Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 (MOSS) : Features and CALs.

Many of us, the SharePoint users, were surprised to find out that to use some SharePoint
features such as Excel services and electronic forms, we need to purchase per user
licenses called CALs, Client Access Licenses. So, here is what you should know about
MOSS licensing:

• Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 (WSS) are server components, same as IIS among other server components. All you have to acquire is a license to use Windows server 2003 or 2008.


• Watch out! Depending on what features you need and the number of users you have,
  MOSS may be very expensive. There are to versions: Standard end Enterprise and each
  version has its own CALs. To use Enterprise features, both Standard and Enterprise
  CALs must be purchased.
  


• To use MOSS enterprise features such as “Business intelligence” and “Enterprise
  search”, you have to pay for per user licenses.

For more information:

- Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 and Related Technologies pricing
- Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 frequently asked questions
- Microsoft Office SharePoint Server: How to Buy

SharePoint : The need for a governance plan

According to Microsoft : "Governance is the set of policies, roles, responsibilities, and processes that you establish in your enterprise to guide, direct, and control how it uses technologies to accomplish business goals."

Governance plan is critical step for any successful SharePoint deployment. The absence of such a plan may even lead to a total chaos. Since no organization wants to loose control over her information, a plan to structure this information and establish the responsibilities between users and IT professionals is unavoidable.

This has been said, the governance plan is neither meant to very limit the end-user nor to overload administrators and developers.

Where to start then?

- Plan governance (Technet)
- Microsoft SharePoint Team Blog
- Mark Schneider's SharePoint Taxonomy and Governance Blog