Microsoft Sharepoint Products and Technologies Resource Kit eBook

Chapter 17: Configuring SharePoint Portal Server 2003 455
Another way to grant portal site administrator privilege to a user is to assign user
accounts (or group accounts) to what is called the SharePoint administrators group
account. The account is defined by navigating to the Set SharePoint Administrative
Group Account link found in the Security Configuration section of the SharePoint
Portal Server Central Administration page. Even though the location implies a user
account, in actuality, any Active Directory account can be assigned here, including
group accounts.
Tip It is considered a best practice to assign an Active Directory Global
Group account as the SharePoint administrators group account to avoid
accidentally losing administrative access should the user account be
deleted.
There are a few tasks that a user associated to the SharePoint administrators
group account cannot perform. Following is a list of tasks that only the local administrator
can perform:
■ Extend or unextend a virtual server
■ Change the SharePoint administrators group
■ Manage paths (inclusions and exclusions)
■ Change the configuration database
The SharePoint Portal Server Central Administration Page
The main SharePoint Portal Server Central Administration page has four categories
of links leading to appropriate configuration subpages. These categories and links
allow for configuration of each of the components’ servers, services, and features
that relate to the functionality of the farm. The four categories are Server Configuration,
Portal Site and Virtual Server Configuration, Security Configuration, and Component
Configuration. The remainder of this chapter will be organized by these categories.
The Portal Site and Virtual Server Configuration links will be covered last as part of
an overall discussion on virtual servers as they relate to portal site creation.
Server Configuration
The Server Configuration category of links is used to configure server topology such as
Web, index, search, and job server assignments; database server settings; e-mail server
information; and server farm account settings. This area, depicted in Figure 17-2, is the
first area to go to every time a new server is added to the server farm.