Field note / 7 January 2013
Why I leave SharePoint 2013 shredded storage alone
A setting can be changed without being a good idea. This one is usually best left at its default.
Shredded storage reduces the amount of new data written when a document changes. It does this by breaking files into chunks and writing only the pieces that are different. The design is central to how SharePoint 2013 stores content, not a decorative optimisation.
It is technically possible to influence the chunk size through the web service settings. The temptation is to treat that as a tuning knob. The safer position is to understand the effect, test the full document lifecycle and leave the default in place unless a documented problem requires otherwise.
Tune the workload, not the storage trick
If storage growth is a concern, start with content lifecycle rules, version limits and the size of the files people upload. Those levers act on demand. Changing the storage engine settings can affect compatibility, migration and support without solving the original demand problem.
Where a vendor or product team has recommended a change, record the exact build and the reason. Test upload, edit, version restore, migration and backup. A setting that works for a new document may behave differently for an older file that has already been through several versions.
The short list
Checks worth running
- Confirm the storage behaviour on the exact build being used.
- Measure document growth and version history before changing engine settings.
- Test migration and recovery, not only upload and download.
The conservative setting is often the most reliable one. Shredded storage is a product architecture decision, and a small configuration change is rarely a substitute for managing content growth.
Outside reading
Reference shelf
Official documentation and independent community reading for the subjects in this note.
- Microsoft Learn: SharePoint administration (opens in a new tab)Operational guidance for service settings, site management and the modern admin experience.
- Microsoft Learn: SharePoint documentation (opens in a new tab)The starting point for current SharePoint administration, development and hybrid guidance.
- Microsoft Support (opens in a new tab)Support articles, troubleshooting steps and product help from Microsoft.
- Microsoft Tech Community (opens in a new tab)Community discussion, product announcements and practical posts from Microsoft teams.
- Microsoft Learn: SQL Server documentation (opens in a new tab)Official reference material for database engine configuration, performance and recovery.
- Microsoft Learn Q&A (opens in a new tab)A community question and answer space hosted by Microsoft.
- SharePoint Stack Exchange (opens in a new tab)An independent question and answer community for SharePoint practitioners.
- Microsoft Learn: Windows Server documentation (opens in a new tab)Current guidance for Windows Server roles, networking, storage and management.
- Microsoft Learn: PowerShell documentation (opens in a new tab)Language reference, cmdlet documentation and guidance for repeatable automation.
- Microsoft Download Center (opens in a new tab)Official downloads for Microsoft tools, updates and supporting packages.
- Microsoft 365: SharePoint (opens in a new tab)Product overview for the cloud service that now shapes SharePoint hybrid design.
- SharePoint community on Reddit (opens in a new tab)An independent discussion space for administrators, developers and users.
- Microsoft Security Response Center (opens in a new tab)Security advisories, update guidance and vulnerability response information.
- Microsoft Learn: SharePoint search (opens in a new tab)Documentation for search architecture, crawling and result management.
- PowerShell Gallery (opens in a new tab)A public repository for PowerShell modules and scripts. Review package provenance before use.