Microsoft Sharepoint Products and Technologies Resource Kit eBook

60 Part I: Introduction to SharePoint Products and Technologies
Installing SharePoint Portal Server
Installing SharePoint Portal Server 2003 is fairly intuitive. If you’re performing a simple
installation, you can choose the default settings and have your environment up
and running quickly. If you have to install SharePoint Portal Server on a domain
controller—or if you’re installing in a larger, more complex environment—a few
decision points will require a bit more explanation. A common example is deciding
when to use a SQL Server database instead of the default MSDE database.
When installing SharePoint Portal Server, many of the first installation steps are
the same whether you plan to install with MSDE or with SQL Server. If you are
implementing a fairly simple SharePoint Portal Server environment (one that won’t
use over 2 GB of information in the portal site and has both SharePoint Portal Server
and the database on the same machine), MSDE will probably be your best choice
(unless, of course, you need to cluster your SQL databases, in which case SQL Server
is required). One advantage of an MSDE scenario is that you don’t have to purchase
SQL Server licenses. If, however, you need to install SharePoint Portal Server on a
domain controller (DC), you must use SQL Server: MSDE is not supported on DCs.
See Table 3-2 for guidelines on when to use MSDE or SQL Server.
Table 3-2 Database Type Guidelines
Condition Preferred Database Type
If you require more than 2 GB of storage SQL Server
If you are installing SharePoint Portal Server on a MSDE
single server with fewer than 1000 sites
If you require database to be located on a server other SQL Server
than the server running SharePoint Portal Server
If you do not have access to SQL Server, but want to MSDE
work with SharePoint Portal Server
If you plan to scale out into a server farm scenario
or use any type of multiple-server implementation
If you’re on a tight budget MSDE
If you need a single-server deployment—for
MSDE
example, when you need to deploy a single
server for application testing, for development, or
as a proof-of-concept server
SQL Server, because the MSDE
database does not accept remote
connections
If you require the ability to cluster your databases SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition
Please note that no database connector exists for databases other than MSDE or
SQL Server (such as Oracle or Sybase) for SharePoint Portal Server–specific information.
Therefore, such information—including document content, area configurations,
user profiles, and other information generated or hosted by SharePoint Portal
Server or Windows SharePoint Services—must be held in either a SQL Server 2000 or