create your SharePoint list structure and update the data items
To create the list structure required to display your external business data, please press "Create" in SharePoint section of the settings dialogue. The fields of the result set of the given select statement are mapped to common SharePoint list fields automatically. You can rename the fields afterwards manually.
More about field mapping, supported field types etc. see FAQs.
Remark: Creating the lists structure is an irreversible action. It deletes all existing informations in the list.
To update the data in your SharePoint list with your external business data, please press "Update" in the SharePoint section of the settings dialogue. As mentioned above, if valid primary key(s) are given, modified data is updated only.
STEP 5 - Enable background updates optionally
In this section you can optionally enable background updates. The updates are done automatically, one time per hour by default. You can modify this interval later on.
Fig.: The timer job enables fast background updates of your data items.
For more information, how to change the timer job options, please see FAQs.
RESTRICTIONS OF THE DEMO VERSION
In the evaluation version the number of managed entries in the result list is restricted to 25 items / records.
LANGUAGES
The feature is currently available in German and English language. If used in other language context, the English language is applied by default. Requests for other languages please send to sales@layer2.de.
UNINSTALL
To completely uninstall the solution, go these steps to the other direction. Please first delete all lists of type Business Data List Connector. Otherwise these lists become inaccessible, after the feature is removed. Then deactivate the feature „Layer2 Business Data List Connector" on site collection level. Then start the installation wizard and choose "Remove". All installed files will be removed.
Fig.: Remove the Business Data List Connector Feature
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