Understanding SQL Server Database Options for Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 Todd Klindt, WSS MVPSolanite Consultingwww.toddklindt.com/blogwww.solanite.com

WSS MVP since 2006Speaker, writer, consultant, aquariusPersonal Blogwww.toddklindt.com/blogCompany web sitewww.solanite.comE-mailtodd@solanite.com

All around good guy

Who is this Todd guy?

Introduction to how SharePoint uses SQLComparison of different versions of SQL and which is bestThe proper care and feeding of SQL Server for the SharePoint administratorMaybe a SQL 2008 demo or two

Session Objectives And Agenda

How does SharePoint use SQL?WSS & MOSS

Farm configuration is stored in SQL. All SharePoint content is stored in SQL. No exceptions! *

A farm may have multiple Content DatabasesA Site Collection must exist completely in a single Content DatabaseA Content Database may have multiple Site Collections* Except this one.

Central Admin is a site collection and is in its own content databaseSearch gets its own database

SQL? I’m a SharePoint Admin!

MOSS OnlyEach SSP gets a database to store settingsEach SSP gets a Search databaseEach SSP gets a Content database

How SharePoint uses SQL

2000? 2005? 2008?32 bit or 64 bit?Express, Workgroup, Standard or Enterprise

2000 or 2005/2008 is easy, NOT 2000!Reporting ServicesScales better with processors and RAMHas native SMTP mail supportSupports Database Mirroring

Which version of SQL should I use?

Decisions, Decisions....

Consider SP2 if using SQL 2005Major improvements in maintenance wizardData CompressionAnalysis improvements that benefit Excel ServicesImproves integration between MOSS 2007 Report Center and SQL Reporting ServicesFixes reindex problem

Test in test environment first

SQL 2005 SP2

32 bit advantagesBetter supported by existing hardware and softwareExisting SQL servers are likely 32 bitExisting corporate standard is likely 32 bit

64 bit excitementHandles more RAM, up to 16 ExabytesMore efficient which means fewer servers, less energy, less space, fewer licensesCan attach 32 bit databases directlyAny hardware purchased recently probably supports itIt is the wave of the futureMOSS also installs on 64 bit

How many bits, 32 or 64?

The decision ultimately depends on your scalability and availability needs

ExpressSupports 1 CPUSupports up to 1 GB of RAMNo native 64 bit support4 GB Database size limit

MOSS uses SQL 2005 Express if you do the single server install.

Express, Workgroup, Standard or Enterprise?

Download Express Edition Toolkit from https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=3C856B93-369F-4C6F-9357-C35384179543&displaylang=enDownload Management Studio, https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=C243A5AE-4BD1-4E3D-94B8-5A0F62BF7796&displaylang=enCan be upgraded to Standard or Enterprise

Install Standard or Enterprise with the following syntax: setup.exe SKUUPGRADE=1

SQL Express options

WorkgroupSupports 2 CPUsMaximum of 3 GB of RAMNo native 64 bit supportNo database size limitNo partitioningCannot be a member of a clusterIncludes Management Studio

SQL 2005 Workgroup Edition

Standard featuresSupports up to 4 CPUs (including cores)Supports OS Maximum RAM, 4 GB of RAM on 32 bit OSFailover is manual and restricted to two nodesSupports Database MirroringNo partitioningNo Analysis ServicesNative 64 bit support

SQL 2005 Standard Edition

Enterprise offers the following advantages

Full SQL 2005 functionalitySupports more than 4 CPUsSupport for up to 32 GB of RAM on 32 bit OS.

OS limitation, not SQL’s

Database PartitioningOnline restoreActive failover for mirrorsKPI and Analysis Server built in

Comparison chart of all the versions at http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinfo/features/compare-features.mspx

SQL 2005 Enterprise Edition

Improved Maintenance Plan supportCan be created manually or with the new wizardMaintenance plans can be easily modified with a graphical interfaceMaintenance plans can include a variety of operations, including backupsPlans can use SMTP to email plan success

Check Database IntegrityReindex or Rebuild database IndexesUpdate StatisticsBackupsDefrag the file system

How to keep your SQL server happy

Check Database IntegrityVerifies integrity of databasesUses T-SQL command DBCC checkdbVery disk and CPU intensive

Update StatisticsStatistics help the DB engine decide the most optimal execution pathUpdating these statistics improves the efficiency of queriesYou might trigger it manually if there were a lot of records added or deletedHappens automatically, you should not have to run manuallyUses T-SQL command UPDATE STATISTICS

Maintain Databases

Reindex databasesDefragments database indexesUses T-SQL command DBCC INDEXDEFRAG

Rebuild IndexCompletely recreates the database indexNot needed as oftenCan cause problems with SharePoint

Fixed in SQL 2005 SP2

Uses T-SQL command ALTER INDEXShrinking databases fragments your indexes and your data.

Working with Indexes

BackupCan be done as part of maintenance plan.Three types

FullPartialDifferential

Can use built in software or third party.Red-Gate software allow for database compression and encryption.Results in smaller backupsCould also result in faster backups, if drive speed is the bottleneck

Consider backing up to drive then tape

Doing Backups in your maintenance

Clean up HistoryCleans up old information from Maintenance Plans, SQL Agents and Backup and Restore OperationsLeave as many jobs as you’d likeT-SQL is shown in properties

Maintenance plans can be altered via the UISet up maintenance plans for different intervals; daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc.

Clean up History and maintenance notes

History Cleanup Screenshots

Defrag file systemSQL will be faster if the database files are contiguous in the file systemUsing the built in defrag tool will have performance ramificationsConsider using something like Diskeeper and its intelligent defrag.Consider stopping SQL if possible

Defragment File System

Should you shrink databases or logs?Database size is reduced by dropping unused space.Uses T SQL command DBCC SHRINKDATABASEDo not shrink databases unless something drastic has happened

Massive site or content deletionsRemoving site collections from v2 databasesAbandoning databasesHas a heavy impact on the server

Databases grow, it is what they doGrow operations are slow in SQL and will likely result in a fragmented database fileCreate database with enough space for one year’s worth of growth

To Shrink or not to shrink

Properly configure SQL Surface Area for SharePointUse SP2 if possible, it has improvements for SharePointDo not change SharePoint databases via SQL Queries. Microsoft hates that.Can use SharePoint farm backups to back up SQLDon’t forget to include your System databases in your maintenance plans.SharePoint Service Pack 1 supports SQL 2008

Random SQL and SharePoint notes

My Bloghttp://www.toddklindt.com/blog

Real World SharePointhttp://www.wrox.com/WileyCDA/WroxTitle/productCd-0470168358.html

Prepare your database servers for SharePointhttp://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/WSS/en/library/f7772626-cc01-4698-9dd8-958e60f7cb201033.mspx?mfr=true

Diskeeper white paper on SQL file defragmentationhttp://files.diskeeper.com/pdf/SQLdefragmented.pdfRed-Gate Softwarehttp://www.red-gate.com/Database Maintenance for SharePoint white paper by Bill Baerhttp://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=111531&clcid=0x409

Resources

Questions?

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