Field note / 11 December 2013
Host named site collections and MySites in SharePoint 2013
A cleaner URL model is worth having when the boundary between the farm and its identity service is planned deliberately.
Host named site collections give each collection its own host name instead of placing every collection below one web application path. The result is easier to read and often better for branding. The trade is that more of the routing and certificate work moves into the design.
MySites make the choice more interesting because personal sites need a predictable namespace and a reliable authentication path. The farm must know how to resolve the host, which web application should answer and how the user profile service will create the site in the correct location.
Design the namespace before the first collection
Decide how host names will be generated, who owns DNS changes and how wildcards will be used. Confirm the certificate strategy across every host name that users will see. A wildcard certificate can simplify the work, but only if the namespace is stable and the security team accepts the scope.
Test site creation through the profile service rather than by hand. The manual path can hide a missing mapping. Also verify search, alternate access mappings and backup behaviour, because a clean URL does not guarantee a clean application boundary.
The short list
Checks worth running
- Document the host name pattern and the DNS ownership for each collection.
- Test MySite creation with a new account from the target audience.
- Review certificates, alternate access mappings and search after the first deployment.
Host names are an architectural commitment, not a cosmetic setting. The extra planning pays back when the organisation adds sites, changes domains or needs to explain exactly where a user should go.
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 Learn: IIS documentation (opens in a new tab)Reference material for web server configuration, authentication and diagnostics.
- Microsoft Learn: PowerShell documentation (opens in a new tab)Language reference, cmdlet documentation and guidance for repeatable automation.
- 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 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 365: SharePoint (opens in a new tab)Product overview for the cloud service that now shapes SharePoint hybrid design.
- Microsoft Learn: Windows Server documentation (opens in a new tab)Current guidance for Windows Server roles, networking, storage and management.
- Microsoft Learn: SQL Server documentation (opens in a new tab)Official reference material for database engine configuration, performance and recovery.
- Microsoft Download Center (opens in a new tab)Official downloads for Microsoft tools, updates and supporting packages.
- Microsoft Learn: Azure Architecture Center (opens in a new tab)Reference architectures and design guidance for resilient cloud workloads.
- 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.