New Layer2 extension adds LOB data sources to SharePoint Knowledge Management and Social Networking

HAMBURG, GERMANY, September 29, 2010 (Press-News.org) With the newly released Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 now Collaborative Knowledge Management (CKM) becomes an approach to enabling organizational intelligence in the enterprise. Managed Metadata now can drive navigation, discovery, relation, and re-usability of content. Managed Metadata provides a common corporate vocabulary and can connect people to social networks. These features however are limited to SharePoint-based data only so far. The Business Data List Connector now integrates any LOB system of the enterprise seamlessly with the new SharePoint CKM and social features.

Add-on connects SharePoint lists directly to external LOB data

While most vendors are focused on displaying external data at SharePoint-based portals only, the Business Data List Connector directly links common SharePoint lists like contacts, tasks, events or any other custom list directly to external LOB data using existing ODBC, OLEDB, .NET or specific drivers. Systems like SQL Server, Exchange, MS Office or text files, XML, EDI, Oracle, IBM DB2, Informix, AS400, MySQL, Cache, ERP / CRM systems like MS Dynamics CRM / NAV / AX, SAP, Salesforce.com, QuickBooks, Peachtree, HL7, Virtual Store are supported as well as general Web Services, Microsoft .NET or COM+ objects.

Knowledge Management and Social Networking now includes any enterprise data source

Once connected, the SharePoint lists are updated automatically in background with external data changes. Write-back of modifications made in SharePoint lists to the external data sources is optionally provided, if supported by used driver. All common list features are fully available: Views, RSS newsfeeds, change notifications per email or workflows on external data changes. SharePoint Enterprise Keywords and Managed Metadata columns can be used without any restrictions to tag the list content based on taxonomies for use with Knowledge Management and Social Networking features. Additionally an Auto Tagger component provides automatic background categorization.

Knowledge Management Suite comes with auto- tagger, tag suggestions and advanced metadata navigations

The Knowledge Management Suite for Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 encourage knowledge workers to take advantage of the new SharePoint 2010 features by making it as easy as possible to tag content and use tags for knowledge browsing, navigation, content discovery and search. The suite consists of several components, e.g. for improved taxonomy management, content based tag suggestions, auto tagger and metadata navigation Web Parts. The Tag Navigation Web Part harvests the value of collaborative tagging by using the SharePoint 2010 managed metadata taxonomy tree directly for content discovery and navigation. The Tag Directory Web Part renders managed metadata as A-Z directory index or enterprise glossary, to alphabetically browse the corporate knowledge. The Related Content Web Part for SharePoint 2010 automatically displays related content context-based by using existing tags - for example related products or services, assigned file downloads, context-driven contact information, tasks, events etc. The solution was developed 100% based on the new Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Server Enterprise Metadata Management API.

Jump start SharePoint Knowledge Management with ready-to-use taxonomies

In cooperation with WAND, Inc - one of the leading providers of enterprise taxonomies - Layer2 additionally offers pre-defined Taxonomy Metadata for Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010, a robust and expanding library of taxonomies covering a wide variety of domains to help jumpstart classification projects. Taxonomy Metadata for Microsoft SharePoint 2010 is currently available for more than 40 specific topics in 13 languages on http://www.layer2.de/en.

Layer 2 GmbH is a specialist for creating custom components and solutions for Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies. Based in Germany, Layer2 offers products and solutions that add additional features to portals based on Microsoft SharePoint technology, e.g. Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 (MOSS), Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 or the free Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 / 4.0 (WSS). The products - SharePoint web parts, features and solutions - are completely based on the Microsoft .NET Framework and especially designed to run on top of SharePoint technology and to integrate fluently into the SharePoint user interface. The solutions are sold directly to end-customers or distributed via a worldwide fast growing partner network of resellers and implementers.

For almost 20 years Layer2 has been known as a reliable partner to customers in Central Europe, offering additional consulting and services in the fields of SharePoint, .NET-programming and IT-Infrastructure. As a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, Layer2 offers a broad variety of deep technical knowledge as well as a focus on end users and customers.

For more information please visit http://www.layer2.de/en/products/.