Is the install easy or hard?

[Microsoft]

We are proposing MS Project Pro to a local organization as a way to provide
it with "enterprise management" functionality. About 25 people would be
involved. Two people who can create/modify schedules, three "upper mgmt"
folks who receive schedule summaries, issue/risk info, etc., and 20
engineers who provide sked updates, hours worked on each task, etc. So we
are talking about installing and using Project Pro, Server 200x, Project
server, Web Access.

How easy is it to install the above apps on a dedicated server and existing
network? Should we propose sys admin support hours (install, integrate,
debug)? Training hours? If so, how many hours?

How easy is it to migrate existing Project 2000 Standard schedules into
Project Pro?

Thanks

 

[Vinh]

The hardware install on a single server is not very
difficult....nor is it very difficult to migrate Project
2000 data over.

The most difficult and complex task is to customizing the
reporting and the EPM software to fit your organizational
needs.

Once you start using the PDS and creating Portfolio
Analyzer views, you will recognize the skill and insight
required.

No two implementations of Project Server will be
similar. As the integrator of the system, you will need
to problem solve and manage solutions to best suit your
organization requirements.

Sorry for the run-about answer.



Vinh Tran

 

[Dale Howard]

Vinh --

If installing Microsoft Project 2002 and Project Server is so easy, why are
there still so many questions regarding installation and technical issues in
this newsgroup more than a year after this software was released to the
public? I believe the truth is that this software is not easy to install,
nor is it easy to configure for a company's unique project management
environment. All one has to do is to read the messages on this newsgroup to
see that this is NOT easy software to install, to configure, or to use.

Microsoft Project 2002/Project Server is enterprise software, and because of
this, I believe that the installation of the software and the configuration
of the enterprise environment should be handled by people who have
significant skills and experience in this process. The same goes for
training, too. As a part of every enterprise rollout of Microsoft Project
2002 and Project Server, I believe that training should be provided on using
these software tools properly in the company's enterprise environment.

If a company is looking for competent people to do the installation, and to
provide consulting and training on the proper implementation of these tools,
many capable people can be found who are regularly answering questions in
this newsgroup. These are my opinions. Perhaps some of the folks in the
newsgroup will have other ideas. Hope this helps.

 

[Gary Chefetz [MVP]]

D:

You won't be doing your client or your firm's reputation much service if you
attempt this in a learn-as-you-go mode. You might consider a partnering
relationship the first time out.

--
Gary Chefetz [MVP]
http://www.msprojectexperts.com

*** Remember to look for line breaks in links posted to the news group, use
cut and paste for these.

 

[David McDermott]

Dale

I have to say I agree. I am not a technical person myself
but it was indeed one of our staff (who specialises in
Microsoft installs/software) who installed it. He said it
was the worst thing he has ever installed. It then
wouldn't work properly so we got another member of staff
in as well, and re-installed it (having spent days on this
newsgroup and reading articles from various sources
including technet and passing it on to the person with
server control).

Maybe some people have found it easy (must be a genius or
very lucky). We (and this is only the evaluation version)
have found it to be a big problem. We are now looking at
getting in certified partners to help get it working
properly, customise it (which is also a bit tricky) and
help, if we chose to do so, implement it across the
division. Maybe the person in orginial post has a smaller
task (although we are not looking at having more than 150
users) but I would say unless you work for microsoft or
happen to know a lot about their software, all the backend
stuff and good knowledge of computers, databases, networks
and programming it would be silly to try to do this
without help from a certified partner. Maybe once you
have studied someone else setting it up and they provide
you with training you could do this but if you have never
installed server before then doing so and integrating with
Project Pro would likley prove difficult, frustrating and
leaving you with a good this is rubbish mentality (I know
I have).

As for migrating data, never done it and maybe that isn't
hard (would be the only thing that isn't). I have to say
I am still not keen on using the thing (although don't get
me wrong Project Pro on its own seems fine, is just the
server stuff that is not). Hope no one is offended and if
anyone from Microsoft happens to read this, please take
note of my point and Dales above. You can see how many
posts there are about this andhow difficult people find
it. Having software that requires extra downloads,
installing lots of seperate bits of software makes it a
real pain. Pheeww, been waiting weeks to get that off my
chest....

Good luck to all...

 

[Jack D.]

Vinh --

If installing Microsoft Project 2002 and Project Server is so easy, why
are there still so many questions regarding installation and technical
issues in this newsgroup more than a year after this software was
released to the public? I believe the truth is that this software is not
easy to install, nor is it easy to configure for a company's unique
project management environment. All one has to do is to read the
messages on this newsgroup to see that this is NOT easy software to
install, to configure, or to use.

Microsoft Project 2002/Project Server is enterprise software, and because
of this, I believe that the installation of the software and the
configuration of the enterprise environment should be handled by people
who have significant skills and experience in this process. The same
goes for training, too. As a part of every enterprise rollout of
Microsoft Project 2002 and Project Server, I believe that training should
be provided on using these software tools properly in the company's
enterprise environment.

If a company is looking for competent people to do the installation, and
to provide consulting and training on the proper implementation of these
tools, many capable people can be found who are regularly answering
questions in this newsgroup. These are my opinions. Perhaps some of the
folks in the newsgroup will have other ideas. Hope this helps.

I'm not a consultant and generally I think that consultants are quite often
worthless, but with Project Server and even Project Central, the
installation and proper configuration requires that you have someone with
broad knowledge and experience to install and implement smoothly.

I am one of the lucky ones who found few troubles in installing Project
Central. And likewise there are some who have no problems with Project
Server installation. If things are right and everything is done in the right
order it is no problem, however, it does not always go ideally and when it
doesn't it can be a frustrating affair. There are a number of bugs and
gotchas in Project Server 2002. It would take a while to discover them and
work around them by yourself.
Likewise, configuring the tool so it will work for your organization is
something that should be done right the first time.

My advice if you are not going to get help is to print out all the
documentation. Study it. Then install it. Test it. prepare some sample
projects and work with them. Once you are confident that you know enough,
then go ahead and try it for real.

--
Please try to keep replies in this group. I do check e-mail, but only
infrequently. For Macros and other things check http://masamiki.com/project

-Jack Dahlgren, Project MVP


+++++++++++++++++++

 

[Kelvin Kirby]

I agree with Gary & Dale. We come across a lot of frustrated customers that
have tried it themselves and failed, spent a lot of time and effort on it
and only got us involved afterwards when they realised they need some
expertise. They could all have saved themselves a lot of time and money by
engaging with a qualified Microsoft Project Partner that has a proven track
record of installations.

For what its worth, EVERY install we do is different, which is down to the
client environment, and anyone attempting an install IMHO should have a good
knowledge of Network permissions, SQL, Sharepoint, IIS, and Microsoft
Project 2002, as well as the Server technologies on which they are
installing - that's really for starters. Even consultants sometimes come
across strange issues.

My advice would be that anyone considering Project 2002 Server should engage
with a consultant. In the end you'll find it much more cost effective and
vastly more productive becuase your staff will be able to get on with the
things they can do rather than struggling for days trying to find a
solution.

Of course you may say I am biased - but I can assure you the feedback from
our clients is always "I wish we had called you first !! I am sure that
the other consultants in the forum will tell you the same thing or have
similar stories.

Regards

Kelvin Kirby
Microsoft Project Evangelist
Technology Associates International
www.techassoc.com
(e-mail address removed)