Azure & Office 365

Posts Tagged ‘sharepoint’

We are nearly done with our Domain related activities. Now we need to make sure that all the Virtual Machines we create are part of same Active Directory. This will help us to manage the server and users in domain. In number of Demos we need a domain (AD), so we have met the most important pre-requisites.

 

1. You need to copy below script into a notepad and save it as join.PS1

///// SCRIPT START HERE   ////

 

$domainName = “type domain name here e.g. demo.com. It should be in quotes”

$username = “type domain\username e.g. demo\user1. It should be in quotes”

$password = “type password of above user e.g. 213@jjj. It should be in quotes”

$securePass =  ConvertTo-SecureString $password -AsPlainText -Force

$cred = New-Object System.Management.Automation.PSCredential($username, $securePass)

Add-Computer -DomainName $domainName -Credential $cred -Restart –Force

////// SCRIPT END HERE   ////

 

2. Login to your Azure Subscription Portal site https://manage.windowsazure.com
3. Select “Virtual Machines” from left menu and select “Create a Virtual Machine”

4. Under “Virtual Machine” select “From Gallery”

5. On the Choose an Image screen select “Windows server 2012 R2” and select Next
6. Type the Machines necessary details like Hardware configuration, Machine name, username and password

7. Now we have an important step in the process. Select the DEMONETWORK you created in Region/Affinity Group/Virtual Network. Make sure our Virtual network name is selected in Virtual Network Subnet. Click on Next

8. Now comes the most important step, we need to select Custom Script on this page and select the Join.ps1 script we just created. Click Finish

9. You will observer that your machine will reboot during the initialization process.
10. Now when the machine is created, Open Server Manager and you will observe it is already part of Demo domain. On the domain controller in “Active Directory users and computers” you should be able to see the newly added

 

Note: In some rare scenario, the new computer may not get added to the domain. In that case, please run above PowerShell command line by line and the computer would be added to domain.

• Update Domain setting on Virtual Network and bind it to Private IP on DC

So far we have created a Virtual Network and a Domain controller in that Virtual network. I hope this process was simple enough for you to follow. It is very important that Domain Controller and DNS have a static IP address so that all other machines know whom to contact to authenticate and resolve computer name. Now we need to make sure that our domain controller has a static IP address and then assign it to DNS on Virtual Network. To do so we will follow below steps:

 

1. Login to your Azure Subscription Portal site https://manage.windowsazure.com
2. Select Virtual Machine from left Menu
3. Select the Virtual Machine we just created and click on Connect at bottom
4. Now RDP to the Virtual Machine we created as a Domain Controller
5. Open Windows PowerShell and run command “IPConfig”. Make a note of IP address
6. Click on Start and Open DNS manager. Expand Computer name > Forward Lookup Zone > Demo.com > Make sure Ipconfig and DNS has same IP address.

7. Make sure you are connected to Azure PowerShell account by following steps we discussed in section “Connect to your Azure Subscription using PowerShell”
8. Run command “Get-AzureVM”. You should be able to see your Azure Virtual Machine name, make a note of same

9. Run below command in Azure PowerShell

Get-AzureVM -ServiceName “Service name from Get-AzureVM command” -Name “name from Get-AzureVM command”| Set-AzureStaticVNetIP -IPAddress “10.0.0.4” | Update-AzureVM

10. Now the system will get restarted and a Static IP will be assigned to same. We need to update the same IP in the Virtual Network we created in Azure.
11. Login to your Azure Subscription Portal site https://manage.windowsazure.com
12. Select “Network” from left pane > Select the “Demo Network” we created > Click “Configure” on top.
13. Update the IP Address of Domain Controller and Domain name. E.g. demo 10.0.0.4. Click on Save at bottom to save these changes

• Create a server on Azure in the Virtual Network

If you have worked on Hyper-V or any other Virtual server environment, this process is pretty simple for you. Here we will create our Virtual Machines. First machine would be our Domain Controller also known as DC. This server manage DNS, AD Users, etc. and normally the 1^st and most important server in a company.

