SharePoint workspace planning (SharePoint 2010)
Applies to: SharePoint Server 2010
Microsoft SharePoint Workspace 2010 is a client solution for SharePoint Server 2010 that supports users who need to work offline and then synchronize their work with SharePoint sites. This application enables remote SharePoint users to create local SharePoint workspaces on their computers. Each workspace enables a user to connect to a single SharePoint site and download content from site libraries and lists. Users can then update content, depending on their site permissions, whether they are online or offline. When they finish and return online, the local content synchronizes with the site.
The SharePoint Workspace 2010 application is included with Office Professional Plus 2010, so plan for its deployment as you would for other Office applications. Key planning elements include the following:
Plan a topology in accordance with your organization’s performance and scalability requirements.
Plan network settings so that clients can access the SharePoint Server over port 80 or another browser port. Preferably this should be an SSL-protected port, such as 443.
Take advantage of alternate access mapping to ensure that SharePoint Workspace can synchronize with multiple SharePoint Server site URLs.
Decide whether to allow peer collaboration workspaces on client computers using SharePoint workspaces. SharePoint Workspace lets users create SharePoint workspaces and, unless blocked by policy, two types of peer workspaces: Groove workspaces and Shared Folders. A SharePoint workspace provides a single connection between an authorized client and a SharePoint site. Alternatively, a peer workspace allows multiple users to join it. Therefore, you may want to prohibit use of peer workspaces if you have set up central content storage on servers that are running SharePoint Server 2010. To prohibit use of peer workspaces, you can deploy the Prohibit Groove workspaces policy from Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) or use the Office Customization Tool to customize the SharePoint Workspace deployment. For information about deploying policies for SharePoint Workspace, see Configure and customize SharePoint Workspace 2010.
For guidance on these and other planning issues, see Plan for SharePoint Workspace 2010.