Windows Server: How to Configure SQL Server Client Alias Using CLICONFG

In certain multi-tiered SharePoint Server farms, it does make sense to implement SQL Server Client Aliases on Web and App Servers to abstract the connection SharePoint Server uses to connect to its database server. Using SQL Server Client Aliases makes it easy to point SharePoint to a different database server, if a need arises, because it can be done through modification of the alias configuration (e.g. redirect to a standby database server, online and ready to go, standby server having a different server name than the original, production database server).

Considerations for SQL Server Client Alias configurations should be made prior to installing SharePoint Server. When deciding whether or not to implement SQL Server Client Aliases, you might think about these items:

• Just because you can doesn’t mean you should - what need is driving this configuration?
• Apply the “so what” test - what are the risks of doing versus not doing?
• Thirdly, it probably makes sense to have server naming conventions in place before you go and abstract things by adding one more layer of names - will aliases confuse anybody?

1. Start > Run > Type “cliconfg” > Enter. This brings up the SQL Server Client Network Utility.

2. On the General tab, enable “TCP/IP” protocol.

3. On the Alias tab, add the server alias configuration.

4. Keep the defaults on the DB-Library Options tab.

5. Review the Network Library information on the Network Libraries tab. Click Apply and OK.


6. At this point the Alias has been created and the SharePoint installation may proceed.

Windows Server: ADO.NET Data Services Update for .NET Framework 3.5 SP1

This update is required in order to install SharePoint Server 2010 on Windows Server 2008 R2.

"The ADO.NET Data Services framework consists of patterns and libraries that enable the creation and consumption of REST-based data services for the web. This update to the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 provides additional features which extend the functionality provided in version 1.0 of the ADO.NET Data Services framework."
(Microsoft, 2010)

Reference

Microsoft (2010). ADO.NET Data Services Update for .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. Retrieved January 3, 2011 from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=79D7F6F8-D6E9-4B8C-8640-17F89452148E&displaylang=fi&displaylang=en.

Microsoft (2010). A hotfix for the.NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 is available for Windows 7 and for Windows Server 2008 R2 as a prerequisite for Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2010. Retrieved January 3, 2011 from http://support.microsoft.com/kb/976462.

Windows Server: Enable Execution of PowerShell Scripts

This post describes the steps to enable execution of PowerShell scripts on the Windows Server operating system.

1. Click Start, All Programs, and click "Administrative Tools"

2. Right-Click Windows Powershell Modules, Select "Run as Administrator"

3. At the command prompt (PS C:\Windows\system32>), type the following:
Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

4. The Execution Policy Change prompt will display. Respond with "Y":

Execution Policy Change
The execution policy helps protect you from scripts that you do not trust. Changing the execution policy might exposeyou to the security risks described in the about_Execution_Policies help topic.
Do you want to change the executionpolicy?
[Y] Yes [N] No [S] Suspend [?] Help (default is "Y"): Y

Windows Server 2008: MSInfo32 and Winver

System Information - To locate OS version, edition, and many details about hardware and software components.

Start > Run > Type "MSInfo32" and press Enter



About Windows - To locate OS version, edition, service pack level, and memory.

Start > Run > Type "Winver" and press Enter

Windows Server 2008 R2 Data Center VS Enterprise

Here is a quick overview when comparing Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter vs. Enterprise. Based on the licensing model for Windows Server 2008 R2, it may be more cost effective for many virtual infrastructure environments to license Datacenter Edition rather than Enterprise Edition. Furthermore, the hot pluggable hardware features of Datacenter Edition may be a key discriminator.


Role: No difference

Core Installation Features: No difference

Features: No difference

Technical Specifications: See Below

Datacenter
· hot add processors
· hot replace memory
· hot replace processors
· Virtual image use rights = Unlimted
· X64 sockets = 64

Enterprise
· No - hot add processors
· No - hot replace memory
· No - hot replace processors
· Virtual image use rights = Host plus 4VM
· X64 sockets = 8


Reference

Windows Server 2008 R2: Overview of Editions
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/r2-editions-overview.aspx

Windows Server 2008: IPV4 Weak Host Configuration

It is very common to have a Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) farm that includes mutliple web applications, each having its own host name and ip address.

In fact, when SSL certificates are installed on the web server directly (i.e. not offloaded to the hardware load balancer), then there is a requirement to assign unique ip addresses for each web application in order to ensure that the web site bindings (ip address + host name + port) remain unique on the web server.

When a web server is multihomed like this, it is very important to consider and configure the approprate strong or weak host model, in order to ensure that the web server will behave properly. If this configuration is neglected or set incorrectly, then it will cause Windows services to fail, IP packets to be disgarded, and the web server to "break."

Here is an excellent article describing the strong and week host models:

TechNet: The Cable Guy: Strong and Weak Host Models by Joseph Davies
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2007.09.cableguy.aspx

Returning to the subject of the multihomed MOSS web server; here are steps that may be followed to configure the IPV4 interface as "weak":

1. netsh interface ipv4 show interface
2. See the IDX number
3. netsh interface ipv4 set interface [IDX number] weakhostsend=enabled
4. netsh interface ipv4 set interface [IDX number] weakhostreceive=enabled

Links: Microsoft Windows Server 2008

Windows Server 2008: System Requirements
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/system-requirements.aspx

Windows Server 2008: Overview of Editions
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/editions-overview.aspx

Windows Server 2008: Compare Features
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/compare-features.aspx

Windows Server 2008: Compare Server Roles
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/compare-roles.aspx