Do you know how to deploy SharePoint?

We use SSWPackage.exe

The long answer - Deploying changes between development, staging and production servers can be a very interesting exercise:

• It is painstakingly awkward when you realize that you have forgotten a file
• Or forgotten to take the latest version of a particular file
• Each iteration is manual and can be error prone
• The result is that your developers are working late into the evening and your SharePoint servers are down for a prolonged period of time – something that may be very difficult to accept in a corporate environment

At SSW, we saw all this was unacceptable and work to improve this process.

Our answer to the deployment problem is a combination of tools and processes – we call it the SSWpackage.exe.

• Multiple development virtual machine environments
  • Test repeated deployment to staging before you actually deploy to the production server
• SSW SharePoint Deployment Auditor – compares development, staging and production servers to identify missing files that needs to be deployed
  • Specify ignore lists
  • Spits out XML code that would be easy to add to your package xml
• SSW Package Updater – updates the solution package based on the XML definitions
  • Ensure you always have the latest version of the files from development SharePoint included in your package.
• Microsoft Visual Studio extensions for Windows SharePoint Services
  • Using the latest VSeWSS 1.3 CTP
  • Generates the package and batch files
• SharePoint STSADM tool for deployment

Into the future of SSWPackage.exe:

• Fully continuous integration with SharePoint
• More SharePoint validation functions
• Improved versioning control
• A great GUI to bring it all together