Manage SSPs in a farm (Office SharePoint Server)

Applies To: Office SharePoint Server 2007

This Office product will reach end of support on October 10, 2017. To stay supported, you will need to upgrade. For more information, see , Resources to help you upgrade your Office 2007 servers and clients.

Topic Last Modified: 2008-11-06

This article describes how you create, configure, and manage Shared Services Providers (SSPs) in a Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 server farm.

After you install a server farm, you must then perform several post-setup tasks. One of these tasks is to create and configure the default SSP. A single SSP in a farm can provide shared services to all Web applications that are hosted on that farm. You can also create additional SSPs if they are required by your solution. The following are the most important criteria that determine the number of SSPs in your farm:

• The requirement to share content and profile data across sites that reside in separate Web applications and Internet Information Services (IIS) application pools. For example, you can share My Sites, team sites, and published content across an intranet by bringing these sites together under one SSP.

• The requirement to isolate content and audiences to specific sites. For example, if your server farm hosts applications for more than one class of users, separate SSPs can help create isolation between these classes.

For more information, see Plan Shared Services Providers.

If the farm has more than one SSP, you must decide which Web applications should be associated with which SSPs. When you create a new Web application, by default the new Web application is associated with the default SSP. If you want to associate the Web application with a different SSP, you must manually change the association. A Web application can be associated with only one SSP, whereas an SSP can be associated with many Web applications.

Task Requirements

You must have started and configured the following services before you perform the procedures for this task:

• Windows SharePoint Services Search

• Office SharePoint Server Search

To create and manage SSPs, you can perform the following procedures:

• Create an SSP

• Manage session state (Office SharePoint Server)

• Move an SSP to another farm (Office SharePoint Server 2007)

• Edit SSP settings

• Delete an SSP

• Change the default SSP

• Change SSP associations

Create an SSP

You can create an SSP by using the SharePoint Central Administration Web site or by using the Stsadm command-line tool. Use the following procedures to create a new SSP. After the procedure is completed, the SSP provides shared services across the farm. Also, when you create the first SSP for a farm, the database tables and code required for session state to operate are installed and configured automatically.

Create an SSP by using Central Administration

1. On the SharePoint Central Administration home page, on the top link bar, click Application Management.

2. On the Application Management page, in the Office SharePoint Server Shared Services section, click Create or configure this farm’s shared services.

3. On the Manage this Farm's Shared Services page, click New SSP.

4. In the SSP Name section, in the SSP Name box, type a name for the new SSP or accept the default name.

5. In the Web application list, select a Web application that will host the administration site for the new SSP.

   If you want to create a new Web application to host the administration site for the new SSP, click Create a new Web application. For more information about creating Web applications, see Create or extend a Web application (Office SharePoint Server).

   The SSP Administration Site URL box is automatically populated with the URL for the administration site.

6. In the My Site Location section, in the Web application list, select a Web application to host My Sites.

   If you want to create a new Web application to host My Sites for the new SSP, click Create a new Web application. For more information about creating Web applications, see Create or extend a Web application (Office SharePoint Server).

   Note

   We recommend that you use different Web applications to host My Sites and the SSP administration site so that you can independently back up and restore My Sites.

7. If you want to host My Sites at a location other than at the root directory, specify the URL in the Relative URL box.

8. In the SSP Service Credentials section, in the Username box and the Password box, type the user name and password for the user account under which you want the SSP to run.

9. In the SSP Database section, in the Database Server box and the Database Name box, type the name of the database server and the name of the database.

   Note

   We recommend that you use the default database server and the default database name.

10. Under Database authentication, select one of the following:

    • Windows authentication (recommended).

    • SQL authentication. If you select this option, type the account credentials in the Account and Password boxes.

11. In the Search Database section, in the Database Server box and the Database Name box, type the name of the database server and the name of the search database.

    Note

    We recommend that you use the default database.

12. Under Database authentication, select one of the following:

    • Windows authentication (recommended).

    • SQL authentication. If you select this option, type the credentials for the account in the Account and Password boxes.

13. In the Index Server section, select an index server on the Index Server list.

14. In the Path for index file location box, type the path of the index files.

15. In the SSL for Web Services section, select Yes if you want to use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to protect communications to and from Web services.

