21 May, 2014

April 2014 Cumulative Update Packages

April 2014 Cumulative Update Packages for SharePoint Foundation 2013 and SharePoint Server 2013 have been released

April 2014 CU for SharePoint Foundation 2013 - KB 2863892 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2863892
April 2014 CU for SharePoint Server 2013 - KB 2878240 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2878240

Note: This is build 15.0.4605.1004 of the cumulative update package.

BCS - Unable to display this Web Part

Todays article is based on the same error message on which I had publish one article few days before but while trying to replicate the same steps in different farm, I came across some useful findings which will be definitely useful for all the SharePoint communities!


Once I will share the ULS logs here then you will get the complete idea clear as how it’s different from the above reference along with different resolution steps.

Note:
If you find a different solution, please report it as a comment to this post. Be sure to double-verify it: undo your solution and verify that the problem comes back, then redo it and verify that the problem goes away.

How to reproduce this issue? – If you know how to reproduce then you will find out the resolution also, sooner/later but solution will be there J

Problem description: Error while creating the list from external content type.

Error Message:
Unable to display this Web Part. To troubleshoot the problem, open this Web page in a Microsoft SharePoint Foundation-compatible HTML editor such as Microsoft SharePoint Designer. If the problem persists, contact your Web server administrator.
Correlation ID: 675b973c-cd4a-4b1f-9e1a-86918a35fd16

Here are those steps: (You have already published the external content type (CT) by using SharePoint Designer and now you need to create a list based on that CT).

1.   Open your site -> View all site content
2.   Create
3.   List
4.   External List
5.   Create
6.   Type the name of the list
7.   Display list in quick launch: NO
8.   Type this name in the external content type section “New external content type” and click on check if this external CT exists
9.   Create -> you will get the error!

ULS logs findings:
Error while executing web part: Microsoft.BusinessData.Infrastructure.BdcException: Database response throttled. Maximum number of rows that can be read through the database system utility is 2000 The shim execution failed unexpectedly - Secure Store Service did not performed the operation.. ---> System.ServiceModel.CommunicationException: Secure Store Service did not performed the operation.     at Microsoft.Office.SecureStoreService.Server.SecureStoreServiceApplicationProxy.Execute[T](String operationName, Boolean validateCanary, ExecuteDelegate`1 operation)     at Microsoft.Office.SecureStoreService.Server.SecureStoreServiceApplicationProxy.GetRestrictedCredentials(Guid rawPartitionId, String applicationId)     at Microsoft.Office.SecureStoreService.Server.SecureStoreProvider.GetRestrictedCredentials(String appId)     at Microsoft.SharePoint.BusinessData.SystemSpecific.Db.DbConnectionManager.GetCo

It took some time to find out the resolution but I wanted to save your time, I wanted to save the frustration when we faced such issues and finally I would like guide you in right direction so that you can resolve this issue successfully!

Here are the Resolution Steps: This is because of BCS default throttling limits.

Step:-1: Get the GUID of BCS and Note down the BCS Application GUID
Get-SPServiceApplicationProxy

Steps:-2: Check the BCS Throttling Configuration Current Value
Get-SPBusinessDataCatalogThrottleConfig
Scope - Database
Throttle type - Items
ServiceApplicationProxy - <GUID of BCS>

Here is the output you will get:
Scope        : Database
Throttle Type: Items
Enforced     : True
Default      : 2000
Max          : 1000000

Step:-3:  Set the BCS throttle configuration
$db=Get-SPBusinessDataCatalogThrottleConfig -Scope Database -Throttle Type Items -ServiceApplicationProxy <GUID of BCS>

Set-SPBusinessDataCatalogThrottleConfig -Identity $db -Maximum 1000000 –Default 40000

Step:-4: Verify the increased throttle value
Get-SPBusinessDataCatalogThrottleConfig
Scope - Database
Throttle type - Items
ServiceApplicationProxy – <GUID of BCS>

Output:
Scope        : Database
Throttle Type: Items
Enforced     : True
Default      : 40000
Max          : 1000000

That’s it – You are done! & check the results.

If you have any queries/questions regarding the above mentioned information then please let me know. I would be more than happy to help you as well as resolves your issues, Thank you.

16 May, 2014

Some content databases are growing too large!


Many of us has surely came across this exception but today while monitoring the health analyzer, this error has caught my attention-
Some content databases are growing too large
Explanation:
The following content databases have grown larger than 100 GB.  Large content databases can be difficult to backup and restore.  They are also more likely to cause application hangs when operations that affect entire databases are performed.

