Category Archives: SharePoint 2010

ULSViewer.exe download (MSDN archive version)

17/09/2014 update: Microsoft have released a , which you might want to try instead of this one.

For reasons that are unknown to me, the has recently been taken down. That gallery contained ULSViewer.exe, a much-loved tool that no SharePoint guy or gal should be without. Although there are many versions of the tool out there in the wild, I believe this is the version originally created for Microsoft’s internal support teams by Dan Winter. I’m not sure if this is the “best” version as such, but it certainly works for me.

ULSViewer appears to be subject to the MSDN Code Gallery Binary License, meaning that we are free to install, use, copy and distribute the software. To my surprise, I couldn’t find the tool elsewhere online, so have uploaded it to this blog. Enjoy!

Download ULSViewer 2.0.3530.27850

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How to renew your ADFS 2.0 token signing certificate in SharePoint

Over the past year or so,  have found that Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS) has become a more common requirement for both cloud and on-premises SharePoint deployments. Although we find that it is often implemented to facilitate single sign on across otherwise disconnected infrastructure, we have also deployed it to support claims augmentation for SharePoint environments that utilise SAML claims. As such, we have built up a fair chunk of experience deploying and operating ADFS in both production and our own internal development environments. Continue reading →

SharePoint 2010 & 2013 URL Cheat Sheet

05/11/2012 update: since writing this, the  has been updated to include a supported limit of up to 20 Web Applications per SharePoint 2013 farm. This is in line with what I have heard from various SharePoint MCMs.

Designing a URL structure for a SharePoint farm sounds like a straightforward task. Surely it’s just a case of creating a few Web apps and corresponding DNS entries, right? Continue reading →

How I passed SharePoint 2010 exam 70-667 (Part 4 of 4)

​​​Looking for the downloadable PDF? Click .

 

I passed the 70-667 exam back in December 2010, i.e. well over 18 months ago. This means that the exam I sat did not include content related to Service Pack 1. This post is therefore speculative in nature and simply reflects what I would revise and practice were I to sit the exam now.

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SharePoint, SQL server fill factor and index rebuilds – a correction

Overview

Today we are going to be taking a look at the fill-factor option that is available within SQL Server 2005 and later, in the context of Microsoft SharePoint.

Aside from providing reasons for caring about fill-factor, I point out a mistake in the SQL maintenance guidance for both SharePoint 2007 and 2010 that relates to index rebuilds that I have made Microsoft aware of. Continue reading →

Bitesize Video Overview: Host-named Site Collections in SharePoint 2010

Today I published a post on SP365 which attempts to explain host-named site collections to the uninitiated in the form of a 

Host-named site collections are a key part of SharePoint 2010’s multi tenant support and offer a huge amount of scalability. They provide support for multiple root named URLs (vanity URLs) and in many cases are a valid alternative to creating additional Web applications.

If you have any feedback or suggestions, feel free to add a comment.

Content DB sizing support in SharePoint 2010 SP1: the 50,000 ft view

11/07/2011 Update:I have had some feedback around this article that made me realise that I inadvertently​ gave RBS a bit of a bashing. It’s a useful technology that – used in the right scenarios – can significantly improve maintainability and scalability. The main point of the RBS section was to debunk the myth that RBS provides a means of bypassing the [current] data sizing boundaries that Microsoft provide.

The recent post from the SharePoint Product Team blog on  has caused quite a stir. Continue reading →