16. Click OK.

Create an SSP by using the Stsadm command-line tool

1. On the drive on which SharePoint Products and Technologies is installed, change to the following directory: %COMMONPROGRAMFILES%\Microsoft shared\Web server extensions\12\Bin.

2. Type the following command, and then press ENTER:

   stsadm -o createssp -title <SSP name> -url <Web application URL> -mysiteurl <My Site Web application URL> -ssplogin <domain\user name> -indexserver <index server> -indexlocation <index file path> [-ssppassword <password>] [-sspdatabaseserver <SSP database server name>] [-sspdatabasename <SSP database name>] [-sspsqlauthlogin <SQL user name>] [-sspsqlauthpassword <SQL password>] [-searchdatabaseserver <search database server name>] [-searchdatabasename <search database name>] [-searchsqlauthlogin <SQL user name>] [-searchsqlauthpassword <SQL password>] [-ssl {Yes | No}]

   For more information, see Createssp: Stsadm operation (Office SharePoint Server).

Edit SSP settings

You can edit some SSP settings — for example, the name of the SSP, the database server, or the index server.

You can edit SSP settings by using the Central Administration Web site or by using the Stsadm command-line tool. Use the following procedures to edit SSP settings.

Edit SSP settings by using Central Administration

1. On the SharePoint Central Administration home page, on the top link bar, click Application Management.

2. On the Application Management page, in the Office SharePoint Server Shared Services section, click Create or configure this farm’s shared services.

3. On the Manage this Farm's Shared Services page, point to the SSP for which you want to edit settings, click the arrow that appears, and then select Edit Properties.

4. If you want to change the name of the SSP, on the Edit Shared Services Providers page, in the SSP Name section, in the SSP Name box, type the new name of the SSP.

5. If you want to change the user name and password, in the SSP Service Credential section, in the Username box and the Password box, type the new user name and new password for the user account under which you want the SSP to run.

6. If you want to change the name of the SSP database server and the name of the database, in the SSP Database section, in the Database Server box and Database Name box, type the new name of the database server and the new name of the database.

7. If you want to change the database authentication method, under Database authentication, select one of the following:

   • Windows authentication (recommended).

   • SQL authentication. If you select this option, type the credentials for the account in the Account and Password boxes.

8. If you want to change the name of the search database server and the name of the database, in the Search Database section, in the Database Server box and the Database Name box, type the new name of the database server and the new name of the search database.

9. If you want to change the database authentication method, under Database authentication, select one of the following:

   • Windows authentication (recommended).

   • SQL authentication. If you select this option, type the credentials for the account in the Account and Password boxes.

10. If you want the SSP to be associated with a different index server, in the Index Server section, select an index server on the Index Server list.

    Note

    You can only change the index server if you have more than one index server in the farm. Changing the index server discards the index files.

11. If you want to change the location of the index files, in the Path for index file location box, type the path of the index files.

    You can use the Stsadm command-line tool to change the location of the index files.

    Important

    To run the Stsadm command-line tool, you must be a member of the Administrators group on the local computer.

    To do this, on the drive on which SharePoint Products and Technologies is installed, change to the following directory: %COMMONPROGRAMFILES%\Microsoft shared\Web server extensions\12\Bin. Next, type the following command, and then press ENTER:

    stsadm -o editssp -title <SSP name> -indexlocation <index file path>

    Note

    If you keep the same index server and change the location of the index files, you copy the index files to the new location. If you want to remove the index files from their previous location, you must manually remove them.

12. Depending on whether you want to use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), in the SSL for Web Services section, select Yes or No.

13. Click OK.

Edit SSP settings by using the Stsadm command-line tool

1. On the drive on which SharePoint Products and Technologies is installed, change to the following directory: %COMMONPROGRAMFILES%\Microsoft shared\Web server extensions\12\Bin.

2. Type the following command, and then press ENTER:

   stsadm -o editssp -title <SSP name> [-newtitle <new SSP name>] [-sspadminsite <SSP Administration site URL>] [-ssplogin <user name>] [-ssppassword <password>] [-indexserver <index server name>] [-indexlocation <index file path>] [-setaccounts <domain\user name>] [-ssl {Yes | No}]

   For more information, see Editssp: Stsadm operation (Office SharePoint Server).

