SharePoint 2016 New Features

SharePoint 2016 beta has been released and upon exploring we found some new features which are listed below:

1. Server Roles

While running configuration wizard users will come across a screen, where they are provided with the settings to define the role of a server. It also helps to maintain the best performance of the desired server role. Following roles are available:

• Front-end
• Application
• Distributed Cache
• Search
• Custom
• Single Server Farm

We can also change the server role through central admin --> System Settings --> Servers --> Convert server role in this farm

2. App Launcher

This cool gadget which s customizable & extensible allows users to navigate between SharePoint, OneDrive & Newsfeed

3. Enhanced simple controls for document library

4. Content Databases sizes to be in TBs and not GBs

5. Added the support of 100K site collections per content db up from 10K for SharePoint 2013.

6. Increased the list threshold more than 5000 items per view\query. For deep dive refer Auto Indexing List View In SharePoint 2016.

7. Increased the maximum file size to 10 GB up from 2 GB for SharePoint 2013

8. Search index size increased from 250 million supported items per farm to 500 million items.

9. Added automatic list column indices management to make it easier for SharePoint users to create and use large lists without worrying too much about indexing.

10. Improved and stabilized distributed cache (App Fabric)

App Fabric is announced to be discontinued already as a standalone product but the product group will continue to support it as a component part of SharePoint

1. Added the support of the BITS Protocol instead of COBALT for file transfer. BITS utilizes an unclaimed bandwidth to enhance file transfer experience.
2. Microsoft Project Server 2016 (PWA) is now part of the SharePoint product (install) but still requires a separate license.

 

3. Improved bidirectional sync with active directory

FIM (Forefront Identify Manager) product is removed from the SharePoint media (Install). Also, added support for external standalone FIM product\service.

4. New site collection template called “Compliance Policy Center” added

 It allows you to manage policies and assign policies to SharePoint site collections to help you enforce your organization governance requirements.  It includes the ability to discover sensitive information like “Social security number”, credit card numbers …etc. You also can add document delete policies.

 

5. Added a new Site collection template called “In-Place Hold Policy Center”

This allows you to manage governance policies across site collections.

6. Fast Site Creation introduced

SharePoint will leverage master copies for common site templates (I.e. STS0) to do a SPSite.Copy at the content db level to speed up site collection creation. For deep dive, refer Fast Site Creation in SharePoint 2016

7. 115 new PowerShell commandlet added.

lot of them existed before part of the Project Server when it was a separate install, the rest are brand new that provide more control on server administration, integration with the cloud for hybrid scenarios …etc.. For complete detailed list, refer SharePoint 2016 New Powershell cmdlets

8. Durable links feature is added

This provides resource Id based URL to make it easier to locate documents with their URL no matter where you move them.

9. Two new features are added for document libraries :
   • Generate a file plan report for a folder in document library
   • Change enterprise metadata and keywords settings

10. Added SMTP Connection encryption for outgoing email

You can use custom ports & enable SSL …etc

11. Enabled Office 365 hybrid scenario integration with SharePoint 2016 on-premises through central admin.

You can configure one of two different integration scenarios:

1. OneDrive & Sites
2. OneDrive only