SharePoint 2013: The workbook cannot be opened

Problem

You are deploying the Excel Calculation Service to a SharePoint 2013 farm.  You create the new service application without issue and configure it with the farm's application service account.  you then connect to the user site, click on an Excel file, but then experience the following message:

Solution

• Ensure that the Excel Calculation Services service account is mapped to the content database as dbo.
• To get the service account associated with a service application:
1. Open a SharePoint Management Shell
2. Find the Application Pool for the Excel Calculation Services service application by executing: Get-SPServiceApplication | Select Name, ApplicationPool | Sort-Object Name | Format-List
3. Find the service account for this application pool by executing: Get-SPServiceApplicationPool

References

• Excel Services - Workbook Cannot be Opened
• Get-SPServiceApplication
• Get-SPServiceApplicationPool

SharePoint 2013 Health Analyzer: The Security Token Service is not available

Problem

You are building a new SharePoint 2013 farm and have completed adding a WFE to the farm.  After the SharePoint Products Configuration Wizard completes, you review the farm Health Analyzer reports and observe the following report:
 
You find the following entry in the SharePoint 2010 Central Administration Review problems and solutions All Reports listing:

Title	The Security Token Service is not available.
Severity	2 - Warning
Category	Availability
Explanation	The Security Token Service is not issuing tokens. The service could be malfunctioning or in a bad state.
Remedy	Administrator should try to restart the Security Token Service on the boxes where it is not issuing tokens. If problem persists, further troubleshooting may be available in the KB article. For more information about this rule, see "http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=160531".
Failing Servers	[The-WFE-Recently-Added]
Failing Services	SPSecurityTokenService (SecurityTokenService)
Rule Settings	View

Solution

1. Start IIS Manager
2. Select Application Pools
3. Look for SharePoint Web Services Root.
4. If it is stopped, start the pool.
5. Under Sites, look for SharePoint Web Services and then select it.
6. If it is stopped, start the web service.

References

• The Security Token Service is not issuing tokens. The service could be malfunctioning or in a bad state
• The Security Token Service is not available (SharePoint 2013)

Notes

• This issue occurred immediately after completing the Productions Configuration Wizard on the first WFE being added to the farm.  It's unclear why this didn't start this time: previous configs on this same machine started without issue.

SharePoint 2013: the database name is not a valid configuration database

Problem

You are adding another WFE to your existing SharePoint 2013 farm. You've configured the machine; installed the prerequisites; and installed the binaries.  You now run the Products Configuration Wizard, but then experience this error:

Checking the server's Application log, you see these events:

Log Name:      Application
Source:        Microsoft-SharePoint Products-SharePoint Foundation
Date:          [datetime]
Event ID:      3759
Task Category: Database
Level:         Error
Keywords:      
User:          [FarmAdministrationAccount]
Computer:      [WFEBeingAdded]
Description:
Database '[DB name or alias]' on SQL Server instance '[Alias]' is not empty and 
does not match current database schema.
Event Xml:
...

and

Log Name:      Application
Source:        Microsoft-SharePoint Products-SharePoint Foundation
Date:          [DateTime]
Event ID:      5586
Task Category: Database
Level:         Error
Keywords:      
User:          [FarmAdministrationAccount]
Computer:      [WFEBeingAdded]
Description:
Unknown SQL Exception 10060 occurred. Additional error information from SQL 
Server is included below.
A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a 
connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. 
Verify that the instance name is correct and that SQL Server is configured 
to allow remote connections. (provider: TCP Provider, error: 0 - 
A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly 
respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because 
connected host has failed to respond.)
Event Xml:
...

and

Log Name:      Application
Source:        Microsoft-SharePoint Products-SharePoint Foundation
Date:          [Datetime]
Event ID:      5617
Task Category: Topology
Level:         Error
Keywords:      
User:          [FarmAdministrationAccount]
Computer:      [WFEBeingAdded]
Description:
SharePoint object [SPConfigurationDatabase] is in an unsupported state, and 
could not be used by the current farm. 
Event Xml:
...

Solution

1. Exit the SharePoint Products Configuration Wizard.
2. Install all CUs up through your farm's current patch level (March 2013, December 2013, etc). Note: the March 2013 CU must be installed first prior to installing any of the subsequent CUs.  This does not apply if you are installing SP1, which does not require the March 2013 CU and is fully self-contained.
3. Re-run the SharePoint Products Configuration Wizard.