1. Login to your Azure Subscription Portal site https://manage.windowsazure.com
2. Select “Virtual Machines” from left menu and select “Create a Virtual Machine”

3. Under “Virtual Machine” select “From Gallery”

4. On the Choose an Image screen select “Windows server 2012 R2” and select Next
5. Type a unique name for the Virtual Machine. Select a username and password which you will never forget.(Selected a Low configuration because I won’t be using it much)

6. Now we have the most important step in the process. Select the DEMONETWORK you created in Region/Affinity Group/Virtual Network. Make sure our Virtual network name is selected in Virtual Network Subnet. Click on Next.

7. Now Select Finish.
8. Once the Machine is created, you will get a Connect button at bottom of screen.

• Create a Virtual Network in Azure.

Now let’s create a Virtual Network in Azure like we do in our Hyper-V servers. We need this Virtual network so that all the new and old Machine are in same IP range and can communicate with each other. You don’t need to be a Networking expert to do so. Just follow steps mentioned below.

 

1. Login to your Azure Subscription Portal site https://manage.windowsazure.com
2. Select “Network” from left hand menu > Select “New” on left bottom corner
3. Now in the Menu select “Custom Create”
4. Now type the network name and select the data center for that network(note all computers should be in the same datacenter)

5. For now we will keep this DNS server empty (We should have our Domain controller DNS IP here. Our DC is not yet created so we keep it blank). Click on Next

6. On “Virtual Network Address Spaces”, provide name of your network and Subnet count (I won’t have more than 256 machines so selected same). Click on “Add Subnet”. Click on Finish

Here we have our Virtual Network created. Note this Network will then be used while creating our Virtual Machine. The very first machine we will create is our Domain controller. Once the domain controller is created we will update it in DNS server records used above.

Recently when I got access to Azure I wanted to create my lab on Azure which took me days to figure out the process. It is similar to what we do on our Hyper V machines but a bit complex in nature because we are working on cloud

 

We follow the same process on our local machine to create a Lab environment but normally we are short of resources like  Disk Space, RAM, CPU which is the taken care by Azure. Biggest dis-advantage for our local system environment is when you buy these resources, you don’t use it all the time which we have already paid for. In Azure we pay only when you use it.

 

Today we will understand how we can create our own Lab environment on Windows Azure. The whole process is lengthy to explain so I have divided it in 8 different parts listed below. Hope you will enjoy learning it.

 

• Connect to your Azure Subscription using PowerShell.
• Create a Virtual Network in Azure
• Create a server on Azure in the Virtual Network
• Create a new domain
• Update Domain setting on Virtual Network and bind it to Private IP on DC
• When creating a new server it should be part of this domain
• Install SQL, SharePoint. labs as part of this domain
• Troubleshoot common issue during this process

 

 

• Connect to your Azure Subscription using PowerShell

You cannot create your lab with just Azure User Interface. It’s said that “Well planned is half done”. So let’s plan and prepare our self with Azure PowerShell.  Go to below link and download Microsoft Web Platform installer.

 

1. You can use it download and install Azure PowerShell

2. Once the PowerShell is downloaded and installed, we will get below message

3. Now we will download the Azure Setting file to connect to our Azure subscription. In the Azure PowerShell, type below command.

Get-AzurePublishSettingsFile

 

4. Once you login to your Azure website, you will get a file named “Visual Studio Premium with MSDN-date-credentials.publishsettings”.

Note: File name may change based on your subscription. Save it to a secure location. This file contains secure credentials and additional information about subscriptions that you can use in your Azure environment.

 

5. Now Import the Azure Settings file to PowerShell. Run “Import-AzurePublishSettingsFile” and then type path of the file we just downloaded as shown in below image.

6. To check Subscription details run below command

Get-AzureSubscription

 

Hi Friends,

Recently I wanted to configure RBS on SQL server 2014. According to me I did configure everything fine but then I was unable to create a Site collection in that database. I get below error message.