Remedy:
Prevent new sites from being added to these databases by clicking the repair button or by going to http://CentralAdministrationURL/_admin/cntdbadm.aspx .  Then, move some site collections to smaller databases. For more information about this rule, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=142693.

Microsoft has already published an article on this with proper recommendations: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh685079%28v=office.15%29.aspx

I would like to know your views on this error message?

Note: If you find a different solution, please report it as a comment to this post. Be sure to double-verify it: undo your solution and verify that the problem comes back, then redo it and verify that the problem goes away.

My Suggestions:
1.   Before doing anything, I would suggest you to login to your SQL Server & check the exact file size of your web application’s content database and the logs files associated with it. Especially the log file!
2.   If your database is within the recommended size then you can safely ignore this alert.
3.   If log file size is the problem then you can definitely shrink it but I would suggest don’t shrink the content database too often as it’s not recommended.  
4.   If your database has already hit the 100GB size then I would suggest you to create a new database and move some site collections to new database and ensure the first database (for which you got the alert) should be within 100GB size.
5.   Additionally you have the option of “Repair Automatically” – which will run the timer job and remove this alert.


If you have any queries/questions regarding the above mentioned information then please let me know. I would be more than happy to help you as well as resolves your issues, Thank you.

Product applies to:-
1.   SharePoint Server 2010
2.   SharePoint Foundation 2010

References:-
Storage and SQL server capacity planning:

Merge content databases:

Deploy by using DBA created databases:

14 May, 2014

Proxy creation failed. Unable to get the application proxy.

I have publishing the external content type via SharePoint Designer and it’s been successfully displayed in the Central Administration too but while adding the list on the site; it’s throwing an error as follows

Error Message:
Unable to display this Web Part. To troubleshoot the problem, open this Web page in a Microsoft SharePoint Foundation-compatible HTML editor such as Microsoft SharePoint Designer. If the problem persists, contact your Web server administrator.

I checked the logs and found the following traces:
Proxy creation failed. Unable to get the application proxy

Error while executing web part: Microsoft.BusinessData.Infrastructure.BdcException: The shim execution failed unexpectedly - Unable to obtain the application proxy for the context.. ---> Microsoft.Office.SecureStoreService.Server.SecureStoreServiceException: Unable to obtain the application proxy for the context.     at Microsoft.Office.SecureStoreService.Server.SecureStoreProvider.get_Proxy()     at Microsoft.Office.SecureStoreService.Server.SecureStoreProvider.GetRestrictedCredentials(String appId)     at Microsoft.SharePoint.BusinessData.SystemSpecific.Db.DbConnectionManager.GetConnection()     at Microsoft.SharePoint.BusinessData.SystemSpecific.Db.DbSystemUtility.ExecuteStatic(IMethodInstance methodInstance, ILobSystemInstance lobSystemInstance, Object[] args, IExecutionContext context...     c8cfe618-7d0b-4dd0-bb87-55fe239f183b

There are most probably two possible reasons for this issue as:
1.   Service connection proxy
2.   Displaying number of records in a list as there is default value: 2000


Let’s try to see the resolutions for both the reasons!

Resolution#1: (for Service connection proxy)
1.   Open the central administration
2.   Application management
3.   Service Applications
4.   Configure service application associations
5.   Check the web application in which your site exist
6.   Check the “application proxy group” column
7.   Make sure the BDC and secure store service applications check boxes are mark,
8.   If they are not then please tick the check box and click OK

Resolution#2: (for displaying number of records)
1.   Open the SharePoint 2010 management PowerShell console
2.   Type the following command: Get-SPServiceApplicationProxy
3.   You will get the list of service application along with their GUID’s
4.   Copy the BCS service application GUID and paste it in notepad
5.   Now check the existing values by using this command:
Get-SPBusinessDataCatalogThrottleConfig-Scope ThrottleType Items Database-GUID-ServiceApplicationProxy
6.   Once you know the values then you will come to know that the default value is 2000 and we need to change that! How? See below-
Get-SPBusinessDataCatalogThrottleConfig –Scope Database –ThrottleType Items –ServiceApplicationProxy $contosoServAppProxy | Set-SPBusinessDataCatalogThrottleConfig –Maximum 1000000000 –Default 500000

Reference:

That’s it- You are done. Check your results now and the error shouldn’t be there now!