References

1. SharePoint 2010 Installations: Adding a second server to an existing SharePoint Server Farm
2. SharePoint in a 3 Tier farm
3. Updates for SharePoint 2013

Notes

• I verified that the farm administration account was mapped to the configuration database as dbo.  Thus, at least in this case, the cause for this problem did not involve permissions.  But note that incorrect permissions can result in the same error message (see reference 1).

SharePoint 2013: The Execute method of job definition Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.LMTRepopulationJob (ID...) threw an exception.

Problem

You see the following events occur in the SharePoint 2013 server's application log:

Log Name:      Application
Source:        Microsoft-SharePoint Products-SharePoint Foundation
Date:          [date/time]
Event ID:      6398
Task Category: Timer
Level:         Critical
Keywords:      
User:          [FarmServiceAccount]
Computer:      [A WFE server]
Description:
The Execute method of job definition 
Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.LMTRepopulationJob 
(ID ae7328f0-62dc-4bff-9eb1-df9e88f9b088) threw an exception. 
More information is included below.
System.TimeoutException

and
 

Log Name:      Application
Source:        Microsoft-SharePoint Products-SharePoint Portal Server
Date:          [date/time]
Event ID:      5555
Task Category: User Profiles
Level:         Critical
Keywords:      
User:          [FarmServiceAccount]
Computer:      [WFE servername]
Description:
Failure trying to synch web application 76d8e4ce-9f2a-4e3d-a43e-4a945eb4755a, 
ContentDB 5c305513-be21-4a26-b797-c8c5eb8d4495  Exception message was 
Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.UserProfileApplicationNotAvailableException: 
UserProfileApplicationNotAvailableException_Logging :: 
UserProfileApplicationProxy.ApplicationProperties ProfilePropertyCache does not 
have 011651c9-c8ce-4520-9eab-d4bcad5534fe 
   at Microsoft.Office.Server.Administration.UserProfileApplicationProxy.get_ApplicationProperties()
   at Microsoft.Office.Server.Administration.UserProfileApplicationProxy.get_PerfmonInstanceHandle()
   at Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.ContentDBSynchronizer..ctor(ELogType logType, 
      SPContentDatabase cdb, SPJobState jobState, SyncType syncType, 
      WSSSyncUsageEntry usage, String[] excludedAccountsRegexStrings)
   at Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.WSSProfileSyncJob.Execute()

Solution

• Launch the Services.msc and ensure that the SharePoint Timer Service is started and that its Startup Type is Automatic.

 References

• SharePoint 2013 Health Analyzer: One or more servers is not responding

SharePoint 2013 Health Analyzer: One or more servers is not responding

Problem

You find the following entry in the SharePoint 2013 Central Administration Review problems and solutions All Reports listing:

Title	One or more servers is not responding.
Severity	1 - Error
Category	Availability
Explanation	The following servers have not executed any timer jobs in the last 2 hours: [ServerName].  This can happen if the server was shut down or lost network connectivity, or if the timer service on that server has crashed, hung, or been stopped.
Remedy	Ensure that the server(s) listed above are running and connected to the network.  If the timer service is not started, restart the service by typing the following command at the command prompt on each server: "net start SPTimerV4."  If the server was intentionally removed from the farm, remove the record of the server from the SharePoint topology in the Central Administration site at .../_admin/FarmServers.aspx. For more information about this rule, see "http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=142656".
Failing Servers
Failing Services	SPTimerService (SPTimerV4)
Rule Settings	View

 
Users also reported that Search was not working.

Solution

1. Check the following services on the server and ensure they are started:
1. SharePoint Timer Service
2. SharePoint User Code Host
3. SharePoint Search Host Controller
2. Check these services and ensure that their Startup Type is Automatic.

References

• SharePoint 2013: The Execute method of job definition Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.LMTRepopulationJob (ID...) threw an exception

Notes

• Navigated to Search administration page: Search Status and Search Topology web parts were stuck on Loading...
  
  
• Server had been patched over the weekend and restarted.
• Note that the URL in the error report takes you to a 2010 article.

SharePoint 2013: How to migrate the metadata database

Introduction

This posting walks you through the process of migrating the metadata database, from a 2010 farm to a 2013 farm.  This migration is performed prior to migration of the content databases.

