With the recent release of SharePoint 2013 to general audiences, some Bamboo customers are already gung-ho to upgrade their environments to run the latest and greatest incarnation of Microsoft’s collaborative software platform.  If you’re one of these early adopters, you may be thinking, “What about all those powerful and flexible Bamboo products I’m using in SharePoint 2010 or 2007?”  Have no fear, for….

Bamboo is gearing up to help you move to SharePoint 2013!

Here at Bamboo, we’re working overtime to ensure that all of our relevant products are made 2013-compatible, and that those currently in development take advantage of some of the powerful new features included in the latest release of the platform. To help you painlessly and seamlessly ease into the new world that is SharePoint 2013, we have a virtual treasure trove of SharePoint 2013 information available for you around Bamboo Nation. Our dedicated SharePoint 2013 blog has all the insider insight, tips, tricks, and best practices to help you get the most out of your SharePoint 2013 upgrade, and we’ve got as many big plans in store for that blog as we do for our product line.

In the meantime, you may have some more immediate questions, and we’ve got answers…

So, all these Bamboo products I’ve invested in, can they be migrated to SharePoint 2013?

In most cases, yep!  First things first though: What version of Microsoft SharePoint are you currently running? 

If you currently have Bamboo products deployed in SharePoint 2007:

Microsoft does not offer the direct migration path from SharePoint 2007 to SharePoint 2013.  As a result, you will need to follow the steps necessary to migrate to SharePoint 2010.  Once the migration from 2007 to 2010 has been completed, you will next need to migrate from SharePoint 2010 to 2013.  For details on migrating from 2007 to 2010, check out the following articles from Bamboo’s Knowledge Base:

• HOWTO: Migrate Bamboo Products from SharePoint 2007 to SharePoint 2010
• HOWTO: Migrate My Existing Bamboo Product License Key From SharePoint 2007 to SharePoint 2010

If you currently have Bamboo products deployed in SharePoint 2010 (or have 2007 and just followed the steps above to move from 2007 to 2010):

Similar to the situation above for those who moved from SharePoint 2007 to 2010, due to different architectures between SharePoint 2010 and SharePoint 2013, a separate installation package and license key is required for SharePoint 2013 deployment.  For additional details, check out the following articles from Bamboo’s Knowledge Base:

• HOWTO: Migrate Bamboo Products from SharePoint 2010 to SharePoint 2013
• HOWTO: Migrate My Existing Bamboo Product License Key From SharePoint 2010 to SharePoint 2013

 

How do I get a SharePoint 2013 version / license for my product?

As they’re released, customers will be able to obtain SharePoint 2013 licenses for Bamboo products that they already own via the My Bamboo support portal. Regardless of when you purchased your Bamboo product, or what version of SharePoint you’re currently running, upgrading your Bamboo product(s) to 2013 can be accomplished quickly and easily once you’ve followed the upgrade path outlined above.  In addition, if you currently hold an active Bamboo Premium Support plan, you are eligible to upgrade Bamboo products to their 2013 versions free of charge upon release.  Don’t currently have a Premium Support plan?  Click here to find out more about the added benefits Premium Support provides.

Speaking of Premium Support, when I get my new SharePoint 2013 key, will the terms of my Premium Support plan change?

As a trusted partner in your SharePoint journey, Bamboo is always here to help guide you so that your SharePoint journey is both profitable and enjoyable.  In an effort to avoid any confusion, upgrading to SharePoint 2013-compatible products will NOT affect the term of your Premium Support plan.  For example, if your Premium Support plan has an end date of 11/1/2013 and you get your 2013 key on 5/5/2013, the end date for your support plan will still be 11/1/2013. After 11/1/2013, you would need to renew your support plan in order to continue to take advantage of all the valuable benefits that Premium Support has to offer.

I am a current Bamboo Premier owner and noticed that not all of my Bamboo products have 2013 upgrades.  How will this affect my SharePoint 2013 environment and functionality?

 

According to Microsoft, “SharePoint Server 2013 has been optimized for the way people work, providing people with a familiar, consistent view of information, collaboration, and process, and IT with a comprehensive, easily-managed and integrated platform to meet the needs of the business.”  That said, there’s no need to worry about losing functionality – in the case of those few products that we will not be supporting for 2013, their respective capabilities have been added to SharePoint 2013 out-of-the-box.  So why continue to invest in Bamboo Premier?  Not only does it include a huge collection of customizable tools and components, Bamboo Premier is the simplest, most cost-effective way to expand your SharePoint environment beyond its out-of-the-box limitations.  In addition, when you keep your support contracts current, you will have firsthand access to new product additions to the suite throughout the year.

I’ve been hearing a lot lately about SharePoint Online?  What exactly is this, and will Bamboo be supporting it?

SharePoint Online is a cloud-based, restricted security environment which currently limits the capabilities of applications running in it. Our existing products are primarily farm-based solutions which cannot be deployed in the SharePoint Online environment. Unfortunately, as a result, our current product line is not compatible with SharePoint Online. Any future Bamboo releases for SharePoint Online will be entirely new products.

When will the SharePoint 2013-compatible version of my product(s) be available?

Production of SharePoint 2013 versions of Bamboo’s product line is well underway and, in many cases, are on the cusp of release.  We’re excited to roll-out the new products as they pass quality assurance testing and inspection, and are certified as ready to provide you with the peak performance you expect from Bamboo.  We encourage you to check back for the latest news on our 2013 Bamboo releases.  We will be keeping you up-to-date on the SharePoint 2013 status of all of our products, including our bestsellers that are on-deck for release in the coming weeks, including:

• Workflow Conductor;
• PM Central;
• Calendar Plus;
• List Rollup;
• Alert Plus;
• Data-Viewer;
• Task Master and more….

Still have questions?

As previously stated, Bamboo is always here to help guide you so that your SharePoint journey is both profitable and enjoyable.  While the products we provide facilitate collaboration, the support, training and services you get from Bamboo make it work.  At Bamboo, we are with you all the way with our robust knowledge base, online document center, forums and blogs and helpful FAQ page.  Still can’t find the information you’re looking for?  Contact us now and we’ll do what we can to get you the information you need to help you achieve your SharePoint goals.