Delete an SSP

You might want to delete an SSP in either of the following cases:

• Shared services that use the SSP are no longer being used.

• Applications that use shared services are no longer being used.

You can delete an SSP by using the Central Administration Web site or by using the Stsadm command-line tool. Use the following procedures to delete an SSP from the farm. After this procedure is complete, the SSP can no longer provide shared services in the farm.

Delete an SSP by using Central Administration

1. On the SharePoint Central Administration home page, on the top link bar, click Application Management.

2. On the Application Management page, in the Office SharePoint Server Shared Services section, click Create or configure this farm’s shared services.

3. On the Manage This Farm's Shared Services page, point to the SSP that you want to delete, click the arrow that appears, and then click Delete.

4. On the Delete Shared Services Provider page, in the Remove SSP section, select one of the following:

   • Remove without deleting the associated databases

   • Remove and delete the associated databases

5. Click OK.

Delete an SSP by using the Stsadm command-line tool

1. On the drive on which SharePoint Products and Technologies is installed, change to the following directory: %COMMONPROGRAMFILES%\Microsoft shared\Web server extensions\12\Bin.

2. Type the following command, and then press ENTER:

   stsadm -o deletessp -title <SSP name> [-deletedatabases]

   For more information, see Deletessp: Stsadm operation (Office SharePoint Server).

Change the default SSP

Web applications are automatically associated with a default SSP when they are created to ensure that they have access to the shared services that they require. You can change which SSP is the default SSP.

You can change the default SSP by using the Central Administration Web site or by using the Stsadm command-line tool. Use either of the following procedures to change the default SSP. After you complete the procedure, the default SSP is changed.

Change the default SSP by using Central Administration

1. On the SharePoint Central Administration home page, on the top link bar, click Application Management.

2. On the Application Management page, in the Office SharePoint Server Shared Services section, click Create or configure this farm’s shared services.

3. On the Manage This Farm's Shared Services page, click Change Default SSP.

4. On the Change Default Shared Services Provider page, on the SSP Name menu, click the SSP that you want to set as the default SSP.

5. Click OK.

6. On the Warning! page, read the implications of changing the default SSP.

7. To change the default SSP, click OK.

Change the default SSP by using the Stsadm command-line tool

1. On the drive on which SharePoint Products and Technologies is installed, change to the following directory: %COMMONPROGRAMFILES%\Microsoft shared\Web server extensions\12\Bin.

2. Type the following command, and then press ENTER:

   stsadm -o setdefaultssp -title <SSP name>

   For more information, see Setdefaultssp: Stsadm operation (Office SharePoint Server).

Change SSP associations

One SSP is always the default SSP in a farm. The default SSP is the SSP to which all Web applications are automatically associated when they are first created. You can change the SSP and Web application associations.

Changing the Web application and SSP association might affect the following:

• Services might take additional time before they are available for use in the newly associated SSP.

• Any Web application-specific data in the previously associated SSP remains in that SSP and cannot be accessed.

• All service-level configurations remain in the previously associated SSP until you remove them by using the Shared Services Administration site. If you must use the service-level configurations in the new SSP, reset the configurations by using the new Shared Services Administration site.

• Existing Web applications keep their association to the previous default SSP, which means that they do not automatically re-associate to the new default SSP. However, Web applications that you create after you have changed the default SSP are automatically associated with the new default SSP.

Use the following procedure to change the SSP associations by using the Central Administration Web site. After this procedure is complete, the SSP and Web application associations are changed.

Change SSP associations by using Central Administration

1. On the SharePoint Central Administration home page, on the top link bar, click Application Management.

2. On the Application Management page, in the Office SharePoint Server Shared Services section, click Create or configure this farm’s shared services.

3. On the Manage This Farm's Shared Services page, click Change Associations.

4. On the Change Associations between Web Applications and SSPs page, on the SSP Name menu, select the SSP with which the Web applications will be associated.

5. In the Web applications section, select the Web applications with which the SSP will be associated.

   To select all of the Web applications, select the Select all check box.

6. Click OK.

See Also

Concepts

Plan Shared Services Providers
Plan SSP architecture