Preparation

1. Find the most recent backup of the Managed Metadata Service database, from your 2010 farm, and then copy it to the SQL Server host of your 2013 farm.
2. If you already instantiated the Metadata service on your SharePoint 2013 farm, you will need to completely remove it:
1. Navigate to: CA > Application Management > Service Applications > Manage service applications.
2. Select the Managed Metadata Service application.
3. On the Service Application ribbon, click the Delete button.
4. Enable the option, Delete data associated with the Service Applications.
5. Click OK.
6. When completed, click OK again.
Note that deleting the Metadata Service Application also deletes the Managed Metadata Service Connection.

Procedure

1. In SQL Server Management Studio, perform a restore of your 2010 farm Managed Metadata Service database.
2. After restoration, map the farm administrator and farm service accounts to the restored database both as db_owner.  Also add your own administrator account as db_owner.
3. In Central Administration, navigate to: Application Management > Service Applications > Manage service applications.
4. On the Service Applications ribbon, click New, and then click Managed Metadata Service.
5. On the Create New Managed Metadata Service dialog, enter:
1. Database Name: [enter the name of the restored database].
2. Other fields: as appropriate to your farm.
6. After this completes, click the name of the Managed Metadata Service listed.
7. Verify that the appropriate taxonomy store is shown.

References

• Overview of managed metadata service applications in SharePoint Server 2013
• SharePoint 2013: How to Configure Managed Metadata Service
• Configuring the SharePoint 2013 Managed Metadata service for Navigation

Notes

• This procedure performed on Windows Server 2012, SQL Server 2012, SharePoint Server 2013.

SharePoint 2013: How to change the Distributed Cache service account

Introduction

You cannot change the Distributed Cache service account through Central Administration.  You must use PowerShell.  This posting shows you how.

When you first install and configure a SharePoint 2013 farm, the farm's Distributed Cache is initially run under the farm service account.  It's set to this service account automatically.  This situation will eventually trigger a rule definition error:

Title	The server farm account should not be used for other services.
Severity	1 - Error
Category	Security
Explanation	[farmServiceAccount], the account used for the SharePoint timer service and the central administration site, is highly privileged and should not be used for any other services on any machines in the server farm.  The following services were found to use this account: Distributed Cache Service(Windows Service)
Remedy	Browse to [your CA host]/_admin/FarmCredentialManagement.aspxand change the account used for the services listed in the explanation. For more information about this rule, see "http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=142685".
Failing Servers
Failing Services	SPTimerService (SPTimerV4)
Rule Settings	View

 
The remedy presented by this rule definition error works for most service accounts, but not for the Distributed Cache service.  In fact, if you navigate to CA > Security > Configure service accounts, and then try to change the service account for Windows Service - Distributed Cache, you will experience an error:

The only way to change this at present, is to use PowerShell.  These steps are shown next.

Procedure

1. Identify an AD account that you want to use for the Distributed Cache service account.
2. Register this account with the farm as a managed account.
3. Login to a farm server using your administrator account.  No need to use the farm administration account, just your own.
4. Open a farm management shell as administrator (right-click, choose Run as Administrator).
5. Execute each of the following statements, in order:
   

   $Farm=Get-SPFarm
   $CacheService=$Farm.Services | Where {$_.Name -eq "AppFabricCachingService"}
   $Accnt = Get-SPManagedAccount -Identity Domain\ServiceAccount
   $CacheService.ProcessIdentity.CurrentIdentityType = "SpecificUser"
   $CacheService.ProcessIdentity.ManagedAccount = $Accnt
   $CacheService.ProcessIdentity.Update()
    
   

   where Domain\ServiceAccount is the service account you identified previously.
   Though it states AppFabricCachingService, don't worry: you are configuring the right one.  This is because the Distributed Cache service is dependent on the App Fabric caching service.  Also, "SpecificUser" is not user-defined but is the correct value you need to type here.
6. Wait.  It can take several minutes for this to complete.
7. After completion, verify by navigating to:  CA > Security > Configure service accounts, selecting Windows Service - Distributed Cache.  The new account should now be displayed.

References

• TechNet: Manage the Distributed Cache service in SharePoint Server 2013
• Unable to change service account for the Distributed Cache

Notes

• Thanks to reviewer Mark for catching the fact that the Deploy method in this case is unnecessary.  I've added the reference he cites to the References section.