Sorry, something went wrong
The URL ‘_cts/Document Set/docsethomepage.aspx’ is invalid. It may refer to a nonexistent file or folder, or refer to a valid file or folder that is not in the current Web.
Technical Details
Troubleshoot issues with Microsoft SharePoint Foundation.
Correlation ID: af6aef9c-01ea-20f9-005a-d8bb2b2da40d
Date and Time: 3/4/2015 3:14:36 AM

 

In ULS logs I see below error:

Document Management Server      Document Sets       Unexpected DocumentSet FeatureActivating: throws exception: The URL ‘_cts/Document Set/docsethomepage.aspx’ is invalid. It may refer to a nonexistent file or folder, or refer to a valid file or folder that is not in the current Web…. Stacktrace: at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPGlobal.HandleComException(COMException comEx) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Library.SPRequest.PutFile(String bstrUrl, String bstrWebRelativeUrl, Object punkFile, Int64 cbFile, Object punkSPFileMgr, Object punkFFM, Int64 PutFileOpt, String bstrCreatedBy, String bstrModifiedBy, Int32 iCreatedByID, Int32 iModifiedByID, Object varTimeCreated, Object varTimeLastModified, Object varProperties, String bstrCheckinComment, String bstrLockIdMatch, String bstEtagToMatch, Int32 lockType, String lockId, Int32 minutes, Int32 fRefreshLock, Int32 … 2068ef9c-91d4-20f9-005a-da81ca62d058
Document Management Server      Document Sets      Unexpected …bValidateReqFields, Guid gNewDocId, SPFileSaveParams sfsp, SPFileInfo& pFileProps, UInt32& pdwVirusCheckStatus, String& pVirusCheckMessage, String& pEtagReturn, Byte& piLevel, Int32& pbIgnoredReqProps) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPFileCollection.AddStreamOrBytesInternal(String urlOfFile, Stream file, Int64 fileSizeToSave, SPFileStreamManager spmgr, PutFileOpt fileOpt, String createdBy, String modifiedBy, Int32 createdByID, Int32 modifiedByID, DateTime timeCreated, DateTime timeLastModified, Object varProperties, String checkInComment, Stream formatMetadata, String lockIdMatch, String etagToMatch, SPLockType lockType, String lockId, TimeSpan lockTimeout, Boolean validateRequiredFields, SPVirusCheckStatus& virusCheckStatus, String& virusCheckMessage, String& etagNew, Boolean& ignoredRequire… 2068ef9c-91d4-20f9-005a-da81ca62d058

 

Document Management Server     Document Sets      Unexpected …dProps) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPFileCollection.Add(String urlOfFile, Byte[] file, Boolean overwrite, String checkInComment, Boolean checkRequiredFields) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPFileCollection.Add(String urlOfFile, Byte[] file, Boolean overwrite) at Microsoft.Office.DocumentManagement.Internal.DocumentSetFeatureReceiver.FeatureActivated(SPFeatureReceiverProperties properties). 2068ef9c-91d4-20f9-005a-da81ca62d058

 

I did a lot of search trying to find the issue but couldn’t find anything. Lucky I found a article which says database might be read only. I then create a new database without RBS enabled and it was working fine.

Then I enabled RBS on same database and got the same error. So I confirmed that it was RBS configuration issue.

I then followed below steps one by one and confirmed that it was issue with ActiveProviderName

$cdb = Get-SPContentDatabase “contentdbname”
$rbss = $cdb.RemoteBlobStorageSettings
$rbss

I then run below command on same content database which resolved my issue.

$cdb = Get-SPContentDatabase “contentdbname”
$rbss = $cdb.RemoteBlobStorageSettings
$rbss.Installed()
$rbss.Enable()
$rbss.GetProviderNames()
$rbss.SetActiveProviderName(RBSFilestreamProvider)
$rbss.Migrate()

 

Hope this will help you.

Happy Learning friends. 🙂

Microsoft recently updated their blog post with below update:
“As part of the update shared around the Evolution of SharePoint and the next SharePoint Server on-premises release, we are also updating the timelines for removal of InfoPath Forms Services components of SharePoint and SharePoint Online. Specifically, InfoPath Forms Services will be included in the next on-premises release of SharePoint Server 2016, as well as being fully supported in Office 365 until further notice. Customers will be able to confidently migrate to SharePoint Server 2016 knowing that their InfoPath forms will continue to work in their on-premises environments, as well as in Office 365.

The InfoPath 2013 application remains the last version to be released and will work with SharePoint Server 2016.”

