Add or remove a property database (Search Server 2010)

 

Applies to: Search Server 2010

Topic Last Modified: 2010-02-22

Note

  • You can modify a search topology only if you selected the Farm installation option when you installed Microsoft Search Server 2010.

  • Microsoft Search Server 2010 Express is an entry-level enterprise search solution that has limited scalability. In Search Server 2010 Express, the topology components of each Search service application must be on one server. Although it is possible to add topology components on that server, in most cases it is not useful. For information about scalable solutions for enterprise search in Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Products, see Technical diagrams (SharePoint Server 2010).

In Search Server 2010, property databases contain metadata that is associated with crawled content. You can distribute the database load of queries by adding property databases to different computers that are running SQL Server. Property databases are associated with index partitions, and return any metadata that is associated with content in query results. For more information about index partitions, see Add or remove an index partition (Search Server 2010).

To add a property database to a farm

  1. Verify that the user account that is performing this procedure is a member of the Farm Administrators group.

  2. In Central Administration, in the Application Management section, click Manage service applications.

  3. On the Service Applications page, click the name of the Search service application to which you want to add a property database.

  4. On the Search Administration page, in the Search Application Topology section, click the Modify button.

  5. On the Manage Search Topology page, click New, and then click Property Database.

  6. In the Add Property Database dialog box, in the Add Property Database section, specify a database server to which you want to add the property database, the database name, and database authentication information. By default, the Database Server field contains the host name and instance that is used to store the farm’s configuration database, and the Database Name field is pre-populated with a suggested name.

  7. In the Failover Database Server field, you can optionally specify a failover database server that is used in conjunction with SQL Server database mirroring.

    Important

    Do not enter a server name in this field unless SQL Server database mirroring is currently configured and operational.

  8. Click OK to add the new property database to the job queue.

  9. On the Manage Search Topology page, click the Apply Topology Changes button to start the SharePoint timer job that will add the new property database to the selected SQL Server computer and make it available for association with index partitions.

    Note

    You can make other changes to the Search topology and then apply them all at the same time by clicking the Apply Topology Changes button.

To remove a property database from a farm

Important

Before you can delete a property database, you must first remove any associations with any query components either by removing the query components or by assigning them to a different property database. If any query components are currently associated with the property database, the Delete option will not appear when you click the property database.

  1. Verify that the user account that is performing this procedure is a member of the Farm Administrators group.

  2. In Central Administration, in the Application Management section, click Manage service applications.

  3. On the Service Applications page, click the name of the Search service application from which you want to remove a property database.

  4. On the Search Administration page, in the Search Application Topology section, click the Modify button.

  5. On the Manage Search Topology page, click the property database that you want to remove, and then click Delete.

    Note

    If any query components are currently associated with the property database, the Delete option will not appear when you click the property database.

  6. In the message box that appears, click OK to add the removal of the property database to the job queue.

  7. On the Manage Search Topology page, click the Apply Topology Changes button to start the SharePoint timer job that will delete the property database from the specified computer that is running SQL Server and remove it from the farm.

    Note

    You can make other changes to the Search topology and then apply them all at the same time by clicking the Apply Topology Changes button.