SharePoint 2010: The site template requires that the Feature {e995e28b-9ba8-4668-9933-cf5c146d7a9f} be activated in the site collection

Problem

A user attempts to create a new site based upon a custom template, and then experiences the following error appearing in her browser:

Error
The site template requires that the Feature {e995e28b-9ba8-4668-9933-cf5c146d7a9f} be activated in the site collection...

Troubleshooting

1. Action: attempted to verify error by recreating it.
1. Result: successful.
2. Action: review ULS to determine event log messages associated with the error.
1. Results: found the following message:
   
   SPException thrown: Message: The site template requires that the Feature {e995e28b-9ba8-4668-9933-cf5c146d7a9f} be activated in the site collection.. Stack: at Microsoft.SharePoint.Utilities.SPUtility.ThrowSPExceptionWithTraceTag(UInt32 tagId, ULSCat traceCategory, String resourceId, Object[] resourceArgs) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPWebTemplateElement.VerifyFeatures(XmlNodeList xmlNodeFeatures, SPWeb applyTemplateToThisWeb, Boolean checkIsFeatureActivatedInSiteCollection) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPWebTemplateElement.VerifyFeaturesInWebTemplate(SPWeb applyTemplateToThisWeb) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPWeb.LoadFeatureWebTemplateContent(SPFeatureWebTemplate featureWebTemplate) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPWeb.ApplyWebTemplate(String strWebTemplate) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Solutions.AddGallery.AddGalleryWebPart.CreateSite() at Microsoft.SharePoint.Solutions.AddGallery.AddGalleryWebPart.RenderControl(HtmlTextWriter writer) at Microsoft.SharePoint.WebPartPages.SPChrome.RenderPartContents(HtmlTextWriter output, WebPart part) at Microsoft.SharePoint.WebPartPages.SPChrome.RenderWebPart(HtmlTextWriter output, WebPart part) at Microsoft.SharePoint.WebPartPages.WebPartZone.RenderZoneCell(HtmlTextWriter output, Boolean bMoreParts, WebPart part) at Microsoft.SharePoint.WebPartPages.WebPartZone.RenderWebParts(HtmlTextWriter output, ArrayList webParts) at Microsoft.SharePoint.WebPartPages.WebPartZone.Render(HtmlTextWriter output) at System.Web.UI.Control.RenderChildrenInternal(HtmlTextWriter writer, ICollection children) at System.Web.UI.Page.Render(HtmlTextWriter writer) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Solutions.AddGallery.AddGalleryPage.Render(HtmlTextWriter writer) at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint) at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequest(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint) at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequest() at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequest(HttpContext context) at ASP._layouts_addgallery_aspx.ProcessRequest(HttpContext context) at System.Web.HttpApplication.CallHandlerExecutionStep.System.Web.HttpApplication.IExecutionStep.Execute() at System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStep(IExecutionStep step, Boolean& completedSynchronously) at System.Web.HttpApplication.PipelineStepManager.ResumeSteps(Exception error) at System.Web.HttpApplication.BeginProcessRequestNotification(HttpContext context, AsyncCallback cb) at System.Web.HttpRuntime.ProcessRequestNotificationPrivate(IIS7WorkerRequest wr, HttpContext context) at System.Web.Hosting.PipelineRuntime.ProcessRequestNotificationHelper(IntPtr managedHttpContext, IntPtr nativeRequestContext, IntPtr moduleData, Int32 flags) at System.Web.Hosting.PipelineRuntime.ProcessRequestNotification(IntPtr managedHttpContext, IntPtr nativeRequestContext, IntPtr moduleData, Int32 flags) at System.Web.Hosting.PipelineRuntime.ProcessRequestNotificationHelper(IntPtr managedHttpContext, IntPtr nativeRequestContext, IntPtr moduleData, Int32 flags)
   
3. Action: searched for feature ID.
1. Result: discovered that this ID was associated with Excel Mobile Viewer Feature, which is a part of the Office Web Apps feature.
4. Action: re-activated Office Web Apps feature for site collection.  Then tested.
1. Result: able to create new site without error.

Solution

• Re-activate the Office Web Apps site collection feature.

References

• The site template requires that the Feature e995e28b-9ba8-4668-9933-cf5c146d7a9f be activated in the site collection
• SharePoint 2010 : List of Features "ID, DisplayName and Scopes"
• The Excel Mobile Viewer is not enabled in some BI site templates in SharePoint Server 2010
• Site Template requires that a Feature be implemented

Notes

• It may be possible to resolve this issue by activating the specific feature.

