SharePoint 2010 SP1: What it does -- and does not do
A host of small improvements make SharePoint even better, and its database size limitations are significantly raised for some systems
Follow @JPBruzzeseSharePoint 2010 has been stable and feature-rich from the get-go, but nonetheless, Microsoft recently released Service Pack 1 for it. I've heard few complaints regarding its performance and a great deal of praise regarding the leaps taken beyond its predecessor. However, a common gripe relates to the content database size limitations even if you are using Remote Blob Storage (RBS).
So does SharePoint 2010 SP1 address the database size issue, and what else does it bring to the table to make SharePoint 2010 even better?
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What's new in SharePoint 2010 SP1
First, here is what SharePoint 2010 SP1 adds:
Support for SQL Server "Denali" (aka SQL Server 2011): Given that SharePoint is heavily integrated with SQL, it stands to reason that new features in the forthcoming Denali version of SQL Server will only make SharePoint 2010 better.
Shallow Copy: This new feature allows you to move site collections to new content databases without having to move all the Remote Blob storage content. Thus, only the ownership information is moved, without having to copy the unstructured data in the file store. The Move-SPSite PowerShell cmdlet has been enhanced to allow this feature.
Site Recycle Bin: With this new feature, administrators can restore site collections and/or sites that have been accidentally deleted by their owners. How often does this happen? Hopefully not too often. But when it does, having recoverable copies without getting out backups is a plus. We've had the Recycle Bin feature in SharePoint for lists, libraries, and documents for while now; this is a nice additional safety net.
StorMan.aspx (Storage Space Allocation page): StorMan.aspx has been reintroduced in SharePoint 2010 SP1. It was removed from the original version of SharePoint 2010. Now that it is back, it adds the ability to display better information to users regarding their quota information. That makes it easier for users to clean up their sites by deleting content they may not need.
Cascading filters in PerformancePoint Services: Filters values can now be passed from one filter to the next.
Broader browser support: SharePoint 2010 SP1 adds support for IE9 in Internet Explorer 8 Standards Mode, as well as for Google Chrome.
As a result of the new features and enhancements, Microsoft has updated much of the SharePoint 2010 information at its TechNet site.
