1. Understanding SharePoint 2013
Code Deployment Models
- Apps vs. Solutions
Nik Patel
Lead Solutions Architect, Slalom Consulting, Chicago Practice

2. Session Goals
 Session Level - 200
 Audience – SharePoint Architects and SharePoint Developers
 Simple Goal – Understanding where Apps fits in SharePoint 2013 Development Landscape
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3. About Me
Nik Patel
• Lead Solutions Architect, Slalom Consulting
• Working with SharePoint 2010 since Summer 2009 TAP
• Master in Computer Science from IIT, Chicago
Contact Info
• Email – patenik2@yahoo.com
• Blog – Nik Patel’s SharePoint World -
http://nikspatel.wordpress.com/
• Twitter - @nikxpatel
• LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/nikspatel
• Slideshare - slideshare.net/patenik2
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4. Session Agenda
 Why New Code Deployment Model – SharePoint 2013 Apps?
 Revisit Farm Solutions and Sandbox Solutions Models
 Introducing SharePoint Apps as Code Deployment Model
 Quick walkthrough of SharePoint Hosted Apps
 In-depth Comparison of Solutions vs. Apps
 Prescriptive Guidance of when to use SharePoint Solutions vs. Apps
 Questions and Answers
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5. SharePoint 2013 Apps – Rumors, Humors, Opinions, and Level Set
It’s too early to say how organization will adopt Apps Model
 Apps are Crapps
 Apps are not magic button
 Both solutions and Apps are valid options
 Apps supports No Server side code, Lots of Client side scripting
 Don’t be confused with Server Side Code with SharePoint Server Side APIs
 This is true for SharePoint Hosted Apps but you can have server side code in Cloud hosted Apps
 Sandbox Solutions are deprecated
 Microsoft’s meaning for deprecated is – Not preferred
 Apps are preferred option over Sandbox Solutions
Don’t listen to early opinions, Try it by yourself to decide.. 
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6. What are SharePoint 2013 Apps?
Independent, Self-contained, Scenario-based Applications
It’s an application
whose interface is Yeah..It’s a widget
surfaced through or application I can
Hmmm.. It’s self- SharePoint but code
contained piece of acquire to perform
runs somewhere
functionality that extend my work or run
elsewhere away
the capabilities of a from Servers or business regardless
SharePoint website!!! Browser!!! of what technology
it is!!!
Solution Architect Developer Business User
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7. Where can I Find Apps in SharePoint 2013?
Independent, Self-contained, Scenario-based Applications
Everything in SharePoint 2013 are Apps including SharePoint Lists & Libraries (Kind of!!)
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8. Demo
Quick walkthrough of SharePoint Apps
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9. Why SharePoint 2013 Apps?
It’s a fundamental shift from the traditional SharePoint customization and deployment model
 All about End-Users – Consumerization through Apps Catalogs
 Allows end-users to extend their sites without going through IT Channels
 All about IT Pro - Stabilize the SharePoint Environment
 Keep custom code away from Servers, Improved Outage & Upgrade stories
 Orgs with At least 1 version upgrade with highly customized environment would appreciate Apps
 All about Developers - Pieces to Packages
 Apps trying to focus back on fully packaged and ready to use assembled custom solutions
 All about Cross-Platform - Use Existing Skills to extend SharePoint
 Rather than reinventing wheels in SharePoint, use existing technologies & skills to build new apps e.g. Bing Apps
Apps are here to stay.. Embrace It with Caution.. 
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10. Understanding SharePoint 2013 Custom Development Landscape
Journey from SharePoint 2007 to SharePoint 2013
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11. Revisit SharePoint Farm Level Solutions
SharePoint’s First Generation Code Execution Model
 What are they?
