Shared Points for SharePoint : Content Database

How to create Site Collection in a specific content dateabase part 2

Stian Kirkeberg — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:07:45 GMT

Following up on Thomas' post on how to create a site collection in a specific content database:

You can also use the STSADM command CreateSiteInNewDB

However this does not quite cut it. You would like to decide on which content database each time. To do that, you could use stsadm extensions. It will require some codewriting and testing, though. Luckily, a MVP, Gary Lapointe, has already made it for you. A "Create site in database" is available in his stsadm custom extension kit:

There are also other STSADM extensions available. If you have used or made one you would like to share, please send me an mail.

Please be aware that some of his extensions are made by use of reflection on MOSS assemblies, so take whaterever precautions you need in regard to this.

Lots of databases, full recovery model, low disk space...what to do?

Stian Kirkeberg — Thu, 22 May 2008 18:26:00 GMT

I do not much care for having my development databases set to Recovery modell = full. There is really no need for that. The day I need to restore a logfile the environmnet better be a production environment.

Unfortunatly SQL 2005 let me set the Recovery model on a global level (Please tell me how if it really does - I'm no core SQL guy.). I know it let's you set default file locations etc. and that is good.

The problems starts when SharePoint creates the db's for you, because you never remember to go in to the SQL server and change the recovery model to simple. Then shrink the log file to save the space... It is simply to unconvenient.

Running low on disk space, this problem had to dealt with. But to change some hundred databases manually is of course out of the question. So I wrote a small script to take care of it.

The Script first alters the recovery model, then shrinks the file. Remember to set the starting point for your databases. In my example I have 7 system databases and the rest is SharePoint db's. Be carefull not to make changes to any database not used for development only.

Do a check on

select name, database_id from sys.databases order by database_id

USE [master]

DECLARE @dbname nvarchar(128)

DECLARE @filename nvarchar(128)

DECLARE @cmd nvarchar(500)

DECLARE @SQLString NVARCHAR(500)

DECLARE @ParmDefinition NVARCHAR(500)

DECLARE @getdbnames CURSOR

SET @getdbnames = CURSOR FOR

select name from sys.databases where database_id > 7 order by database_id

OPEN @getdbnames

FETCH NEXT

FROM @getdbnames INTO @dbname

WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS = 0

BEGIN

SET @cmd = N'ALTER DATABASE "' + @dbname + '"

SET RECOVERY SIMPLE WITH NO_WAIT' + CHAR(13)

+ N'ALTER DATABASE "' + @dbname

+ '" SET RECOVERY SIMPLE '

EXECUTE sp_executesql @cmd

SET @SQLString =N'select @filenameOUT = name FROM "' + @dbName + '".sys.database_files where type_desc = ''Log'''

SET @ParmDefinition = N'@filenameOUT

varchar(300) OUTPUT'

EXECUTE sp_executesql @SQLString, @ParmDefinition, @filenameOUT=@filename OUTPUT

SELECT @filename

SET @cmd = N'USE "' + @dbname + '" DBCC SHRINKFILE (N''' + @filename +''' , 0, TRUNCATEONLY)'

EXECUTE sp_executesql @cmd

FETCH NEXT FROM @getdbnames INTO @dbname

END

CLOSE @getdbnames

DEALLOCATE @getdbnames

Please note that this approach is not recommended to test and production environments. Leave SharePoint databases to their default settings there.

The change run supprisingly fast (there is a lot of disk I/O here) and I got a lot of free space on the server again! :)

Edit:

Just got a reply from Michael in Austria. He says:

Everytime you create a new database SQL Server "clones" its "Model" database. So by setting your appreciate recovery model at this database, it will be default for every new one.

I have tested it for SQL Server 2000 but it should be the same for all other editions.

You can get more information about the model database here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms186388.aspx

Thanks, Michael! :)

How to create Site Collection in a specific Content Database?

Thomas Læhren — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 15:56:00 GMT

This is an easy, straight forward procedure to make sure your Site Collection is added to the Content Database of your preference.

Add a new Content Database using Central Administration > Application Management > Content Databases > Add Content Database:

NOTE! Make sure ”Maximum numbers of sites that can be created in this database” minus ”Current number of Sites” equals the largest number in which you want to add the new Site Collection:

Go ahead and create a new Site Collection:

Go back to the Content Database overview to see that the new Site Collection has been created in the new Content Database:

Adjust “Number of sites before a warning event is generated” and “Maximum number of sites that can be created in this database” to make sure new Site Collections are added to the correct content database:

After making this adjustment, new Site Collections are added to the WSS_SharePoint_Content database.

If you already have a Site Collection and you want to move it to its own Content Database you can use the following stsadm commands:

stsadm -o backup -url http://server/sites/sitename -filename c:\sitename.bak

stsadm -o deletesite -url http://server/sites/sitename

stsadm -o restore -url http://server/sitename -filename c:\sitename.bak

Make sure the sum between “Current Number of Sites” and “Maximum Number of Sites” is the largest in the content database you want to use before you run the stsadm –o restore command.

Thomas Læhren, Consultant, MCS Norway