When I talk to partners delivering solutions on Windows SharePoint Services V2, V3 and even for some Portal server is becoming a real business opportunity.  When I met with Vin of Wem & Co the other day, some of the stuff they were doing was amazing!  Anyway, here are the 3 things I thought might be useful - one being the SharePoint VHD so you can just download and play.

SharePoint information

Creating Business Value through Better Collaboration

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/Browse.aspx?DisplayLang=en&nr=20&productId=353C4E9D-9E78-4435-A360-01BB7F540D17&sortCriteria=date

Tools

Office SharePoint Server 2007 VHD

This download comes as a pre-configured VHD. This download enables you evaluate Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/Browse.aspx?DisplayLang=en&nr=20&productId=353C4E9D-9E78-4435-A360-01BB7F540D17&sortCriteria=date

Webcasts

TechNet Webcast: Workflow in Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies 2007: Out-of-the-Box and Creating Custom Workflows (Level 200)

In this session, we discuss the integration of Windows Workflow Foundation into Windows SharePoint Services version 3.0; how workflows are designed, stored, and used; and which capabilities are enhanced by taking advantage of client and server technology. We explain different authoring tools and techniques, including how to create no-code workflows using Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer 2007 and provide guidance on deployment and management in a Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 environment.

http://www.microsoft.com/events/EventDetails.aspx?CMTYSvcSource=MSCOMMedia&Params=%7eCMTYDataSvcParams%5e%7earg+Name%3d%22ID%22+Value%3d%221032340734%22%2f%5e%7earg+Name%3d%22ProviderID%22+Value%3d%22A6B43178-497C-4225-BA42-DF595171F04C%22%2f%5e%7earg+Name%3d%22lang%22+Value%3d%22en%22%2f%5e%7earg+Name%3d%22cr%22+Value%3d%22US%22%2f%5e%7esParams%5e%7e%2fsParams%5e%7e%2fCMTYDataSvcParams%5e

TechNet Webcast: An In-Depth Look at SharePoint Server 2007 Search Technology (Level 200)

In this session, we review the new search features available in Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007. We look at the challenges IT professionals face when trying to support disparate information repositories, and we explain how SharePoint Server 2007 can help you address these issues. We also explore the other new features and the enhanced architecture of SharePoint Server 2007, including a look at some specific usage scenarios

http://www.microsoft.com/events/EventDetails.aspx?CMTYSvcSource=MSCOMMedia&Params=%7eCMTYDataSvcParams%5e%7earg+Name%3d%22ID%22+Value%3d%221032341243%22%2f%5e%7earg+Name%3d%22ProviderID%22+Value%3d%22A6B43178-497C-4225-BA42-DF595171F04C%22%2f%5e%7earg+Name%3d%22lang%22+Value%3d%22en%22%2f%5e%7earg+Name%3d%22cr%22+Value%3d%22US%22%2f%5e%7esParams%5e%7e%2fsParams%5e%7e%2fCMTYDataSvcParams%5e

Microsoft Webcast: Creating a Global Human Resources System Foundation with SharePoint Server 2007 (Level 100)

In this webcast, we describe how migration of the Microsoft Human Resources Web content platform to Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 enables:

· Faster future development.

· Reduction of 50% custom code, resulting in business and IT agility.

· Lower sustenance costs.

· Essential capabilities for future state architecture.

· Alignment with the Microsoft IT global vision for simplification.

In the past, each application or content site developed its own functionality and process, leading to more than 20 highly customized applications and/or sites today. Continuing down this path breeds redundant work and convoluted technical architecture. Join this webcast to learn how migrating the HR Web content platform to SharePoint Server 2007 is expected to provide a return on investment (ROI) of more than $10 million over three years and a reduction of 15 custom global HR Web sites.

http://www.microsoft.com/events/AdvSearch.mspx?EventsAndWebcastsControlName=As1%3AAdvSrc&As1%3AAdvSrc%3AAudienceID=0&As1%3AAdvSrc%3AProductID=353c4e9d-9e78-4435-a360-01bb7f540d17&As1%3AAdvSrc%3AEventType=LiveWebcast&As1%3AAdvSrc%3ACountryRegionID=en%7CUS%7CUnited+States&StateProvinceID=0&As1%3AAdvSrc%3ATimeframeID=-1&As1%3AAdvSrc%3ASearchFilter=%C2%A0+Go+%C2%A0

Developer information

SharePoint Server 2007 SDK: Software Development Kit and ECM Starter Kit

The Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 Software Development Kit (SDK) contains conceptual overviews, programming tasks, code samples, references, and an Enterprise Content Management (ECM) starter kit to guide you in developing solutions based on Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/Browse.aspx?DisplayLang=en&nr=20&productId=353C4E9D-9E78-4435-A360-01BB7F540D17&sortCriteria=date

Windows white paper: Software Update for Web Folders

This white paper outlines the procedures and describes the interfaces you can use to extend Web Folders if you have the Software Update for Web Folders installed.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/Browse.aspx?DisplayLang=en&nr=20&productId=353C4E9D-9E78-4435-A360-01BB7F540D17&sortCriteria=date

MSDN Webcast: MSDN geekSpeak: Custom Authentication Providers for SharePoint Server 2007 (Level 200)

In this instalment of MSDN geekSpeak, hear from Ron Rolfs about the challenges and rewards of implementing a custom authentication provider for Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007.

http://www.microsoft.com/events/AdvSearch.mspx?EventsAndWebcastsControlName=As1%3AAdvSrc&As1%3AAdvSrc%3AAudienceID=0&As1%3AAdvSrc%3AProductID=353c4e9d-9e78-4435-a360-01bb7f540d17&As1%3AAdvSrc%3AEventType=LiveWebcast&As1%3AAdvSrc%3ACountryRegionID=en%7CUS%7CUnited+States&StateProvinceID=0&As1%3AAdvSrc%3ATimeframeID=-1&As1%3AAdvSrc%3ASearchFilter=%C2%A0+Go+%C2%A0

Knowledge Base Support Information

Windows Sharepoint Server version 2

No site usage data appears on the Site Usage Report page of a site after you enable usage analysis processing in Windows SharePoint Services

Describes a scenario in which no site usage data is displayed on the Site Usage Report page after you enable usage analysis processing. Instead, you receive an "A usage report is not available for this site" message.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937886/en-us

Error message when you try to open a help window from a SharePoint Server 2007 site or from a Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 site: "Cannot display help"

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/939313/en-us

An external storage API is available for Windows SharePoint Services 3.0

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938499/en-us

Description of the Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 hotfix package: May 25, 2007

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937901/en-us

The menu appears as empty white space when a user clicks Site Actions or My Settings in a SharePoint Server 2007 site or in a Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 site

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/939311/en-us

Servers that run Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 together with Office Live services can now track Windows Live ID user accounts by using the Passport User ID feature

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937498/en-us

Description of the Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 hotfix package: May 25, 2007

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937901/en-us

Error message when you run the "SharePoint Products and Technologies Configuration Wizard" when you upgrade to SharePoint Server 2007 or to Windows SharePoint Services 3.0: "Failed to initialize SharePoint Product and Technologies upgrade"

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938216/en-us

ttfn

David