Patrick Harkins presented on SharePoint 2010 infrastructure deployment best practices. He discussed technologies like SQL Server, IIS, and SharePoint. He recommended SQL 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008 R2, and naming conventions. He also covered installation best practices like scripting, SQL aliases, DNS, ports, and Kerberos authentication. Finally, he discussed typical New Zealand deployment scenarios for small to large farms.

1. SharePoint Saturday NZ
Best Practices - for SharePoint 2010 Infrastructure Deployments
December 10th 2010
Patrick Harkins – Senior SharePoint Architect, SharePoint Consultant

2. Who Am I
• SharePoint Elite (Infrastructure)
– First in the world
• SharePoint 2010 IT Pro Ignite Trainer
– For New Zealand
• patrick@knowledgecue.com
• www.knowledgecue.com

3. Session Agenda
• SharePoint Infrastructure 101
– Technologies
– Considerations
• Before Installation Begins
– SQL Recommendations
– OS Recommendations
– SharePoint Recommendations
• Installation Best Practice
• Post Installation

4. SharePoint Infrastructure 101

5. Technologies
• 3 Distinct Application Technologies
– IIS (Internet Information Services)
– MSSQL (Microsoft SQL Server)
– SharePoint
• 3 Distinct Operational Technologies
– AD (Active Directory)
– DNS (Domain Name System)
– OS (Operating System)

6. SharePoint - The Technology Layer
User Profiles
ForeFront Configuration
and Messaging and Content
Identity .Net Framework ASP.net and Service Data Recovery
Organisational Communication Databases
Manager Databases
Information
Exchange
Internet Information Server +
Active Directory SQL Server 2005/2008 (x64)
Services Lync
Server

7. Considerations
• IIS Version (based on OS version)
• MSSQL Version
– Standard vs Enterprise
– 2005 vs 2008 vs 2008 R2
– Standalone vs Cluster
• SharePoint
– Foundation vs Standard vs Enterprise
• AD (Active Directory)
– Domain Functional Level (relates to Kerberos)

8. Considerations cont.
• OS (Operating System)
– 2008 x64 vs 2008 R2
– Standard vs Enterprise
• Requirements
– Business Requirements
– Information Architecture
– End User
– Development

9. Before Installation Begins

10. SQL Recommendations
• SQL Server (64bit only)
– SQL 2008 R2
– SQL 2008+SP1+CU2 (or greater)
• Do not use CU3 or CU4, Use CU2, CU5, or a
later CU than CU5.
– SQL 2005 w/SP3 – supported / not recommended
for large deployments

11. OS Recommendations
• OS (64bit only)
– Windows Server 2008 R2
– Windows Server 2008+SP2
• Server capacity
– SQL and SharePoint?
• Virtualisation vs Physical

12. SharePoint Recommendations
• Naming Conventions
– Service/Managed Accounts
– Databases
– Web Applications/Application Pools
– Service Applications/Application Pools

13. Installation Best Practice

14. Some Best Practice
• Naming Convention
– Database, Service Accounts, Service Applications
– Web Applications/Pools
• Script the Installation and Configuration
• Use of SQL Alias
• Use of DNS records (A-Records)
• Use of Port 80 & 443 for Web Applications
• Kerberos vs NTLM
• SQL Database Maintenance

15. Naming Convention – Service Ac
Description Account name Comments
SharePoint Setup Account (Setup user DOMAINsrvXXXSPSetup Member of the Local Administrators group on each server where
account) SharePoint is being installed.
Member of the following SQL Server security roles:
securityadmin fixed server role
dbcreator fixed server role
If Windows PowerShell cmdlets are used that affect a database, this
account must be a member of the db_owner fixed database role for the
database.
This account is used to initiate the set up process on each server.
SharePoint Farm Service Account DOMAINsrvXXXSPFarmSvc Configure and manage the server farm.
(Server farm account or database Act as the application pool identity for the SharePoint Central
access account) Administration Web site.
Run the Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Timer Service. Additional
required machine level and database permissions are granted
automatically to this account when SharePoint services are configured.
SharePoint Service Applications and DOMAINsrvXXXSPServiceApps Account used to initiate service applications. This account is used by
Shared Service Applications Account application pools for specific Service applications.
SharePoint User Profile and Properties DOMAINsrvXXXSPUPSSvc This account has been granted Active Directory delegation and replicate
Access Account changes rights required for the user profile synchronisation service.
SharePoint Managed Metadata DOMAINsrvXXXSPMMSSvc The account used by the managed metadata service application pool.
Account

