All About SharePoint Administration: SharePoint Server Subscription Edition

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Thursday, May 28, 2026

SharePoint 2019 to SharePoint Subscription Edition (SE) – Database Attach Upgrade (Step-by-Step)

Database Attach Upgrade is the most recommended migration approach from Microsoft SharePoint Server 2019 to Microsoft SharePoint Server Subscription Edition.

High-Level Upgrade Flow

Phase 1 — Pre-Upgrade Assessment

Step 1: Verify Existing SP2019 Farm Health

Run Health Analyzer and check:

Timer Jobs
Search Crawl
Distributed Cache
Service Applications
IIS Bindings
Certificates
SQL Connectivity

Important Commands

Get-SPFarm
Get-SPServer
Get-SPDatabase
Get-SPSite -Limit All

Step 2: Check Build Version Compatibility

SP2019 must be on supported patch level before migrating.

Check Build

(Get-SPFarm).BuildVersion

Compare with Microsoft compatibility matrix.

Step 3: Run Pre-Upgrade Check

Test-SPContentDatabase -Name WSS_Content_Intranet `
-WebApplication http://sp2019web `
-Server SQLPROD01

stsadm -o preupgradecheck

Step 4: Inventory Existing Components

Document:

Component	Example
Web Applications	Intranet
Content DBs	WSS_Content
Service Apps	Search, MMS
Solutions (.wsp)	Custom WSPs
Features	Farm/Sandbox
Workflows	2010/2013
Customizations	Master Pages
Authentication	NTLM/Kerberos/SAML

Step 5: Identify Unsupported Components

Major challenge areas:

Area	Risk
SharePoint 2010 workflows	Deprecated
InfoPath	Limited future support
Sandbox solutions	May fail
Full Trust Solutions	Compatibility issues
Classic Authentication	Migration needed
Third-party WSPs	Rebuild required

Phase 2 — Build New SharePoint SE Farm

Step 6: Prepare New Infrastructure

Recommended Servers

Server	Purpose
APP01	Central Admin + Services
WFE01	Web Front End
SQL01	Databases

Step 7: Install Prerequisites

Install:

Windows Server
SQL Native Client
IIS Features
.NET Framework
Web Server Roles

Step 8: Install SharePoint SE

Install binaries on all servers.

Then run:

psconfig.exe

OR SharePoint Products Configuration Wizard.

Step 9: Create New SPSE Farm

New-SPConfigurationDatabase `
-DatabaseName SharePoint_Config `
-DatabaseServer SQLSE01 `
-Passphrase (ConvertTo-SecureString "Password@123" -AsPlainText -Force) `
-FarmCredentials (Get-Credential)

Step 10: Configure Service Applications

Create:

Managed Metadata
Search
User Profile
State Service
Distributed Cache

Phase 3 — Database Migration

Step 11: Set Source Farm Read-Only (Optional but Recommended)

Set-SPSite -Identity http://portal/sites/hr -LockState ReadOnly

Purpose:

Prevent content changes
Avoid delta mismatch

Step 12: Backup Content Databases from SP2019 SQL

Using SQL Server:

BACKUP DATABASE WSS_Content_Intranet
TO DISK='D:\Backup\WSS_Content_Intranet.bak'

Step 13: Restore Databases into New SQL Server

RESTORE DATABASE WSS_Content_Intranet
FROM DISK='D:\Backup\WSS_Content_Intranet.bak'

Phase 4 — Attach Databases in SPSE

Step 14: Create Web Applications in SPSE

VERY IMPORTANT:

URL must match old farm if possible
Authentication method should match

Example:

New-SPWebApplication `
-Name "Intranet" `
-Port 80 `
-URL http://intranet `
-ApplicationPool "IntranetPool" `
-ApplicationPoolAccount (Get-SPManagedAccount "domain\spfarm")

Step 15: Validate Database Before Mount

Test-SPContentDatabase `
-Name WSS_Content_Intranet `
-WebApplication http://intranet

Typical Errors

Error	Meaning
Missing Feature	WSP not installed
Missing Setup File	Custom solution absent
Missing Web Part	Third-party issue

Step 16: Install Missing Solutions

Example:

Add-SPSolution CustomSolution.wsp

Install-SPSolution `
-Identity CustomSolution.wsp `
-GACDeployment

Step 17: Mount Content Database

Mount-SPContentDatabase `
-Name WSS_Content_Intranet `
-DatabaseServer SQLSE01 `
-WebApplication http://intranet

This performs:

Database schema upgrade
Site collection upgrade
Feature upgrade

Step 18: Monitor Upgrade Status

Get-SPUpgradeSessionInfo

Logs location:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\16\LOGS

Phase 5 — Post Upgrade Validation

Step 19: Validate Sites

Check:

Site accessibility
Pages
Libraries
Permissions
Search
Navigation
Branding
Workflows

Step 20: Rebuild Search Index

Recommended after migration.

