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MOSS as front end to other storage systems

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This blog posting applies to Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007.

I've been asked several times if MOSS can be used to front-end other storage systems, and wanted to post a few pointers here.  I was prompted to post this when I came across notice of the recent WSS 3.0 hotfix package, and was very surprised to find An external storage API is available for Windows SharePoint Services 3.0. 

"An external storage API is available for Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0. The external storage API lets you store documents or files on an external storage device other than Microsoft SQL Server. This API also lets you upgrade existing Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 sites to point to an external storage device."

Serge van den Oever was kind enough to point me to Microsoft's documentation of this feature: https://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb897648.aspx.

Now, if Documentum or FileNet is the document management system you want to front-end with MOSS, then look to Vorsite, they've already done this work for you.  Frankly, it doesn't look like they're using an approach exactly like this API would provide, but their solutions will integrate in ways more familiar to Documentum or FileNet users.

Comments

  • Anonymous
    August 31, 2007
    Can any one please let me know how to consume this External Store APIs? How to I configure my share point site to use external storage device? Thanks, BhaVik bhavikp@cybage.com

  • Anonymous
    September 07, 2007
    Unfortunately I have not been able to find any further information on how to use this API that was so nonchalantly released.  Very frustrating.

  • Anonymous
    January 07, 2008
    Have a look at http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb897648.aspx, all the documentation you need;-) Kind Regards, Serge PS: Hope to meet you again Mark, it was fun on our project!