difference between Authorization and Authentication?

Authentication:
Authentication is a process of identifying a user based on their credentials(means user id and password).

Authorization:
Authorization is process of determining whether an authenticated user is allowed to access a specific resource or not.


In Short,
Authentication is the process of validating a logged in person with user_id and password
Once a person is authenticated, Authorization is the process who check the person access or not for some places.

The "quick guide"
Identification: Who are you?
Authentication: Prove yourself
Authorization: Here is what you can do?

Sharepoint:Add new link to Quick Launch, Programmatically and through site settings

We can add new link to Quick launch menu by two ways
i. By Site Setting
ii. By Programmatically


1. How to add new link by Site settings?
Follow the following steps:
a. Login by admin authentication
b. Goto Site Action -> Site Settings
c. Click on 'Quick Launch' under 'Look and Feel' section
d. Click on 'Select Heading' and add 'Web Address' where you want to redirect (I use '#' which redirects to default.aspx page)and then give new name for this new section in 'description' text box(I use 'Custom Menu').
e. Click on OK, this will create new section in Quick Launch menu
f. Then click on 'New Link', it will open new window
g. Provide web address, and description (I use '/MyCustomPage.aspx' and give name as 'My Custom Page', this name will displaying in Quick launch menu)
i. Then select heading from combo box, select 'Custom Menu' heading
j. click on OK button
k. Now click on Home or goto default.aspx page


2. How can we create Quick Launch menu Programmatically?
use following code:

SPWeb web = SPContext.Current.Site.RootWeb;
web.AllowUnsafeUpdates = true;

SPNavigationNodeCollection nodes = web.Navigation.QuickLaunch;
SPNavigationNode navNode = new SPNavigationNode("Custom Menu", "#", false);
nodes.AddAsFirst(navNode);

SPNavigationNode headerLink1 = new SPNavigationNode("My Custom Page", "/MyCustomPage.aspx", true);
nodes[0].Children.AddAsFirst(headerLink1);


This will create new section in Quick lauch menu..
Really soooo easy :)

Sharepoint: Error while sending email alerts thro' sharepoint site

sometimes sharepoint email alerts are not properly working, and its very difficult to find actual error cause.
I also faced lots of problem with same issue, on development server alerts works like charm but on installable server, email alerts not working..
I searched for solution but didn't get anything, all outgoing email configuration in Central Admin correct.

So i checked email error from following utility, you can download from
http://www.codeplex.com/rodneyviana/Release/ProjectReleases.aspx?ReleaseId=19103

you can extract only the .exe file (SendMail\bin\Debug\SendMail.exe) and run it without any installation. This application will send an e-mail. Enter the url of a valid sharepoint site and a valid user login name for that site which will be the recipient of the test email message. The application will display the e-mail information from the sharepoint site user login name.

for more information please have a look at
http://blogs.msdn.com/rodneyviana/archive/2008/11/06/how-to-test-the-mail-settings-for-a-sharepoint-web-application.aspx