 Supports Full Trust Code Model
 Supports Full Server Side Object Model and Client Side Object Model APIs
 Requires Solutions Run on the Server
 Major limitations
 Supported in On-Premises only, Not supported in SharePoint Online
 No Marketplace
 Requires big server touch, customizations deployed on servers
 Root cause of most of SharePoint outages – Performance and Stability Concerns
 Huge concerns for SharePoint Upgrade strategy
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12. Revisit SharePoint Sandbox Solutions
SharePoint’s Second Generation Code Execution Model
Microsoft’s first attempt to get away from Farm Level Solutions
 What are they?
 Available in both SharePoint Online & On-Premises
 Requires Partial Trust Code Model
 Major Benefits over Farm Solutions
 Code runs on sandbox, Doesn’t require Access to Server
 Can’t harm the SharePoint server, ideal for hosted environments
 Major limitations
 Just like Farm Solutions, No Marketplace
 Severe restrictions and limited SharePoint APIs – No Database, No File System, No Web Services
 Scoped only at the Site Collection Level, No Cross-Site Collection Access
 Runs only under current user context, Can’t run code with administrative elevated privileges
 Runs under complex resource monitoring system - Outage of Application if Resource Quota is exceeded
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13. Introducing SharePoint App Model – What are they?
SharePoint’s Third Generation Code Execution Model
Microsoft’s second attempt to get away from Farm Level Solutions
 Major Benefits over Solutions Model
 Based on a proven and familiar app model used in Mobile technologies
 SharePoint business logic no longer live in SharePoint
 Apps custom code executes in the client, cloud or on-premises
 Apps can live in Public Marketplace or Private Corporate Marketplace
 Apps have efficient end-user lifecycle – Install, Use, Manage, Upgrade, Remove
 Apps will have better SharePoint Upgrade story – decoupled from SharePoint
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14. Apps Primer - Major Discussion Points
Apps Building Blocks - Basics
 App Models – What kind of Apps can be developed?
 App User Experience
 App Shapes – How does App integrated or consumed with SharePoint?
 App Scopes – Where does App runs? Can App access data from other sites?
 App Branding – How does App looks like when integrated with SharePoint – UX, Navigation, Seamless Experience?
 App Interaction with SharePoint
 App Integration – How does App access with SharePoint Data?
 App Rights – How does App granted rights to consume SharePoint data?
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15. App Primer – App Hosting Models
Three different approaches
 SharePoint Hosted Apps
 Apps hosted in SharePoint as isolated App web,
SharePoint acts as file store to host Apps components
like HTML, CSS, or JavaScript
 No Server side code, business logic runs on JavaScript
 Provider Hosted Apps
 Apps hosted outside of SharePoint in IIS, Windows
Azure, or other dedicated self-hosted Infrastructure
 Apps can be built using ASP.NET or any other
technologies like Java or PHP
 Azure Auto Hosted Apps
 Supported only in Office 365 at this moment, Azure
subscription tied to Office 365
 Auto provisions Azure web site and SQL Azure during
Apps installation process
Note - Diagram from MSDN
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16. App Primer – App Experience via Shapes
Three different ways to interact with Apps
Immersive App Part App Custom Action App
• Takes entire browser & UI screen • Behave in SharePoint just like • Action menu on Ribbon or ECB
Web Parts e.g. Stocks App, to trigger App interaction
• Stand-alone business solution e.g. Weather App, Maps App
Office Web Apps, SharePoint Search • Same as SharePoint 2010
Site, My Site etc. • Surfaced in SharePoint as Iframe
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17. App Primer – App Experience (Continued ..)