SharePoint 2013: The given key was not present in the dictionary

Problem

You are attempting to register a new managed account to your SharePoint Server 2013 farm.  After entering the account details, and then clicking OK, you see the error, The given key was not present in the dictionary.

Solution

 

The cause of this issue likely involves AD permissions.

1. As Administrator, launch the Active Directory Users and Computers administrative tool.
2. Connect to the appropriate domain controller.
3. From the View menu, Advanced Features.
4. Double-click the account you want to register:  its Properties dialog appears.
5. Select the Security tab. 

   Listed on this tab are all the other AD accounts and groups and their permissions relative to this account.

6. Look for the farm service account:
• If you find it, verify that the following permissions have been enabled for the farm service account:
• Read account restrictions.
• If you don't find it, add it, and then grant it the Read account restrictions permission.(see notes 1 and 2).
7. Click Apply and exit.
8. Register the account.

References

• SharePoint 2010 Error Message: The given key was not present in the dictionary
• Unable to Register Managed Account

Notes

1. Central Administration must interrogate AD in order to verify the account you want to register.  CA runs on the farm service account.  Therefore the farm service account must have the permissionto read certain AD properties of any account you may want to register with the farm.
2. The Read account restrictions permission is actually a sub-permission of the Read permission.  If you start out by enabling the Read option (second one down), this in turn enables all of the granular read sub-permissions, including the Read account restrictions permission.  You can verify this by enabling Read and then scrolling down.  In the customer environment, I have found that enabling the Read permission covers all bases.  However, my own testing has found that just enabling the Read account restrictions permission is sufficient.
3. Contrast this error message with the one you see for wrong password: 
   
   .

SharePoint 2013: cannot connect to database at SQL server at... The database might not exist...

Problem

You are engaged in building a new SharePoint Server 2013 farm on Windows Server 2012 servers.  You have successfully installed all of the prerequisites and roles and features on all servers that will host SharePoint.  You have installed and configured a new instance of SQL Server 2012. You have configured a database server alias on all SharePoint servers.  You have not yet run the configuration wizard, but are now beginning configuration tasks. Your first task is to create the configuration database manually so as to avoid the lengthy GUID that SharePoint configuration wizard normally appends to the database name. On the batch serverYou run New-SPConfigurationDatabase, and then experience the following response in the management shell:

New-SPConfigurationDatabase : Cannot connect to database master at SQL server at [DatabaseAlias]. The database might not exist, or the current user does not have permission to connect to it. At line:1 char:1 + New-SPConfigurationDatabase -DatabaseName DB_Config -DatabaseServer [alias] - ... + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + CategoryInfo : InvalidData:(Microsoft.Share... urationDatabase:SPCmdletNewSPConfigurationDatabase) [New-SPConfigurationDatabase], SPException + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.SharePoint.PowerShell.SPCmdletNewSPConfigurationDatabase

This is a critical problem, as it prevents further installation efforts.  Below are my troubleshooting steps and ultimate resolution.

Troubleshooting

1. Action: verified spelling of database server.
1. Results: verified.
2. Action: verify database alias (cliconfg).
1. Results: alias configured and appears to be correct.
3. Action: verify farm service account name and password by adding to managed accounts of another SharePoint farm.
1. Results: farm service account name successfully added to Managed Accounts of another farm.
4. Action: verify that farm service account added to SQL Server instance logins and configured with dbcreator and securityadmin roles.  Start SQL Server Management Studio, navigate to [name]\security\.
1. Results: verified.
5. Action: verify that all SQL server services are running.  Started SQL Server Configuration Manager
1. Results: verified that SQL Server, SQL Server Agent and SQL Server Browser are all running.
6. Action: verify that TCP/IP protocol is enabled. started SQL Server Configuration Manager
1. Results: verified that TCP/IP is enabled for SQL Native Client 11.0 Configuration (32 bit), SQL Server Network Configuration and SQL Native Client 11.0 Configuration.
7. Action: verify that remote connections are enabled. In SQL Server Management Studio, right-click server name instance in tree, select Properties, select Connections, look for Allow remote connections to this server.
1. Results: was enabled.
8. Action: check (trarget) SharePoint server Application log.
1. Results: found the following events correlated with attempts to run script:

   Log Name:      Application
   Source:        Microsoft-SharePoint Products-SharePoint 
                  Foundation
   Date:          [date/time]
   Event ID:      5586
   Task Category: Database
   Level:         Error
   Keywords:      
   User:          [Administrator]
   Computer:      [ServerName]
   Description:
   Unknown SQL Exception -1 occurred. Additional error information 
   from SQL Server is included below.
   
