SharePoint 2013 deployment – Project Plan Template with Milestones

Assuming Hardware, Public IP, SSL Certificates, Domain Names are ready – Here is my SharePoint 2013 deployment project plan template with milestones outlined:

Deployment Tasks

0. Project Kick-off, Team-setup, Identifying key stakeholders and Responsibilities

1.Pre-Deployment Activities

1.1 Planning Logical Architecture, Topology, Service Accounts, Domain URLs, Naming Standards, etc

1.2 Provision Service Accounts, DNS Entries & Delegations for SharePoint.

1.3 Prepare machines for SharePoint deployment (Adding Server Roles, Permissions, windows updates, etc.)

1.4 SQL Server Installation, Clustering / Mirroring / Always-ON.

2. SharePoint Installation

2.1.1 Install SharePoint binaries to Web and App Servers

2.1.2 Install Language Packs, Patch to the recent build

2.2. Configure SharePoint Farm

2.2.1 Run SharePoint Configuration Wizard and Create SharePoint Farm

2.2.2 Configure Farm, Web Application Settings (SMTP, Upload Size, Recycle Bin, Quota Templates, Antivirus settings, etc.)

2.3 Create and Configure Service Applications

2.3.1 Create Search Service Application.

2.3.2 Configure Search Service Content Source, Crawl Schedules, Verticals

2.3.3 Configure User Profile Service Application (My Sites, User Profile Sync)

2.3.4 Create and configure BDC, Excel Services, Managed Metadata Service, Secure Store, Web Analytics

2.4 Branding

2.5 Configure SSL certificates, Configure Scheduled Tasks for Backup, Archival, Etc.

2.6 Load Balance, Publish SharePoint Farm

3. Deploy Office Web App Farm

3.1 Install necessary server roles to OWS Servers

3.2 Install and configure Office Web Apps Server Farm

3.3 Establish bindings between SharePoint and OWS Farm

4. Testing

4.1 Execute Load Testing on provisioned SharePoint Farm

4.2 Perform UI, Functional Testing on SharePoint features

4.3 Test My Sites, User Profile Sync, Incoming-Outgoing Emails, Search, etc.

5. Post deployment Tasks

5.1 Plan and Implement Application/Hardware/Security Monitoring (SCOM), High Availability, Backup, Disaster Recovery

5.2 Run SharePoint Health analyzer, Best Practices checker and fix any possible issues.

5.3 Environment Build Guide Documentation

5.4 Handover, Knowledge Transfer, Training

This is only high-level tasks list! You may have to add/remove milestones based on your requirements!!