Seamless UI integration is key for successful App implementation
 App Scopes  App Branding and UI Integration
 Apps are isolated and can’t  App Templates
communicate directly with each other
 Default option when creating apps in VS
 Web Scope
 App page pulls CSS from hosting SharePoint
 Apps resources live in App Web, can be
deployed at Site or Site Collection level  Chrome Control
 Can use or register resources at Site or Site  Ideal for Cloud hosted Apps
Collection Level
 JavaScript based control that allows custom apps
 Tenant Scope to consume the CSS and styling of the parent App
Web
 Only supported in cloud-hosted
 Custom Branding
 Supports multi-tenancy and interaction with
multiple site collections  Full control over unique branding, Like SharePoint
Search and My Site
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18. App Primer – App Interaction with SharePoint
Secure interaction with SharePoint
 App Interaction
 Apps can communicate with SharePoint
using CSOM and REST based APIs
 REST/CSOM supports now Taxonomy,
Search, Publishing, User Profile, and many
more APIs
 App Rights
 Apps can authenticate into SharePoint using
OAuth or STS
 SharePoint 2013 has new authentication
model to authenticate SharePoint apps
 App Permission request
read/write/manage/full control maps to
SharePoint permission levels
read/contribute/design/full control
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19. Demo
Quick Experience of SharePoint Hosted Apps
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20. Apps vs. Solutions – Decision Time
Multi-faceted in-depth comparison
 Comparing Apps with Solutions from 6 different perspective
 Architectural level
 Custom Development Level
 Deployment, Packaging, and Maintenance Level
 Infrastructure Level
 Business Strategy and Direction
 Usability Perspective
No clear winner.. It depends!!!!.. 
Apps Model is Not Magic Pill
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21. Apps vs. Solutions – Architecture Decisions
Farm Level SharePoint Provider
Sandbox Solutions Azure Hosted Apps
Solution Hosted Apps Hosted Apps
On-Premises Only,
SharePoint
Supported No SharePoint SharePoint Online and SharePoint Online
Online and On- SharePoint Online Only
Environment Online (Supported On-Premises and On-Premises
Premises
in Dedicated SPO)
Code Execution
Full Trust Partial Trust Isolated Domain Isolated Domain Isolated Domain
Model
Browser or Non-
Business Logic Runs Browser or Browser or SharePoint Only Browser SharePoint Browser or Non-SharePoint
Under what Context? SharePoint Context Context Context Hosted Platform Hosted Platform Context
Context
Architectural
Not Much (Only Yes, Very Much
Complexity - Not Much (Only Yes, Little Bit Yes, Very Much (Requires
Service Application (Configure both
Requires Additional Service Application (Configure App Windows Azure Skills as
needs to be IIS and App
Configuration to run needs to be activated) Domain) well)
activated) Domain)
code?
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22. Apps vs. Solutions – Architecture Decisions (Continued …)
Farm Level SharePoint Provider Hosted
Sandbox Solutions Azure Hosted Apps
Solution Hosted Apps Apps
App Web (only
Site Collection (Can't web or site App Web (only web or site
cross site collection, App Web (only web collection) or collection) or Tenant (can
Code Scope Farm
limited APIs within Site or site collection) Tenant (can cross- cross-site collection in
Collection as well) site collection in same tenant)
same tenant)
No Authentication
Authentication & No Authentication No Authentication OAuth or STS
Required, Can run OAuth authentication is
Interaction with Required, can run only Required, can run Authentication
on User or Admin required
SharePoint APIs in User Context in App Context required
context
Malicious Attack or May be (May be May be (May be
May be (May be too early
harm of SharePoint Yes (runs in same No (runs in isolated too early to say too early to say
to say how OAuth will
environment due to process) safe process) how OAuth will how OAuth will
work)
bad code work) work)
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23. Apps vs. Solutions – Architecture Decisions (Continued …)
Farm Level SharePoint Provider Hosted
Sandbox Solutions Azure Hosted Apps
Solution Hosted Apps Apps
Medium-Low Medium-Low
Medium-Low (Network &
Performance for High - Very efficient, Medium - Runs in (Network & cloud (Network & cloud
cloud latency, Requires
SharePoint Data runs in main dedicated isolated latency, Requires latency, Requires
CSOM or REST
Access application process Sandbox Process CSOM or REST CSOM or REST
connection points )
connection points ) connection points )
Supports deep
integration with Partially (with web Partially (with web
Partially (with web parts
SharePoint UI and Yes Yes parts and chrome parts and chrome
and chrome controls)
Look & Feel controls) controls)
Components
Supports deep
integration with
SharePoint Not Advisable
Not Advisable
Components & (CSOM and REST Not Advisable (CSOM and
Yes Yes (CSOM and REST
Content (Lists, APIs be limited) REST APIs be limited)
APIs be limited)
Content Types,
fields, page layouts,
pages etc.)