   A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while 
   establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not 
   found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name 
   is correct and that SQL Server is configured to allow remote 
   connections. (provider: SQL Network Interfaces, error: 26 - 
   Error Locating Server/Instance Specified)
   Event Xml:...
   ...
   

   
   and
   
   

   Log Name:      Application
   Source:        Microsoft-SharePoint Products-SharePoint 
                  Foundation
   Date:          [date/time]
   Event ID:      3363
   Task Category: Database
   Level:         Critical
   Keywords:      
   User:          [Administrator]
   Computer:      [ServerName]
   Description:
   Cannot connect to database master at SQL server at 
   [DatabaseServerAlias]. The database might not exist, or the 
   current user does not have permission to connect to it.
   Event Xml:
   ...
   

2. Observation: issue likely due to connectivity with database; possible firewall issue - firewall blocking communication.
9. Action: disable firewall.  On Server Manager, select Local Server, then click link next to Windows Firewall.  Then click Turn Windows Firewall on of off.
1. Result: Settings are managed by GPO - can't change.
10. Action: run netsh command: netsh firewall set allprofiles state off, then re-run New-SPConfigurationDatabase.
1. Result: same connection error.
11. Action: run netsh command: netsh firewall set opmode state off, then re-run New-SPConfigurationDatabase.
1. Result: same connection error.
12. Action: attempt ODBC connection using ODBC Data Source Administrator
1. Results: connection failed.
   
13. Action: in Services control panel, set startup to Disabled.  Restarted server.
1. Results: On reboot, Firewall disabled.
14. Action: attempt ODBC connection using ODBC Data Source Administrator.
1. Results: connection succeeded.
2. Observation: this is a firewall issue on the SQL Server instance.
15. Action: started Firewall service, then ran netsh scripts again, this time setting states to On.  Then tested ODBC connectivity again.
1. Results: connection failed.
16. Action: on SQL Server, using the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security configured two TCP and two program inbound firewall rules: SQL - sqlbrowser.exe, SQL - sqlservr.exe, SQL - TCP 1433 and SQL - UDP 1434. Then tested ODBC connectivity again.
1. Results: connection failed.
17. Action: reviewed Firewall log.
1. Results: all TCP packets sent to SQL Server ports were being dropped.
18. Action: discussed results with sysadmin, who noted impact of group policy object.  recommend that rules be created in local GPO instead.  This can be verified by viewing rules under Windows Firewall with... / Monitoring / Firewall.
1. Results: none of the new firewall rules were listed.
2. Observation: New firewall rules were being overridden by GPO.
19. Action: launched local GP editor applet.  Configured the four rules noted previously.  Then tested ODBC connectivity again.
1. Results: connection succeeded.

Solution

• Implement firewall rules as noted in reference [3].  These may need to be configured in GPO if Firewall access controlled by GPO.

References

1. SharePoint: How to setup a database server alias
2. New-SPConfigurationDatabase
3. How to configure SQL Express 2012 to accept remote connections
4. Stopping the Windows Authenticating Firewall Service and the boot time policy
5. Top 10: Windows Firewall Netsh Commands
6. Enabling/Disabling the firewall using command line

Notes

• Traditional SharePoint farm topology.

SharePoint 2013: Event 6398: The Execute method of job definition Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.UserProfileImportJob threw an exception

Problem

You review a SharePoint 2013 server's Application log and see the following event occur at approximately one (1) minute intervals:
 

Log Name:      Application
Source:        Microsoft-SharePoint Products-SharePoint Foundation
Date:          [date/time]
Event ID:      6398
Task Category: Timer
Level:         Critical
Keywords:      
User:          [FarmServiceAccount]
Computer:      [ServerName]
Description:
The Execute method of job definition 
Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.UserProfileImportJob 
(ID deabe75d-3701-43c1-9968-920febb91024) threw an exception. More information is 
included below.

There was no endpoint listening at 
http://[ServerName]:5725/ResourceManagementService/MEX 
that could accept the message. This is often caused by an incorrect address or 
SOAP action. See InnerException, if present, for more details.
Event Xml:
...

