Running Through the Installation

To begin the installation process for SharePoint Server 2007, complete the following steps:

1. Log in to your computer using the installation account that was previously created.

2. Start the SharePoint Server setup program from your source files, which are located on either a network or CD.

3. Enter your product key on the Enter Product Key page. Note in Figure 5-1 that the page confirms the correct key before permitting you to proceed.

4. Accept the end-user license agreement (EULA) on the End-User License Agreement page.

5. Next you need to decide which installation type is required for your system. (See Figure 5-2.) Your decision will determine the number of configuration pages you see during installation, as well as the installation process and results.

Figure 5-1: Enter Product Key page

Figure 5-2: The Installation Types page

The Basic, or single-server, option installs the product on a single server with no options of later adding other servers or building a farm. This limitation exists because this option installs and uses Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Embedded Edition. A basic installation does not present any opportunity to change from the default options. Use the basic installation only when you know your deployment will not grow very large and will not ever need to scale out with additional servers.

Advanced Options

If you choose the Advanced option, you are presented with a page that has three tabs: Server Type, File Location, and Feedback. (See Figure 5-3.) We'll discuss your options on each of these three tabs in this section.

Figure 5-3: The first of the advanced options tabs

The Server Type tab presents three installation options. The first option we'll mention is the Stand-alone option. This option is the same as Basic on the previous page except that you now have the options on the other two tabs to configure along with setting up a basic server. The second option is the Web Front End option. This option installs only the services required for Web services and features. This option will require a reinstall if you need to support other services on this server later. You should have a Complete installation on one server before starting a WFE installation so that the Shared Services Provider (SSP) services will be available for the WFE.

Note 

In most cases, you'll not want to choose the Web Front End option because it limits your ability to quickly change a server's role without reinstalling the SharePoint binaries on the WFE server.

Finally, the Complete installation option installs all the SharePoint binaries on the server necessary to perform any or all roles and to deploy either a Standard or Enterprise edition of this product in your environment. Services and features can be turned on and off as needed on each server that has a Complete installation when you expand or shrink your farm.

Both Web Front End and Complete will require the selection of an SQL server, preferably a remote server. For a small environment or for test purposes, you can install SharePoint Server 2007 on a server that is running as a domain controller, SQL server, and Exchange Server services. But except in rare circumstances, it is not a best practice to do this.

The remaining two tabs can be used to customize your installation as follows:

• File Location Allows you to choose alternate locations for your binaries. Choices made on this tab will not affect the installation location of the common files, which will be discussed later in this chapter during the review of installation changes to your system.

• Feedback Allows you to choose whether or not to participate in the Microsoft feedback program.

Installation Complete

This will be the first indication that, to permit separation of roles, this product is very modular in its installation and configuration. At this point, you have only installed the binaries. No databases have been created, and no modifications have been made to IIS. In your environment, another team might be involved in configuring the server. If this is the case, that team will run the Configuration Wizard later. However, for the purpose of this chapter, it is assumed that you are responsible for all tasks.