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24. Apps vs. Solutions – Custom Development Support
Farm Level Sandbox SharePoint Hosted Provider Hosted
Azure Hosted Apps
Solution Solutions Apps Apps
Requires code running on
Yes Yes No No No
Server
SharePoint Farm level
Yes No No No No
Administrative API
Supported APIs - Server Partial - Subset
Full No No No
Side Object Model of Full Trust API
Supported APIs - Managed
Yes Yes No Yes Yes
Client Side Object Model
Supported APIs -
JavaScript Client Side Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Object Model & REST APIs
Server Side Code - C# Yes Yes No Yes Yes
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25. Apps vs. Solutions – Custom Development Support (Continued…)
Farm Level Sandbox SharePoint Hosted Provider Hosted
Azure Hosted Apps
Solution Solutions Apps Apps
Security - Run code with Yes (New App Yes (New App
Yes No Yes (New App Rights)
administrative privileges Rights) Rights)
Apart from .NET, any Non-
Limited (Azure supports
Microsoft Server Side
No No N/A Yes only .NET Framework,
technologies Supported (e.g.
Java, PHP & Node.js)
Java, PHP, LAMP etc.)
Allows you to take benefits on
latest/future Sever Side
No No No Yes Yes
technologies - newer version of
ASP.NET MVC or .NET
Allows you to take benefits on
latest/future Client Side
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
technologies - newer version of
ASP.NET MVC or .NET
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26. Apps vs. Solutions – Custom Development Support (Continued…)
Farm Level SharePoint Provider Hosted
Sandbox Solutions Azure Hosted Apps
Solution Hosted Apps Apps
Requires Local Farm or
Development Environment Yes Yes No No No
for Developers
Remote deployment and
debugging from Visual No No Yes Yes Yes
Studio
Developer Productivity, Medium (New
Medium (New Medium (New Technology)
less complex moving High High Technology)
Technology)
parts
Custom Timer Jobs or
Yes No No No No
Farm Integration
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27. Apps vs. Solutions – Deployment, Packaging, and Maintenance
SharePoint Provider Hosted
Farm Level Solution Sandbox Solutions Azure Hosted Apps
Hosted Apps Apps
Requires Server Access
Yes No No No No
for customizations
Requires outage of
Yes, requires IIS Partially, During Partially, During Partially, During
Application during Partially, During Upgrade
Reset Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade
deployment
Upgrade Concerns Yes No No No No
OK (Better than farm level
Maintenance Story - Good (Requires
but requires discipline for Great Great Great
Install/Upgrade/Uninstall disciplined approach)
large # of Site Collections)
Yes (code runs under Yes (site collection locks No (Only
Terminates the Process No (Only No (Only
same IIS worker down if resource quota functionality
in case of failure functionality outage) functionality outage)
process) exceeded) outage)
High (farm solutions Medium (can't affect Low (Hosted on Low (Hosted on Non-
Low (No Server
IT Pros Concerns may cause damage server resources, depends Non-SharePoint SharePoint
Side code)
and server touch) on resource quota) environment) environment
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28. Apps vs. Solutions – Infrastructure
Farm Level Sandbox SharePoint Hosted
Provider Hosted Apps Azure Hosted Apps
Solution Solutions Apps
Additional Hardware, No (hosted in Yes (App Domain on Yes (Windows Azure
No No
Software, and Licensing SharePoint) dedicated server) Subscription)
Yes (But stored in the
Additional Capacity Yes (Additional data Yes (Additional data
No No same site collection
Planning storage) storage)
content database)
SP Backup &
Business Continuity - Requires Additional Requires Additional
File System for SP Backup Only SP Backup Only
DR, Backup-Restore Consideration Consideration
Customizations
Load-balancing & SharePoint SharePoint Requires Additional Requires Additional
SP Backup Only
Redundancy Farm Farm Consideration Consideration
Yes (only for OAuth for
Additional Subscription Yes (tied with Office
No No No ACS integration, not for
Fees 365 subscription)