Troubleshooting

1. Action: Opened browser and navigated to URL provided in error message.
1. Results: Confirmed error message: experienced This page can't be displayed error.
2. Action: Checked CA Health Reports.
1. Results: no issue clearly related to user profile synchronization appeared.
3. Action: Searched for error text.
1. Results: found potentially relevant reference [1].
4. Action: in CA, checked services on server.
1. Results: User Profile services are configured to run on batch server only.  Both User profile Service and User Profile Synchronization Service are started.
5. Action: in CA, checked service applications.
1. Results: Both User Profile Service Application and User Profile Service Application Proxy are started.
6. Action: On server, checked services.
1. Results: All "SharePoint" services running, except for SharePoint User Code Host and SharePoint VSS Writer.  FIM not running. FIMS is running.
7. Action: searched further for error text.
1. Results: found another potentially relevant reference [2].
8. Action: On Server, using Services, started FIM.
1. Results: Started and remained started even after several minutes.
9. Action: in CA, checked User Profile Service page
1. Results: Profile Synchronization Status indicated Synchronizing.  Few minutes later, status changed to Idle.
10. Action: on Server, checked Application event log.
1. Results: event no longer repeats.  Checked again at several minute intervals: no new occurrences.  After ten minutes, still no new occurrences.
11. Action: Opened browser and navigated to URL provided in error message.
1. Results: now message displayed changed to: The webpage cannot be found.
12. Action: started full user profile sychronization.
1. Results: full sychronization began.  Completed after about 10 minutes.
13. Action: checked status report (click Idle).
1. Results: sychronization completed successfully.

Solution

• Start FIM from the Services msc on the server.

References

1. The Execute method of job definition Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.UserProfileImportJob (ID d644d54c-4e78-41a7-86d8-87a8cc8efcaa) threw an exception. More information is included below.
2. There was no endpoint listening at [URL] ResourceManagementService/MEX that could accept the message. This is often caused by an incorrect address or SOAP action. See InnerException, if present, for more details.

Windows 7: How to modify the default Start menu All Programs

Introduction

This posting shows you where to find the Windows 7 default Start Menu options for the All Programs group.

Procedure

1. If not already done, go to: Control Panel > Folder Options > View Tab > Show Hidden files, folders, or drives.
2. Navigate to: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\. 
3. Edit has desired. Administrator permission is required to make modifications to this folder.

Notes

• Modifications made in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\ affect all users.
• Modification made in C:\Users\[UserName]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\ affect only that user.

SharePoint: How to setup a database server alias

Introduction

SharePoint 2013 Deployment Series

How to setup a database server alias

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Setting up a database alias for your SharePoint farm database server, enables future changes to the database name or instance to be implemented without requiring SharePoint reconfiguration.
A database alias can be setup for all current versions of SharePoint, including 2007, 2010 and 2013.  It is easiest to implement a database alias prior to installing SharePoint.

In this posting, you will be shown how to implement a database alias.  It assumes the use of SQL Server 2012 Standard, hosted on Windows Server 2012 machines, as part of a SharePoint Server 2013 farm deployment.  The TCP/IP protocol will be used.  The procedure shown below must be performed on each server intended to host SharePoint Server.  It does not need to be performed on the database server (or on the Office Web Apps server if deploying SharePoint 2013).

Procedure

1. Run cliconfg.exe.  This can be found usually at C:\Windows.  The SQL Server Client Network Utility dialog appears.
   
2. On the General tab, select the TCP/IP protocol, and then click Enable >>.
   . 
3. On the Alias tab, look for the Add button.
4. Click the Add button.  The Add network Library Configuration dialog appears..
5. Select the TCP/IP network library..
6. Enter a server alias.
7. Enter a server name.  If you have installed a named instance of SQL Server, you will need to enter the path to the named instance..
8. Ignore the options on the DB-Library Options and Network Libraries tabs.
9. Click OK.  This exits cliconfg. 
10. Perform a quick check by navigating to the registry key: HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\Client\ConnectTo.
11. Run C:\Windows\SysWOW64\cliconfg.exe.  This opens the 64-bit version of the Client Network Configuration Utility..
12. Repeat the above steps.
13. When done, perform a quick check by navigating to the registry key: HKLM:\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\Client\ConnectTo.

References

• Microsoft Technet: Create or Delete a Server Alias for Use by a Client (SQL Server Configuration Manager)

Notes

• This procedure works on both Windows Server 2008 and on 2012, and for both SharePoint Server 2010 and 2013.