For me the shocking news is not that Microsoft did extended support for Infopath 2013 but still no update on FOSL(Forms for SharePoint Library) in SharePoint 2016 and Office 365. When check the Office 365 Roadmap(http://roadmap.office.com/en-us), FOSL(Forms for SharePoint Library) is a cancelled features which means feature will not be released.

 

Reference. ” http://blogs.office.com/2014/01/31/update-on-infopath-and-sharepoint-forms/

 

Hi Everyone,

Hope you are using different version of SharePoint fom last couple of year and you have a lot of complains. Here is another platform through which you can give suggestions to Microsoft on how they can improve any area in SharePoint server.

Understading the priority you might not be able to vote all the feedback but you can leave a comment on them. This will be helpful to priortise things.

How to vote and suggest:
Check out the ideas others have suggested and vote on your favorites
If you have a suggestion that’s not listed yet, submit your own — 25 words or less, please
Include only one idea or suggestion per post

Customer Feedback for SharePoint Server:
http://sharepoint.uservoice.com/forums/282887-customer-feedback-for-sharepoint-server

• Create a new domain

Now let’s configure this server to be a Domain Controller. As discussed earlier Domain controller manage DNS, AD Users, etc. and are normally the 1st and most important server in a company.

 

1. Login to your Azure Subscription Portal site https://manage.windowsazure.com
2. Select Virtual Machine from left Menu
3. Select the Virtual Machine we just created and click on Connect at bottom
4. Now RDP to the Virtual Machine we created and click on Server Manager

5. Select Manager > Add Roles and Features

6. Select “Next” on Installation Type screen

7. Select “Next” on Destination Server screen

8. Check Box “Active Directory Domain servers”

9. Click on “Add Feature” on pop-up screen

10. Select the check box “Restart the destination server if required” > Click OK

11. Once it is installed, Click on Close

12. Open the Server Manager again, Click on Flag at top and select “Promote this server to a Domain Controller”

13. Select “Add a New forest”, type domain name
14. Type the DSRM password and click “Next” (Note: this is required when you try to recover your active directory)

15. Now you will have to select your domain name. For example. Demo.com
16. The NetBIOS Name screen will remove .com and you will see only demo.
17. Select the Default location of installation and click “Next”
18. Click on “Install”

19. Once the Computer is restarted, your Domain Controller would be ready.

Note: From now on when you logon to server you need use your domain name along with username we just created to authenticate to server. Example: demo\user1

In this Post I am sharing Powershell Script to create, update, delete and assign site Quota template. Its a simple process hope you will find this post interesting. The Script works for both SharePoint 2010 and SharePoint 2013.

Create a new Quota template:
$NewQTemp = New-Object Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPQuotaTemplate
$newQTemp.Name = “Quota Temp1”
$newQtemp.StorageMaximumLevel = 104857600
$newQtemp.StorageWarningLevel = 94371840
$newQtemp.UserCodeMaximumLevel = 300
$newQtemp.UserCodeWarningLevel = 300
$Q =[Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPWebService]::ContentService
$Q.QuotaTemplates.Add($newQtemp)
$Q.Update()

Note: Value for StorageMaximumLevel and StorageWarningLevel is in bytes, so if you want 100 mb it will be 10010241024.

In Central Admin we see

 

Delete a Quota template:
$q =[Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPWebService]::ContentService
$q.QuotaTemplates.Delete(“Quota Temp1”)

In Central Admin we see

Update code level and storage limit of existing Quota template:
$c =[Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPWebService]::ContentService
$QTemp = $c.QuotaTemplates[“Quota Temp”];
$QTemp.Name = “Quota Temp”
$QTemp.UserCodeMaximumLevel = 500
$Qtemp.StorageMaximumLevel = 115343360
$c.Update()

Note: Increased the Quota template from 100 mb to 110 mb and UserCodeMaximumLevel to 500

 

In Central Admin we see

Assign a Quota template to a site Collection:

(Note Quota can only be assigned to site collection and not web application or subsite)
$QTemp = “Quota Temp1”
$site = “http://synhnjseza1181:20000/sites/upload”
Set-SPSite -Identity $site -QuotaTemplate $quotaTemplate

In Central Admin we see

 

 

Hope this will help you all. 🙂