Get-SPEnterpriseSearchServiceApplication

Reset crawl if needed.

Step 21: Verify Services

Validate:

Service	Validation
Search	Crawl success
MMS	Terms visible
UPA	Profile sync
Cache	No errors
SMTP	Alerts working

Step 22: Upgrade Site Collections (If Required)

Upgrade-SPSite http://intranet

Step 23: Run Health Checks

Get-SPHealthAnalysisRule

Central Admin → Monitoring → Review Problems & Solutions

Real-Time Production Upgrade Scenario

Example

Old Environment

Component	Value
SharePoint Version	SP2019
Databases	12 Content DBs
Size	4 TB
Users	18,000
Authentication	Kerberos

Migration Approach

Build parallel SPSE farm
Install all custom WSPs
Freeze source farm
Backup & restore DBs
Attach DBs one-by-one
Validate business applications
DNS cutover

Common Real-Time Challenges

1. Missing Features

Error

Database contains references to missing features

Fix

Deploy missing WSPs.

2. Large Content Databases

Issue

Mount takes several hours.

Fix

Split DBs
Use high IOPS storage
Pre-grow SQL files

3. Orphan Objects

Detection

Get-SPContentDatabase | % {$_.Repair($true)}

4. Authentication Failures

Common Cause

Kerberos SPNs missing.

Fix

Re-register SPNs.

5. Search Not Working

Cause

Old index not migrated.

Fix

Full crawl required.

Best Practices

Recommended

✅ Build fresh SPSE farm

✅ Patch all servers equally

✅ Use MinRole properly

✅ Test in lower environments first

✅ Perform trial migrations

✅ Keep rollback plan ready

✅ Use SQL backups instead of detach method

✅ Document every DB mapping

Important Commands Summary

Task	Command
Validate DB	Test-SPContentDatabase
Mount DB	Mount-SPContentDatabase
Upgrade Site	Upgrade-SPSite
Check Upgrade	Get-SPUpgradeSessionInfo
Add Solution	Add-SPSolution
Install Solution	Install-SPSolution

Monday, May 25, 2026

SharePoint Subscription Edition (SPSE) – Common Errors, Challenges, and Limitations

This is a very common interview topic for SharePoint Administrators, Architects, and Migration Leads.

1. Installation Challenges

Error: Prerequisite Missing

Symptoms

Prerequisite installation failed.
Setup cannot continue.

Root Cause

Missing Windows Features
Missing .NET components
Unsupported OS version

Resolution

Install-WindowsFeature Web-Server
Install-WindowsFeature NET-Framework-Features

Validate all SPSE prerequisites before installation.

2. Configuration Wizard Failures

Error

Failed to create configuration database.

Root Cause

SQL connectivity issues
Farm account permissions missing
SQL aliases incorrectly configured

Required SQL Roles

dbcreator
securityadmin

for the setup account.

3. MinRole Issues

SPSE strongly encourages MinRole deployment.

Common Problems

Server role mismatch detected.

Impact

Health Analyzer warnings
Performance degradation
Unsupported architecture

Example

Application services running on WFE
Search services on wrong server

4. Distributed Cache Challenges

Although SPSE modernized some underlying services, cache-related issues can still occur.

Symptoms

Slow page loads
Authentication delays
Newsfeed issues

Root Causes

Insufficient RAM
Improper service placement
Farm topology issues

5. Search Problems

Common Errors

Crawl Failure

Access is denied

Search Index Not Updating

Fresh content not searchable

Root Causes

Crawl account permissions
Search topology configuration
SQL performance bottlenecks

Real-Time Example

After migration from SP2019:

Search returns zero results

Often resolved by rebuilding the search index.

6. Large Content Database Limitations

Challenge

Organizations frequently maintain:

500 GB
1 TB
2 TB

content databases.

Impact

Slow backup
Slow restore
Extended upgrade windows
Longer maintenance periods

Best Practice

Keep content databases reasonably sized and distribute site collections appropriately.

7. Custom Solution Compatibility

Common Error

Missing Feature
Missing Web Part

Root Cause

Custom WSP solutions from older SharePoint versions.

Real-Time Issue

After migration:

Web Part Error:
Cannot import this web part.

because the assembly is missing or unsupported.

8. Workflow Challenges

Many organizations still use:

SharePoint 2010 Workflows
SharePoint 2013 Workflows
Nintex
K2

Issues

Workflow suspended
Workflow failed

Root Cause

Workflow dependencies not upgraded or migrated correctly.

