Installing SharePoint 2010 on an Island

Have you found yourself installing SharePoint on an island of sorts – completely disconnected from the Internet, without external DNS connectivity or the ability to download files that are required for SharePoint? Even though you know that the Internet is within reach you’re unable to access it, probably because of an OSI layer 1 network adapter not being plugged in just yet.

So how do you install SharePoint? Where do you pull the prerequisites from? What do you need to grab and transfer via sneakernet?

Look no further… Microsoft kindly provides the SharePoint Server 2010 Hardware and Software Requirements which includes links to downloads of the prerequisites in the "Access to Applicable Software" section.

One thing to make note of is the release of the QFE for SharePoint issues addressing "Performance Counter fix and User Impersonation" (KB979917).

Also, something to make note of, while Microsoft has the "Applicable Software" section, it doesn’t exactly give you links that will work when you’re trapped on an island. For instance, the link for the .NET 3.5 Framework with SP1 is for the Bootstrapper which launches to download files from the Internet.  This isn’t exactly useful when you’re in a disconnected environment.  Instead, scroll down and make note of the information pertaining to the Full Redistributable.  Also note that there are updates that need to be downloaded for the .NET 3.5 Framework with SP1 (three of them actually) and an update to re-associate XPS files with the .NET framework.

Alas, there are some caveats… an item to make note of is that as of this writing the SQL Native Client download button from the link provided pushes you to an ill formed HTML page where you have to seek out the SQL Native Client package for downloading purposes.  See below for proper link.