16. Naming Convention - Database
SP_CONFIG_XXX 800 20 10 10
SP_CONTENT_CA_XXX 250 20 10 10
SP_SERVICE_STATESERVICE_XXX 30 10 5 5
SP_SERVICE_USAGE_XXX 300 50 50 5
SP_SERVICE_WORDAUTOMATION_XXX 20 20 10 5
SP_SERVICE_BCS_XXX 50 10 10 5
SP_SERVICE_WEBSTAGE_XXX 50 50 20 5
SP_SERVICE_WEBREPORT_XXX 100 50 20 5
SP_SERVICE_METADATA_XXX 50 20 20 5
SP_SERVICE_PROFILE_XXX 150 50 20 10
SP_SERVICE_SOCIAL_XXX 100 50 20 10
SP_SERVICE_SYNC_XXX 200 50 50 10

17. Script the Provisioning and Configuration

18. Use of SQL Alias
A SQL Server alias enables protection from SQL Server configuration
changes in a SharePoint farm
It enables you to define a local alias name to connect to with a SQL
Client
Cliconfg.exe, SQL Server Client tools along with DNS are two
methods for creating a SQL alias
For Servers without SQL Server Client tools use Cliconfg.exe
Following a SQL failure, or if you want to migrate to a different SQL Server,
update the SQL Server Alias on each server to reference the new SQL Server

19. Use of DNS records
Used to reference “friendly” SharePoint Web Application URL’s
DNS records created as an A record
A records work better with Kerberos
DNS records used in conjunction with Host Headers
Friendly URL’s lend themselves to scaling out SharePoint Farms
DNS records created for all web applications
•CA the exception unless external access required

20. Use of Port 80 & 443 for web
applications
SharePoint forms the basis of Web Applications
Web applications belong on port 80 or 443 for future proofing
Extending the web application out side the organisation > less
reconfiguration when standard web ports are used
Greater interoperability when communicating with BI and LOB applications
Firewalls that block non standard web ports
Loss of functionality and inaccessible links for extended sites

21. Kerberos vs NTLM
NTLM is a lightweight and efficient protocol. Chatty
Kerberos is industry standard protocol. Less Chatty
Small SharePoint farm, simple AD domain with few servers in the farm, and SharePoint not
required to authenticate with other applications, NTLM is a good choice.
Large SharePoint farm or large number of users where SharePoint integrates with other
applications like SSRS, Kerberos is a good choice. Kerberos solves double hop application domain
authentication challenges.
5 steps to implement. SPN creation, Server and User delegation, Web application configuration, test.
• Fiddler 2

22. SQL Database maintenance
Some of the ways you can optimize your database are
• Defragmentation of the SharePoint databases
• Defragmenting indexes – This is more beneficial to do indexes rather than tables for
database performance
• Shrink Database and log files
Create maintenance plans
• Check database integrity
• Shrink Database Reorganize Index
• Rebuild Index
• Maintenance Clean-up task
Un-supported Database operations
• http://support.microsoft.com/kb/841057/en-us

23. Post Installation

24. Daily Tasks
• Performing Physical Environmental Checks
• Performing and Monitoring Backups
• Checking Disk Usage
• Checking the Event Viewer
• Monitoring Server Performance
• Monitoring Network Performance

25. Weekly Tasks
• Archive Event Logs
• Check for Security Updates
• Review SLA Performance Figures
• Archive Data
• Environmental Tests
• Database Maintenance

26. Monthly Tasks
• Security Checks
• Capacity Planning
• Disaster Recovery Test

27. Key considerations on the impact of
SharePoint infrastructure

28. Type of SharePoint Implementation
Considerations Type
• No of users • Single Server Farm
• Type of user • Multiple Server Farm
• Target audiences • Multiple Farm Multiple Server
• Structure of organisation • Dedicated Service Application
• Type of access Farm
• End user engagement • Development and Test Farms
• Information Architecture • Fail over Farm
• Existing supporting
infrastructure
• Performance and Redundancy
• Cost

