SharePoint Utility Suite Release 2.5 : You Gotta Have it!!

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A new version of the SharePoint Utility Suite is being released.  I have found these tools to be invaluable in SharePoint deployments and ongoing maintenance.  If you haven't used them before, you really need to check them out....highly recommended!  Here is the blurb that gives the overview (taken directly from the download page):

"The purpose of the SharePoint Utility Suite is to provide a packaged collection of Tools and Utilities showcasing the rich Object Model that is delivered with the SharePoint Product and Technologies SDK (which includes Windows SharePoint Services 2.0 and SharePoint Portal Server 2003).  This package includes code and tool examples that SharePoint Developers and SharePoint Administrators might find useful."  Keep in mind that the source code examples are delivered "As-Is".

The following describes the new features, directly from the "mouth" (or keyboard...) of the tool's creator......

Key Updates

  • SPSAddCS

    • updated slightly to “Read” content source settings

  • SPSProtocolHandler

    • A great sample Protocol Handler written entirely in C#.

  • SPSiteBuilder

    • Updated with additional “Randomization” options for creating site build outs, stuffing existing sites with content, generating lists, document libraries and more!!

  • SPUserUtil

    • This release adds a bit of newer functionality, but is more of a stability, and changes based on usage and customer feedback.

  • SPSiteManager

    • The changes in this puppy require a whole section of their own J

SPSiteManager Update

Rich SharePoint Farm Analysis

SPSiteManager offers many levels of analysis that administrators can use to generate reports. Some of which are (but not limited to) the following:

  • Detect where sites/webs have exceeded the Capacity Planning Guidelines.

  • Get a holistic view of the entire farms site distribution for auditing and review.

  • Determine the percentages of file types used within a farm

  • Determine the average/minimum/maximum number of web parts utilized on pages.

  • Determine which and where specific site templates are used.

  • Content makeup such as number of lists and document libraries per site, as well as the mix of document types throughout the installation, as well as the mix of which are list attachments vs documents stored in document libraries.

  • Sum of content database sizes

In Analyze mode, a Site Distribution Document (SDD) is created in which the resulting data can be used to prepare reports, or as a template for other SPSiteManager operations. The analysis mode of SPSiteManager will also generate Warning elements to inform you of possible problems it has detected. All this data is in XML format.

Global actions across the farm

SPSiteManager can assist administrators by performing the following actions across the entire farm via a direct URL or driven by a Site Name Mask or Site Distribution Document:

  • Locking/Unlocking of sites

  • Quota changes and quota setting resets from quota templates

  • Site Backups/Restores/Deletes  

All of these operations give you the flexibility to supply a Site URL Mask to identify sites on which to operate. As well, you can use a site mask or a a Site Distribution Document and supply granular information on what SQL Database Server, Content Database name, access credentials, and other properties to use on a per site level.

SharePoint Portal Server 2003 Site maintenance

If you have a SharePoint Portal Server 2003 installation, SPSiteManager can assist administrators with the following common site tasks on sites specified via a direct URL or driven by a Site name Mask or Site Distribution Document from sites within our outside of the current farm:

  • Adding/Removing sites from the list of sites to Crawl

  • Adding/Removing sites from the portals Site directory.

Also, check out the creator's blog here.

Happy SharePointing.....

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