9. Authentication Challenges

Common Problems

Access Denied
Unexpected Login Prompt
People Picker Failure

Causes

Kerberos misconfiguration
Claims authentication issues
Service Principal Name (SPN) issues

10. SSL Certificate Problems

Symptoms

Certificate Warning
Site Not Secure

Root Cause

Expired certificates
Missing intermediate certificates
IIS binding issues

Real-Time Impact

Users cannot access production portals.

11. SQL Server Dependency

SPSE relies heavily on SQL Server.

Issues

High CPU
Slow Queries
Blocking
Deadlocks

Impact

Slow SharePoint pages
Search delays
Timer job failures

12. User Profile Synchronization Problems

Symptoms

Missing profile photos
Manager hierarchy missing
Audience targeting failures

Root Causes

AD synchronization failures
Permissions issues
Synchronization service misconfiguration

13. Patch and Upgrade Challenges

Issue

All SharePoint servers must remain at the same patch level.

Common Error

Upgrade required.

Scenario

One server patched successfully.

Second server patch failed.

Farm becomes inconsistent.

14. Backup and Restore Challenges

Common Problems

Large backup windows
Storage consumption
Long recovery times

Enterprise Concern

Disaster Recovery (DR) testing often takes many hours.

15. Performance Issues

Symptoms

Slow site collection
Slow document library
Slow search results

Root Causes

Large lists
Missing indexes
SQL bottlenecks
Poor farm design

16. Modern UI Limitations Compared to SharePoint Online

SPSE supports modern experiences, but not all cloud features.

Missing / Limited Features

AI-powered features available in Microsoft 365
Microsoft Copilot capabilities
Viva integrations (limited compared to cloud)
Some cloud-only innovations
Continuous cloud feature rollout

Interview Point

SPSE receives feature updates, but SharePoint Online generally gets new capabilities first.

17. Third-Party Product Compatibility

Examples:

Nintex
AvePoint
Bamboo Solutions
K2

Challenge

Not every version supports SPSE.

Resolution

Verify vendor support matrices before upgrades.

18. High Availability Complexity

Challenge

Designing HA environments requires:

Multiple SharePoint servers
SQL High Availability
Load Balancers
Disaster Recovery Sites

Costs

Infrastructure Cost
Licensing Cost
Operational Cost

can be significant.

19. Licensing Challenges

SPSE uses a subscription-based licensing model.

Common Organizational Concerns

Budget planning
Renewal management
Compliance audits

20. Migration Challenges

Common migration paths:

SharePoint Server 2016 → SharePoint Subscription Edition
SharePoint Server 2019 → SharePoint Subscription Edition

Typical Issues

Missing Features
Customizations
Workflow Failures
Search Reconfiguration
Authentication Changes

Top 10 Real-Time Production Errors

Error	Likely Cause
Configuration Database Creation Failed	SQL permissions
Access Denied	Authentication or permissions
Search Crawl Failed	Crawl account permissions
Timer Job Failed	Service account or SQL issue
Missing Feature	Custom solution missing
Web Part Error	Assembly missing
Distributed Cache Issues	Memory or topology problem
User Profile Sync Failure	AD permissions
Upgrade Required	Patch mismatch
Site Slow Performance	SQL or indexing issues

SharePoint 2019 to SharePoint Subscription Edition (SE) Upgrade – Major Challenges

SharePoint 2019 to SharePoint Subscription Edition (SE)

Upgrade – Major Challenges

First, remember an important interview point:

✅ SharePoint 2019 → SharePoint SE is NOT an in-place upgrade.

✅ Microsoft supports the Database Attach Upgrade method. You build a new SPSE farm, copy databases, and attach them to the new farm. (Microsoft Learn)

High-Level Upgrade Flow

Top 15 Real-Time Challenges

1. Missing Custom Solutions (WSPs)

Problem

Many organizations have:

Custom Web Parts
Custom Features
Custom Site Definitions
Farm Solutions

When content databases are mounted, SPSE expects these components to exist.

If missing:

Test-SPContentDatabase

Shows:

Missing Feature
Missing Setup File
Missing Web Part

This is one of the most common upgrade blockers. Microsoft specifically recommends reinstalling all customizations before attaching content databases. (Microsoft Learn)

Real-Time RCA

Developer left company years ago.

Source code unavailable.

Feature IDs exist in database but solution package no longer exists.

Resolution

Inventory all custom solutions.
Rebuild unsupported code.
Remove orphaned features.

2. Large Content Database Size

Problem

Many environments contain:

500 GB
1 TB
2 TB+

databases.

