Getting started with SharePoint: Learn to install the thing

Getting started with SharePoint:
The first step is to install sharepoint on the server

Since Sharepoint is a .net web app with a sql backend
you will need SQL and IIS with .net

Technet article with the step by step instructions for the first 2 steps below

1. Create a Server Virtual Machine
2. Install SharePoint (and prerequisites) on the Server
   2.1. IIS and .net 3.5 framework
   2.2. Install SharePoint (with SP1 - or whatever the most recent upgrade is)
   2.3. Set the Path Environment Variable (so you can use stsadm from anywhere)
   
   See how easy that was!
   Ah but now it gets interesting...
   Once the software is installed, you need to run the configuration wizard
   
   PREPARE to configure
   It is important to take time to prepare for configuration as you will quickly become overwhelmed by the number of crucial decisions you will have to make when stepping through the wizard. These are things that will constantly affect you going forward so be ready to make each choice with confidence.
   
3. Create the Service Accounts in AD for least privilege administration
   
   Technet article about this subject
   
   For least privilege administration each Service in Sharepoint "SHOULD" be run as it's own account. If you plan to follow this "Best Practice" in production, you SHOULD do it in dev as well because it's tricky to set this up.
   
   You will need several service accounts.
   
   :: SharePoint Server Setup Account (acct to run the configuration wizard as DO NOT RUN CONFIGURATION AS YOURSELF!)
   :: SQL Server Account (SQL_Service)
   :: Farm Database Access Account (Cent Admin)
   :: Shared Service Provider (SSP1_svc) You will need one for each SSP
   :: Office SharePoint Server Search (Search_svc)
   :: Default Content Access Account (SSP1ContentAccess_svc) one for each SSP
   :: Content Access Account (Portal_Content_svc) one for each site collection
   :: Windows SharePoint Services Search Account (WSSSearch_Service) -None if MOSS
   :: Application Pool Process Account (PortalAppPool_svc) one for each webapp
   
4. Create DNS Alias' (CNames)
   :: One for the portal Host Header (possibly for each Site Collection as well)
   :: One for MySite Host Header
   
5. Run Config wizard
   Did I mention DO NOT RUN the config wiz AS YOURSELF?
   A whole post in itself! >> Configuring SharePoint (part1)
   
   After the config wiz runs, Central Admin will open with a list of tasks
   
6. Step through the Config instructions from Central Admin (Tasks)
   >> Configuring SharePoint (part2)
   
   Follow the steps in the "quick start guide" (found in central admin after config wiz runs)
   
   6.1. Update Farm Adminstrators Group
   
   Configure services
   6.2. Configure the SharePoint Server 2007 Search Service
   6.3 Configure the Shared Services Provider
   6.4. Create the SSP Website
   6.5. Create the MySites Website
   6.6 Finish creating the SSP Service
   6.7. Add the spadmins and spadmins dev groups to the ssp site permissions
   6.8 Configure indexing
   6.9 Configure default content access account
   6.10. Manage content sources
   6.11. Manage Permissions for MySites Settings:
   6.12. Alternate Access Mappings
   6.13. Configure the User Profile StorE
   6.14. Start and configure Excel Calculation
   6.15. Create alternate access mappings
   6.16. Configure incoming e-mail settings
   6.17. Configure outgoing e-mail settings (SMTP) pointing to the NA exchange server
   6.18. Configure diagnostic logging
   6.19. Configure antivirus protection settings
   
7. Create the Portal
   7.1. Create the Web Application
   7.2. Create the Site Collection
   
8. Grant Access to Admins and Developers
   8.1. Accounts to Use
   8.1.1. spadmin - Virtual domain account with email - for managing the portal
   8.1.2. Actual domain account for the person responsible for the installation
   8.1.3. Actual domain account of the person responsible for the Content
   8.1.4. Actual domain account for the person responsible for development
   8.1.5. spadmins group (spadmin, install admin and content admin)
   8.1.6. spadminsdev group (spadmins + developer)
   8.2. The Servers
   8.2.1. Sharepoint server
   8.2.2. Sql Server
   8.2.3. Client
   8.3. Permissions
   8.3.1. SharePoint server (in computer management)
   8.3.2. The SQL server
   8.3.3. On the Portal
   8.3.4. In Central Admin
   8.3.5. Permissions on the SSP Site
   8.3.6. Permissions on the “MySites SiteCollection”
   8.3.7. Matrix for Setting up Security according to Environment
   
9. Backup and Restore
   9.1. Techniques
   9.2. Permissions

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.