Development Environment SharePoint 2010

Question

I have some questions about SharePoint 2010 development environment. I want to develop a solution package.

1. Should development environment is the same version as environment production?
2. If I need external data, like ERP data, SAP data, etc. Should SharePoint first connect to these data base?
3. I am confused about the permisson. Because SharePoint has different permission with ERP/SAP. Should I need an account for these 3 system?

Thank you in very much.

Answer 1

1. Well they should be same, specially when you are going to use Backup/Restore of site or Import/Export. If you are just going to prepare a WSP solution and use that in different environments, it should work but there maybe complications. Safe side, they should be same versions.
2. You have two options: 1- Either you use External Content Types, External Lists and do it SharePoint way. 2- You can create Visual Web Parts and call these programmatically, not SharePoint way rather developer way. We personally prefer 2nd way because it much flexible.
3. SharePoint by default works with Active Directory authentication but you can write your own Authentication Providers too. Maybe configuring Single Sign-On will make single user work for both ERP and SharePoint but I don't have much experience on this topic.

All of the above are opinion-based answers and it's my personal experience/opinion. You absolutely have the right to agree/disagree :)