Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 beta in two months

15.05.2009
Microsoft will launch an invitation-only SharePoint Server 2010 test in July with a select group of customers and then follow the program up with a public testing phase ahead of the Office 2010 release in the first half of next year.

Earlier this week at its annual , Microsoft said the Office 2010 beta slated for July will not include the SharePoint Server 2010 beta.

The SharePoint 2010 beta/technology preview will be invitation-only and will focus on a number of its enterprise customers and target specific enterprise deployment scenarios.

Tom Rizzo, director of Microsoft SharePoint Server, told Network World at TechEd that those scenarios are the best way to gather feedback on SharePoint, which has become the fastest growing product ever released by Microsoft.Microsoft also plans to run a similar beta program for Project Server 2010.

The Office 2010 beta is begin run as a separate beta, or what Microsoft calls a technology preview, that is being opened up to TechEd attendees and select others. The Office 2010 beta will focus on client technologies: Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, OneNote, Access, InfoPath and Publisher.

Later this year, a public beta will launch for both SharePoint Server 2010 and Project Server 2010. A Microsoft spokesperson did not give a timeframe for the public beta.