Rename Web Application in Central Admin

Sometimes web applications get created with names that aren't very descriptive , or are just untidy, so here is a short Power Shell script for renaming them.

Which services run on each server in a three tier SharePoint 2010 setup

It's not obvious which services should run on each server in a three tier farm. So this quick reference should help.

Web Front End

Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Web Application
Search Query and Site Settings Service
SharePoint Server Search Service

Application 

Access Database Service
Application Registry Service
Business Data Connectivity Service
Central Administration
Claims to Windows Token Service
Document Conversions Launcher Service
Document Conversions Load Balancer Service
Excel Calculation Services
Lotus Notes Connector (If required)
Managed Metadata Web Service
Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Incoming E-mail
Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Workflow Timer Service
PerformancePoint Service
PowerPoint Service
Search Query and Site Settings Service
Secure Store Service
SharePoint Foundation Search
SharePoint Server Search
User Profile Service
User Profile Synchronization Service
Visio Graphics Service
Web Analytics Data Processing Service
Web Analytics Web Service
Word Automation Services
Word Viewing Service 

Rename Central Administration Database (Sharepoint_Config)

The Central Admin DB is automatically created with a horrible GUID. To remove this we need to create a new DB, move the DB and remove the old DB.

Converting Central Admin to SSL

During the installation of SharePoint there isnt an option to use SSL for Central Admin. I would recommend that even if you dont use SSL for any of your sites, Central Admin should. 

Steps overview

1. Get the SSL Certificate
   1. Obtain from Trusted Certificate authority or
   2. Create a Self-signed SSL certificate
2. Edit the Binding of the web application in IIS
3. Execute STSADM Command to Update Registry Settings on the SharePoint Farm
4. Change the alternate access mapping(AAM)

1. Get an SSL certificate

you can either get your certificate from a trusted cert provider such as Verisign, DigiCert etc. or you can create your own 'Self Signed'.

To start, connect to the server that hosts Central Admin, and launch IIS Manager.

Click on the server in the connection column on the left, then double click 'server certificates'.

Click 'Create Self-Signed Certificate'

Choose a friendly name and click next e.g 'Intranet Certificate'

You should now see that the new certificate has been added to a list of server certificates.

1. Edit central admin binding in IIS

Select your Central Admin site from the sites folder on the left. Then click 'Bindings'.

Click 'add' then select 'https'. The Port and IP address should already be the same as the image below. 

Under SSL certificate choose the name of the certificate you created in the last step. 

Finally, click 'OK' accepting any warning you might see. 

You should now see to bindings for the site. select the original http binding and click remove. 

Close the site bindings window.

double click 'SSL Settings' from the 

We need to force the site to use only use SSL by choosing 'Require SSL'

3. Execute STSADM Command to Update Registry Settings on the SharePoint Farm 

Launch the command prompt and execute the following command to update the port for central admin across the Farm.

4. Change the alternate access mapping in Central Admin

if you lauch Central Admin now, it should be working over SSL, but will give you a warning about the sites security certificate. To stop this from happening we need to modify the AAM to include the FQDN.

From central admin select 'Configure alternate access mappings' from System Settings. 

  

Click 'Edit Public URLs'

Select the Central Admin collection.

Change the default url to include your fully qualified domain name (FQDN)