Configuring SharePoint 2010

The following high-level checklist should be used to continue the installation of an advanced SharePoint environment:

1. Create Web Applications required, configuring them for Kerberos, SSL, and Load Balancing (all best practices).
2. Configure Managed Paths and Content Database structure, based on the parameters defined during the design phase.
3. Configure My Site functionality.
4. Configure the SharePoint Central Administration Web Application as a load-balanced, SSL, and Kerberos-enabled web application for performance, security, and high availability.
5. Configure all service applications required for the farm, using either the web-based wizard or (preferably), PowerShell, as demonstrated in this chapter.
6. Configure the User Profile Service to pull information into User Profiles.
7. Configure inbound mail settings, and configure them to be load balanced for availability of the service.
8. Configure outbound mail settings for alerts and other messages to be sent from SharePoint.
9. Configure search (covered in more detail in Chapter 8, “Leveraging and Optimizing Search in SharePoint 2010,” including third-party iFilters such as PDF iFilters, and FAST Search if needed.
10. Configure backup (third-party, Microsoft DPM, or integrated backup.) Refer to Chapter 10, “Backing Up and Restoring a SharePoint Environment,” for more details.
11. Configure edge security and antivirus (third-party or Microsoft Forefront products, covered in Chapter 14, “Protecting SharePoint with Advanced Antivirus and Edge Security Solutions”).
12. Configure data and transport security options (covered in Chapter 17, “Safeguarding Confidential Data in SharePoint 2010”).
13. Configure SQL maintenance and optimization, using concepts defined in Chapter 9.
14. Configure third-party product functionality as necessary.
15. Test, test, and retest before deploying into production.
16. Migrate content into SharePoint using third-party tools (if necessary).