When Patience is a virtue: Why not to download the latest and greatest updates: SharePoint 2013 SP1 issues

I saw a post on Twitter today, warning folks not to install SP1 for SharePoint 2013. 

The original post:
If You Have Downloaded SP1 for SharePoint 2013, Don’t Install It
Microsoft's link:
SharePoint 2013 SP1 link

The message:

Notice

We have recently uncovered an issue with this Service Pack 1 package that may prevent customers who have Service Pack 1 from deploying future public or cumulative updates. As a precautionary measure, we have deactivated the download page until a new package is published.

In the summer of 2011 I attended a BASPUG (Boston Area SharePoint User Group) meeting where Scott Jamison of Jornata spoke about how the June 2011 CU was recalled and advised us against installing it.  This was my first introduction to CU's and the risks of deploying them right away. Since then, the April 2012 and Aug 2013 CU's were also recalled.  Source.

I had multiple discussions with the SharePoint Admins who mentored me and they advised always leaving your server 1-2 CU's behind.   So in this case, you wouldn't plan to install the latest CU until the next CU comes out.  But how long should you wait to install a service pack?  I would have guessed a month, but SP1 was released on Feb 25, 2014, so April 4 should have been enough time to find the bugs...apparently not.   The issue at hand is that newer CU's can't be deployed.  So is a good rule of thumb to wait until the next CU comes out?  Seems so, unless the latest update fixes a critical security issue (ah the old Consultant response "It Depends").

Like much in life these days, there are no black and white answers, but it is important to update your environment.  Here's a great guide for Update best practices  from Mark Wagner who likes to leave a 6-8 month lag.

Incompatibilities between Sharepoint 2013, SPD2013 and Office 2010

I recently had a gig where I was using Office 2010 tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, InfoPath and Visio) in a SharePoint 2013 on-prem environment.  I discovered a couple of weird incompatibilities (or "features").  The environment I used had no CU's or hot fixes and SP1 was not installed.   I've not had the opportunity to test this with Office 365.

1.  Using InfoPath 2010:  So long as I only had Office 2010 products on my laptop, I was able to successfully create an InfoPath form in a list and display it on a web part page.  However, once SPD2013 was loaded onto my laptop, I was no longer able to use InfoPath 2010.

Proposed solution:  Isolate:  Use a VM environment with Office 2010 only products or with SPD2013 (probably the better choice).

2.  The presence of SPD2013 no longer enables a user to click on a document and use it in SharePoint.  The presence of SPD2013 requires that user to download the document.  This makes it difficult for a developer to have the end user experience.  Isolating SPD2013 in a VM may be the best way to work.

I would love to know the logic behind this "feature".

3.  The Drag and Drop Feature:  I was able to drag and drop documents, but my end users couldn't.  We were using IE8.  The difference was the presence of SPD2013 on my computer.  A little digging on the net uncovered the following:

If you are using IE10 or later, Firefox or Chrome, you are ok.
If you're using IE8 or IE9, you need some component of Office 2013 (in my case, SPD2013) installed.  See:

SharePoint Server 2013: Drag and drop contents to Library
This is due to the use of HTML5:
SharePoint 2013: Unable to Drag and Drop Files in Document Libraries

Keep this in mind as you develop training materials for your end users:  they may not be able to use this most awesome feature.

That's all I've observed so far.  Let me know if you have any other Office 2010/SPD2013/SharePoint 2013 incompatibilities.

I attended a fantastic mini conference yesterday (March 12, 2014) planned by Timlin Enterprises  and hosted by Vertex Pharmaceuticals.  The topic was using SharePoint in Biotech/Pharma environments.  

I spent over 20 years as a scientist, 6 of which in a regulated GMP environment.  GXP (Good Manufacturing/Lab/Clinical Practices) are heavily regulated by the FDA.  Processes must be under control and well documented  (FDA audits are not fun).  Consistency is the rule and the documentation involved is incredible.  These environments are encouraged by the FDA to
take a risk-based approach to change.  

The list of talks:

Bob Meier, Takeda: "eForms & Platform Validation"

• The need:  reduce the # of processes performed by email/paper using manual signatures and fax with an e-form solution (InfoPath) and electronic signature.
•  They built a 21 CFR Part 11 Compliant system with workflows, PDF conversion, Digital signatures (FDA required E-sig, they decided to go one step beyond because of the reportability).
• He discussed validating the form in parts (blocks), so that they validated and qualified a "template" rather than each individual form.
• Their culture already  embraced process improvement and they had staffing to support the tool.
• The benefits to their solution were transparency and increase in productivity.
• They used SharePoint, Nintex, InfoPath, AdLib and CoSign.

Alexey Abramkin, Infinity: "Azure and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) for SharePoint 2013"
 This talk centered around using Office 365 vs on-prem vs hybrid.  One of the biggest issues he encountered using a Hybrid solution was that single sign on is difficult to set up

Adila Crimi, Vertex: "Lessons Learned: Collaboration & Project Server Integration"

•  Vertex has a "Center of Excellence" to support SP:  core tactical team that is the customer rep for SP, training, best practices.  They provision sites and provide troubleshooting.
• Separate teams for SP ADmin, Application Development and Information Governance (where to store, retention)
• They chose Organic growth rather than a top down approach.  It's a slower approach but is working for them

 There  was a second part of the talk on setting up MS Project Server:

• Used Project Server 2010 (SP Application).
•  Used Project Widgets, templates and wizards.
• Used a 2-phase approach:
• 1a:  Implement Platfrm (Project Server).
• 1b:  Expand Functionality to get soft links, enhanced reporting, scenario planning.
• Project Widgets was their consulting partner.

Alex Oliver, Novartis: "The Uncertain Future of Forms in SharePoint"
Alex talked about the death of InfoPath 

• EOL is in 2023.
• No new InfoPath beyond SP2013 by Office 365 will continue to support for now.
• MS is still working on a replacement:  MS Access, FoSS and FoSC.
• 3rd party options:  K2 and Nintex.

Patrick Harrington, Cubist: "Adopting a Hybrid SharePoint 2013 Environment"

• SP1 allows connection of My Site to the cloud.

My key take-aways were

1. Office 365, with its lack of backup and continuous updates, is just not suitable for regulated environments.  These environments required control.  Any update must be qualified and validated and the current Office 365 model will not fly. A Hybrid model, utilizing Office 365's social and other collaborative functions for non-GMP work and an on-prem or cloud hosted SP2013 appears to be (in my opinion) a suitable approach.  
• How much is this relevant to HIPA or Sarbanes-Oxley regulations?
2. A couple of the  SharePoint folks I spoke to did not have knowledge of our local SP meetings (BASPUG) and of SharePoint Saturday in Boston (April 12).  One question I got multiple times was "will they only talk about SP2013?  I'm on 2010 (or even 2007)."  
3. The Center of Excellence that Vertex set up was impressive to all in the crowd.  Smart thinking  Too many companies think they can hire one person to do all in SharePoint.  The product is too big and the skills differ between the product itself and helping end users get the most form your investment.  

I'm off to the Granite State SPUG.  Feeling like a SharePoint junky...