SharePoint and Project Server Overview

The next version of SharePoint Server, SharePoint Server 2016, will probably appear in the fourth quarter of 2015. Office 365 now occupies most of Microsoft’s development in collaboration, business intelligence, and other focus areas of SharePoint, and SharePoint Server will probably simplify migration to and coexistence with Office 365 services. Scalability, availability, and management improvements for large installations are also likely. SharePoint Server 2016 will be a likely target for companies migrating from SharePoint 2007, which leaves Extended support Oct. 10, 2017, and SharePoint Server 2010, which leaves Mainstream support Oct. 13, 2015.

Project Server requires SharePoint Server and will likely receive updates for compatibility with SharePoint 2016. However, Microsoft has not announced any plans for upgrades to Project, Project Server, or the Project Online hosted service.

SharePoint Server 2013 and Project Server 2013 installations must be updated with SP1 by Apr. 14, 2015, to remain eligible for Microsoft product support. However, some SP1 updates were temporarily recalled and reissued in Apr. 2014 due to a bug that could prevent application of future updates. Reinstallation is required to repair instances of the recalled updates. (SharePoint 2010 SP1 support ended Oct. 14, 2014; SharePoint 2010 installations require SP2 to remain eligible for Microsoft product support.)