oops ! Missing Create or extend Web application

Recently I wanted to create a new web application in SharePoint and so I went to the Central Admin website to create one, but the option was missing. Even though I was logged in as the System Account, the farm administration account I couldn’t see the link. If I navigated directly to /_admin/extendvs.aspx I got an access denied message and none of the accounts configured for SharePoint would allow me access.

So after a lot of head scratching I remembered that I had navigated directly to the administration site directly in an existing browser session and had not used the link from Start Menu. As soon as I navigated from the start menu I realized that I  was using Windows Server 2008 and that Central Admin has to be run with administrator (or)service account privileges.

STSADM MergeContentDB Pitfall & work Around

Hi i have come across good useful stuff talk about best practice of merging sharepoint contentDB

Under certain circumstances, the STSADM MergeContentDB command may fail in Windows SharePoint Services 3.0. These circumstances include combinations of significant site collection size, user traffic, and SQL Server load. When the STSADM MergeContentDB command fails, both the source and destination databases can be corrupted.

This issue may occur when you use the STSADM MergeContentDB command on a Site Collection that is larger than 10 gigabytes (GB).

To work around this issue, you have to follow the below actions when you use the STSADM MergeContentDB command:

• Always back up the source and target databases before you use the STSADM MergeContentDB command.
• Set the site collection to be read-only before you use the STSADM MergeContentDBcommand to move it. The following is an example:

·         stsadm -o setsitelock -url http://server_name/sites/site_name -lock readonly

Setsitelock: Stsadm operation, visit the following Microsoft Web site

• Refrain from canceling the operation on the front-end Web server or on the server that is running SQL Server.
• Run the STSADM MergeContentDB command during off-peak hours because theSTSADM MergeContentDB command places significant additional load on the server that is running SQL Server.

(OR)

·         consider using Batch Site Manager and the method that is described in the “Move site collections”

            Ref: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc508854.aspx

·         Because the Batch Site Manager works with site collections by using the STSADM backup and restore operations with the –url parameter, but practice recommends that donot use Batch Site Manager for site collections that are larger than 15 GB.

 

 

Sharepoint Designer is now free!

Late to this game, as usual but still adding here.

Today I am excited to share with you some news about SharePoint Designer 2007. Starting now (April 2, 2009), SharePoint Designer 2007 will be available as a free download! microsoft want more of you customizing SharePoint and feel that this a good way to put the tool in the hands of more people. You can find a lot more information in microsoft site including:

a) Letter to our Customers

b) Frequently Asked Questions

c) Free Download

Also, make sure to watch this YouTube video where Tom Rizzo and J.R. Arredondo discuss these changes and provide some insights into what is coming in the future. Or if you prefer to download the video, just pick the appropriate version for your bandwidth in the list below:

· Small size video (6MB)

· Medium size video (17 MB)

· Large size video (83 MB)

 

I’ve been using SD for customizing our internal site we use to run our processes, it is invaluable tool

great to go head and start use it….