Microsoft has rolled out the first technical preview of SharePoint Server 2016, which includes new features focused on mobile and cloud capabilities.
The forthcoming version of Microsoft’s collaboration and content management platform includes a number of new features including a new app launcher that allows users to quickly launch their apps, browse sites and access personal files and a simpler file-sharing mechanism. In addition, larger files of up to 10GB can also now be uploaded to SharePoint Server 2016.
The release includes new In-Place-Hold and Document Deletion Centers which allow users to manage time-based, organisation-wide in-place hold policies to save items in SharePoint and OneDrive for Business for a fixed period of time, in addition to managing policies that can delete documents after a stipulated time period.
There’s also the new cloud hybrid search tool which allows SharePoint Server 2013 and Office 365 users to retrieve unified search results through a combined search index in Office 365. Using the new hybrid search service, users can browse cloud and on-premises content in a search index within Office 365.
Microsoft said SharePoint Server 2016 has been built using the same core platform as that for SharePoint Online, the hosted version of the collaboration platform, so users will find greater similarities between the two.
Announcing the preview on Microsoft’s SharePoint blog, Bill Baer, senior technical product manager for the SharePoint team, said SharePoint Server 2016 provides the latest technologies and standards for mobile push and information synchronization.
Furthermore, with deep investment in HTML5, SharePoint Server 2016 provides IT professionals and designers with capabilities that enable device-specific targeting of content. This will help ensure that users get access to the information they need, regardless of the screen they choose to access it on, Baer added.
It is to be noted that, while the cloud hybrid search tool is available for preview, users cannot configure the service with Office 365 until early September.
The Redmond is expected to roll out SharePoint Server 2016 full release in the second quarter of 2016.