Note:
If you find a different solution, please report it as a comment to this post. Be sure to double-verify it: undo your solution and verify that the problem comes back, then redo it and verify that the problem goes away.

If you have any queries/questions regarding the above mentioned information then please let me know. I would be more than happy to help you as well as resolves your issues, Thank you.

Product Applies To:
SharePoint Server 2010

09 May, 2014

No UserProfileApplicationProxy exists in the current context

Today one of our business owners has reported their workflows are failing. It’s quite strange as I am taking care of the infrastructure and no changes has made recently i.e. no language packs, no patch upgrade, no third party software installation so I wasn’t sure what exactly happened and their workflows have started failing.

Before checking anything, I have restarted the SharePoint Timer Service to make sure everything is working properly as workflows jobs are dependent on it but that didn’t result into any success. So finally I started looking into ULS logs by hoping will get something very concrete which will guide me in right direction towards resolution and I was damn right!

Here are the findings:
Template Discovery/InitScriptData: cannot get user profile, no UserProfileApplicationProxy exists in the current context     297b8263-3256-4f3b-bb62-a1ceb2d4600f
05/09/2014 15:29:31.57        w3wp.exe (0x1F34)                           0x2630       Web Content Management        Publishing                       7fz3   Medium       Setting [Display] as the FormContext.FormMode for the current page         297b8263-3256-4f3b-bb62-a1ceb2d4600f
05/09/2014 15:29:31.57        w3wp.exe (0x1F34)                           0x2630       Web Content Management        Publishing                       7fz3   Medium       Setting [Display] as the FormContext.FormMode for the current page         297b8263-3256-4f3b-bb62-a1ceb2d4600f
05/09/2014 15:29:31.62        w3wp.exe (0x1F34)                           0x2960       SharePoint Foundation            Monitoring                      b4ly   High            Leaving Monitored Scope (EnsureListItemsData). Execution Time=27.7202828851153   59cb65df-da26-4357-8f32-84a2cac755c5
05/09/2014 15:29:31.73        w3wp.exe (0x1F34)                           0x2630       SharePoint Foundation            Monitoring                      b4ly   High            Leaving Monitored Scope (DataBinding DataFormWebPart (CMS_RT)). Execution Time=138.975204949232          297b8263-3256-4f3b-bb62-a1ceb2d4600f
05/09/2014 15:29:31.81        OWSTIMER.EXE (0x3628)                            0x2D1C          SharePoint Foundation             Monitoring                      nasq  Medium       Entering monitored scope (Timer Job SchedulingUnpublish) 3a1381ea-de0d-4616-9c25-d06d19a650bf
05/09/2014 15:29:31.81        w3wp.exe (0x1F34)                           0x2960       SharePoint Foundation            Web Controls                            cm8z  Medium       Failed to get SPGroupName from GroupID. Error Message: Group cannot be found.  Callstack:    at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPGroupCollection.GetByID(Int32 id)     at Microsoft.SharePoint.WebControls.PeopleEditor.set_SharePointGroupID(Int32 value).          59cb65df-da26-4357-8f32-84a2cac755c5
05/09/2014 15:29:31.82        w3wp.exe (0x1F34)                           0x2960       at Microsoft.SharePoint.WebControls.PeopleEditor.set_SharePointGroupID(Int32 value).          59cb65df-da26-4357-8f32-84a2cac755c5
05/09/2014 15:29:31.82        w3wp.exe (0x1F34)  0x2960   

From these findings, I know where to check and what should be change! And I would like to share the same details with all of you because after making that change, your issue will be resolved.

Note: before I mentioned the exact details, make sure that you have the “user profile web service application” exist in your environment.

Resolution:
1.   Open the Central Administration
2.   Application management
3.   Service Applications
4.   Configure Service Application Associations
5.   Check the web application in which your site exist
6.   Check the “Application Proxy Group” column
7.   Click on the custom group / default group
8.   Tick the User profile service application check box
9.   Click OK

That’s it – You are done!

Note:
If you find a different solution, please report it as a comment to this post. Be sure to double-verify it: undo your solution and verify that the problem comes back, then redo it and verify that the problem goes away.

If you have any queries/questions regarding the above mentioned information then please let me know. I would be more than happy to help you as well as resolves your issues, Thank you.

Product Applies To:
a)   SharePoint Server 2010
b)   SharePoint Server 2013