SharePoint Administration | Notes Administration

Know Your Database

When you are a SharePoint administrator, it pays to know your database.

With that in mind, Hannu Ojala has written a useful article on the basics of SQL Server. Some of the key takeaways include:

• When planning your SharePoint system, estimate how much data you are going to store per site collection.
• Keep your content databases under 100GB. If they are too big, split them up.
• "Microsoft has one very easy rule concerning SharePoint 2007 databases; don't touch them"
• Use naming conventions. It will help you figure out which database belongs to which site collection.
• Meet the hardware and software requirements. And remember those are minimum requirements.

In addition, the article offers great technical advice on memory, disks, processors and virtualization. Give it a read when you get a chance.