STS or High-Trusted)
Apart from IIS, any Non-
No (hosted in Yes, only Windows
Microsoft Server Side No No Yes (Any stack)
SharePoint) Azure
technologies Supported
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29. Apps vs. Solutions – Business Direction
Farm Level SharePoint Provider Hosted
Sandbox Solutions Azure Hosted Apps
Solution Hosted Apps Apps
Distribution via
No No Yes Yes Yes
Marketplace
Supports Business
Strategy - No Custom No No Yes Yes Yes
Code on SharePoint
Supports Business
Strategy - Less
Hardware, Software, Yes Yes Yes No No
Licensing Budget &
Architecture Complexity
Decoupling business
solutions from No No Yes Yes Yes
SharePoint
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30. Apps vs. Solutions – Usability Perspective
Farm Level SharePoint Provider Hosted
Sandbox Solutions Azure Hosted Apps
Solution Hosted Apps Apps
End-Users End-Users End-Users
Who Installs and
Farm Admin Site Collection Admin (IT still required for (IT still required for (IT still required for
Uninstalls
Administration) Administration) Administration)
Yes (requires
Search Farm/App No (Search can’t Yes (requires additional
Yes Yes additional
Solutions Data crawl App Web) consideration)
consideration)
Collaborative Solutions
(Side by Side existence
Yes Yes No No No
of Applications and
Data)
Seamless Experience
while browsing Apps Yes Yes No No No
and SharePoint
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31. Prescriptive Guidance of when to use SharePoint Solutions vs. Apps
Golden rules when to use which APIs
 Use Apps whenever you can – Requires philosophical change architecting SharePoint Applications
 Keep in mind - Apps are limited to what CSOM and REST API Supports
 Use Apps for decoupling independent business applications (e.g. scenario based applications)
 Use SharePoint Hosted Apps for small, reusable standalone applications (e.g. stocks, maps, RSS feeds, social integrators etc.)
 Use Provider Hosted Apps for large corporate business applications (e.g. Time sheet system, budget tracking application)
 Use Azure Auto Hosted Apps for wide-reach, public market place, scalable solutions
 Avoid Apps & Use Farm Level or Sandbox solutions for tight UI and features integration
 Use Farm or Sandbox Solutions for SharePoint Deep Integrated Applications (e.g. Collaborative Applications)
 Use Apps or Sandbox Solutions to take away code from server & minimize risk to the farm for
better upgrade stories in future
 Use Farm Level solutions for administrative interfaces to extend SharePoint functionalities
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32. Additional Apps Resources
 Microsoft
 Developer Ignite Training Videos - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-US/office/apps/fp123626
 Build Apps for Office and SharePoint - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/apps/fp160950.aspx
 3 Parts Series of Inside apps for Office and SharePoint - http://channel9.msdn.com/Series/Inside-apps-for-Office-and-
SharePoint
 Community
 Andrew Connell's Understanding SharePoint 2013 Apps -
http://www.andrewconnell.com/blog/archive/2012/07/16/understanding-sharepoint-2013-apps-aka-apps-101.aspx
 Ted Pattison's Apps Series - http://blog.tedpattison.net/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=14
 Chris O' Brien's Series - SharePoint apps: working with the app web, and why you should -
http://www.sharepointnutsandbolts.com/2012/09/sharepoint-apps-working-with-app-web.html
 Analben Mehta’s 30 Articles series for Apps development for SharePoint -
http://aanuwizard.wordpress.com/2012/09/16/30-articles-series-for-apps-development-for-sharepoint/
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33. • Thanks for attending the session!!
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• Website - http://www.sharepointfest.com/Chicago/
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34. © 2011 Slalom Corporation. All rights reserved. The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Slalom Corporation as of the date of this presentation.
SLALOM MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.