Category Archives: Uncategorized

SharePoint 2013 Streamlined Architecture

Based on “Streamlined Topologies for SharePoint Server 2013” diagram from Microsoft (“Topology design guidance for maximizing system resources”), 

Simplified for 4-servers high-available 3-tier farms:

  Services

Front-End Servers

Service applications, services, and components that serve user requests directly are placed on front-end servers. These servers are optimized for fast performance.

Low and Very low latency.
  • Access
  • BDC
  • Cache
  • MMS
  • Secure Store
  • State 
  • Subscription Settings
  • UPSA
  • User Code
  • Visio
  • Excel Calculation
  • Performance Point
  • Project
  • Search Query
  • Web Application/CA

Batch-Processing Servers

Service applications, services, and components that process background tasks are placed on a middle-tier of servers referred to as batch processing servers. These servers are optimized to maximize system resources. These servers can tolerate greater loads because these tasks do not affect performance observed by user
  • UPSA Sync
  • Workflow Timer Service
  • Machine Translation
  • Word Automation
  • Work Management
  • Search Crawl Target (Web Application)
  • Search Crawl/Analytics
  • PowerPoint conversion 

 

SharePoint Updates Qiuck Guide

(this article is under development)

It is important to test the update process in a test environment. Test environment must be as much as possible similar to production.

 

Applying SharePoint updates to a server farm

Safest update method

The safest method to update a SharePoint farm is to take the entire farm offline, update all servers, and then bring the farm back online. This method requires a maintenance window that might not be practical for all organizations.

High availability updating

High availability updating involves more planning, testing, and coordination. The general outline for the process includes the following steps.

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SharePoint BC, HA and DR

(the article is under development)…

In short, keeping SharePoint online means designing a fault-tolerant architecture, coding customisations & apps in a well designed and tested manner, and implementing good SharePoint governance. First though, the architecture…

 

(SharePoint PLA – Product Line Architecture)

 

References:

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SharePoint Distributed Cache

Distributed Cache should be patched separately from SharePoint (DC updatess will not come with SharePoint CUs…).

Do not use SharePoint Distributed Cache with your custom code.

 

Useful commands

Connect-AFCacheClusterConfiguration
Get-CacheHost
Get-AFCacheClusterHealth
Get-SPServiceInstance | ? {($_.service.tostring()) -eq "SPDistributedCacheService Name=AppFabricCachingService"} |fl
Get-AFCacheHostConfiguration -ComputerName XXX -CachePort "22233"
$svc=$f.Services | ? {$_.Name -eq "AppFabricCachingService"}
$svc.ProcessIdentity
Get-AFCacheAllowedClientAccount
#Stop-SPDistributedCacheServiceInstance –Graceful
#Update-SPDistributedCacheSize -CacheSizeInMB 1024
#Add-SPDistributedCacheServiceInstance
#Grant-AFCacheAllowedClientAccount -Account "domain\upsa_runas_account"
get-command -module DistributedCacheAdministration

 

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SharePoint Workflow Manager setup

(see also Part1: SharePoint Workflow Manager Review)

Installation (offline) step-by-step

Ensure hardware/software requirements. Ensure/configure your server (time, time zone, IP, hostname, domain, language, region, ESC, updates, event log).

Accounts you need (for example):

  • Svc-WFM-FarmAdm – domain users + local admin on WFM Servers, DBCreator and SecurityAdmin on SQL
  • Svc-WFM-SBAcc – domain users
  • Svc-WFM-WFAcc – domain users

DNS: wfm.contoso.kz points to Workflow Manager Server (or load-balancer)

On an Internet connected machine:

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SharePoint 2013 and Certificates. Quick Guide.

 

SharePoint Apps

wildcard SSL cert (*.contosoapps.com) is needed

$trustCert = Get-PfxCertificate "c:\wfm.cer"
New-SPTrustedRootAuthority -Name "Workflow Manager Farm" -Certificate $trustCert

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SharePoint 2013 Configure an environment for apps Quick Guide

Configure App Management Service Instance and Service Application

purchase a domain name from a domain name provider for your apps, for example, ContosoApps.com
create a forward lookup zone for the app domain name (ContosoApps.com)
create a wildcard Alias (CNAME) record for the new domain name (*.ContosoApps.com -> Portal.contoso.com)
create a wildcard SSL certificate for app domain (*.ContosoApps.com)

Start App Management and Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Subscription Settings services.

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