Upgrade duration becomes very long.

Challenges

SQL backup time
Restore time
Mount time
Validation time

Resolution

Split large databases before migration.

3. Search Service Migration

Problem

Search topology changes.

Search databases cannot simply be copied and assumed healthy.

Common Issues

Crawl failures
Index corruption
Missing content sources

Resolution

Most organizations rebuild Search after migration.

4. Service Application Compatibility

Supported service application databases include:

Managed Metadata
Search
User Profile
Secure Store
BDC

But configuration mismatches can create failures. (Microsoft Learn)

Real-Time Issue

Managed Metadata database attached.

Term Store inaccessible.

Cause:

Service account permission mismatch.

5. Authentication Issues

Problem

Old farms often use:

NTLM
Classic Mode
Kerberos

SPSE primarily uses Claims Authentication.

Symptoms

Login failures
Access denied
Broken People Picker

Resolution

Plan authentication migration carefully.

6. Alternate Access Mapping (AAM) Problems

Problem

URLs change during migration.

Example:

Old:
http://portal.company.com

New:
https://portal.company.com

Impact

Broken bookmarks
Office integration issues
Workflow failures

Microsoft recommends recreating the same URLs whenever possible. (Microsoft Learn)

7. Workflow Failures

Problem

Organizations commonly use:

SharePoint 2010 Workflows
SharePoint 2013 Workflows
Nintex
K2

Issues

After migration:

Workflow Suspended
Workflow Failed
Workflow Not Found

Resolution

Inventory workflows before migration.

8. InfoPath Forms

Problem

Many legacy environments use:

InfoPath Forms

Issues

Missing templates
Missing data connections
Browser form rendering failures

Microsoft specifically highlights migrating InfoPath templates and connections. (Microsoft Learn)

9. SQL Version Challenges

Problem

Old environment may use:

SQL 2016
SQL 2017

New environment:

SQL 2022

Issues

Compatibility mode
Performance changes
Database upgrade warnings

10. User Profile Synchronization

Problem

User Profile Service often breaks.

Common Symptoms

No profile photo
No manager hierarchy
No audience targeting

Resolution

Reconfigure profile synchronization.

11. Third-Party Product Compatibility

Examples

Nintex
K2
AvePoint
Bamboo
Metalogix
DocAve

Problem

Older versions may not support SPSE.

Resolution

Upgrade third-party products first.

12. MinRole Architecture Changes

Problem

SP2019 farms may not follow MinRole.

SPSE farms often use:

Front-End
Application
Search
Distributed Cache

Challenge

Server roles need redesign.

13. Performance Degradation After Upgrade

Symptoms

Slow Site Collection
Slow Search
Slow Page Load

Root Causes

Missing indexes
SQL memory allocation
Search rebuild
Cache warming

Resolution

Perform performance testing before production cutover.

14. Security and Permission Issues

Problem

Broken inheritance often surfaces after migration.

Examples

Access Denied
Missing Permissions
Broken Groups

Resolution

Audit:

Get-SPUser
Get-SPGroup

before migration.

15. Downtime and Cutover Planning

Biggest Enterprise Challenge

Business asks:

"Can we migrate with zero downtime?"

Reality:

Database Backup
Restore
Validation
DNS Switch

requires a maintenance window.

Common Strategy

Freeze Content
Read-Only Mode
Backup Databases
Restore Databases
Mount Content
Validate
DNS Cutover

Microsoft's documented process includes placing the old farm in read-only mode while the new SPSE farm is upgraded. (Microsoft Learn)

Interview Question

Q: What is the biggest challenge during SP2019 → SPSE migration?

Answer:

"The biggest challenge is identifying and validating all customizations before attaching content databases. In my experience, missing WSP solutions, custom web parts, workflow dependencies, authentication changes, and third-party integrations are the most common causes of upgrade failures. I always run Test-SPContentDatabase, inventory all custom components, validate service applications, and perform multiple test migrations before the production cutover." (Microsoft Learn)

Real-Time Project Migration Checklist

Pre-Migration

Inventory farm solutions
Inventory workflows
Inventory service applications
Validate SQL health
Run Test-SPContentDatabase
Verify third-party products
Document AAM URLs

Migration

Build SPSE farm
Install custom solutions
Restore databases
Attach service app databases
Mount content databases

Post-Migration

Validate sites
Validate Search
Validate User Profiles
Validate Workflows
Performance testing
Security testing
Business UAT
DNS cutover

These are the areas most frequently discussed in senior SharePoint Administrator, SharePoint Architect, and SharePoint Migration Lead interviews.

From <https://chatgpt.com/c/6a13c835-b558-8321-9678-3f95678f6f56>