29. Users and type of user
Read vs
collaboration
Light,
End user
Medium,
adoption
Heavy

30. Type of Access
(Internal, External, Internet)
Internal
• URL
• Authentication
Model (Classic vs
Claims, FBA,
Integrated, NTLM vs
Kerberos)
External
• URL, Zone,
Internet HTTPS
• Type of user • Access to
• Type of site External Site
• Target
Audience

31. Physical Topology Changes
• Architectural Components
• Web Front End Server Changes
• Application Server Changes
• SQL Server Changes

32. Architectural Components
• Architecture is familiar, many more design choices
• No single point of failure
• Web Front End Servers (WFE) – Some changes, mostly
optimization
• Application Servers – Many changes
• MSSQL – Some changes and heavy optimization
• 2010 is more flexible than 2007

33. Web Front End Server
(WFE) Changes
• New Hive
Folder (14)
• New client protocol
(transports only
deltas)
• Throttling feature to better
manage peak loads
• New Usage
Logging and • Client
Health data synchronization
changes

34. Application Server Changes
• Many more services can run on an App Server
• No More SSP (Upgraded it becomes the Search
Service and Profile Service)
• User Code Service is a separate isolated service that
can run on one to many servers in the farm to isolate
“sandbox” code
• You can configure on a content db basis which server
should be used to run timer jobs for that content db.
You can also specify on which servers workflow timer
jobs should run

35. MSSQL Server Changes
• Many more databases to manage
• Most service applications will have their own
database
• People service has 3, Search can have multiple
crawl and property store databases
• Snapshot management
• You can force snapshots during backup
• Content Deployment will support working off
snapshots

36. MSSQL Server Changes cont...
• Unattached content database restore
• Browse through a content database that isn’t
joined to a farm to find content to restore
• Remote Blob Storage API
• Replaces External Blob Storage (EBS) from
SharePoint 2007
• Supports file stream providers for external storage

37. Typical NZ Infrastructure
Environments

38. Typical NZ deployment scenarios
Start
Web Front End
Servers (WFE) • Dual/Quad Core Processors
• 8GB for WFE (Virtualised)
• 8GB for APP (Virtualised)
• 8GB for SQL < Shared/Dedicated
Application
Servers (WFE)
Suitable for typical medium size
organisations in NZ (200-500 users)
Database
Backend (Shared) • Collaboration sites (light)
• Project Sites
• Intranet

39. Typical NZ deployment scenarios
Web Front End Good
Servers (WFE)
• Dual/Quad Core Processors
• 8GB for WFE (Virtualised)
• 8GB for APP (Virtualised)
Application • 16GB for SQL on a cluster or log
Servers (WFE)
shipping
• Can support more than 1500+ users
Database
Backend (Shared)

40. Large deployment scenarios
NLB
Best (Large high availability)
Web Front End • Quad Core Processors
Servers (WFE)
• 8>12GB for WFE x 2
• 8>12GB for APP x 2
Application
Servers (WFE)
• 16>32GB for SQL on a cluster with
log shipping/mirror
• 10k users
Database
Backend
(Dedicated)

41. References
• SharePoint Server 2010 capacity management: software boundaries and limits
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=66438e41-
5733-448a-bd76-a8052b394fe2&displaylang=en
• Capacity management and sizing for SharePoint Server 2010
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=B9091243-0E17-
404D-8853-57309F885722&displaylang=en
• Topologies for SharePoint Server 2010
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=FD686CBB-8401-
4F25-B65E-3CE7AA7DBEAB&displaylang=en
• Services in SharePoint 2010 Products
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=B9CA7745-FFA4-
43CA-A638-E1AD868187CE&displaylang=en
• Plan browser support (SharePoint Server 2010)
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc263526(office.14).aspx

42. Discussion

43. Thank you..
• patrick@knowledgecue.com for any questions
and feedback on today
• Do you want to work with us?
• sharepoint@knowledgecue.com

44. Thank you to our Sponsors
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