Introduction:
Planning SharePoint storage strictly for user content storage needs would not be the right solution. But there is no direct solution which provides the storage calculation. Attempting to force fit all of SharePoint into a single storage design at best limits future expansion and at worst may detrimentally affect performance and functionality
SharePoint Storage Architecture
All the documents, lists and repositories stored into the Content database; All the Meta data and configuration settings. About 80 percent of the storage volume in these databases is binary large object (BLOB) content, which is not necessary for queries to the database.
Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 (MOSS 2007) provides a frame of reference, when calculating space requirements for your SharePoint SQL Server.
• Admin_Content
• SSP
• SSP Search
• Configuration
• SSO
- 10MB initial size each (based on default Model DB)
Microsoft provides a basic guideline to calculate storage space for content databases in SharePoint.
Z + (Z/3) + 600MB = Minimum SharePoint Content Database Size
where
Z = Nx2 (recommended safety factor)
where
N = number of documents x number of versions kept x average document size
But the fact that average document size that can be difficult to calculate accurately.
SharePoint storage issue
Over a period of time storing the unstructured data in the valuable database often become significantly overburdened. So, it is advisable that BLOB content can be stored outside of the SharePoint SQL database to save space.
· Improve Performance & Scalability
Content BLOB I/O (read/write) within SQL is inefficient and typically the most complicated/expensive tier of any hardware architecture. So BLOB I/O is moved to the SharePoint Web Front-ends (WFE’s), which is more easily and economically scaled-out.
· Lower Storage Costs
Storing BLOB content outside of SharePoint databases reduces costs and increases the efficiency. Also it enables the storage and management of an increased number of documents, simplifying backup and restore processes, and allowing customers to house SharePoint content on less expensive storage devices
· Protect the content
Externalized content BLOBs can be compressed and encrypted (up to Bit 256AES), adding additional layers of security beyond the access controls provided by SharePoint out-of-the-box. Additionally, access to the file store is restricted to service account(s), so users can't access the content outside of SharePoint's security context
Remote BLOB Storage
Implementing RBS to store the content away from the database is the optimum solution. Microsoft developed the API to meet the needs of customers who prefer not to store document content BLOB's inside the database.
(i) Using Microsoft API
- The implementation of this functionality requires at a minimum two pieces: a COM component that implements the ISPExternalBinaryProvider interface and an application to clean up orphaned binary files (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2009.06.insidesharepoint.aspx )
(ii) Third Party Tools
- Open Text Storage Services (http://www.opentext.com/2/global/sol-products/sol-pro-extensions-microsoft/storageservice_for_sharepoint.htm )
- StoragePoint (http://www.storagepoint.com/product.aspx )
- DocAve Archiver for Microsoft SharePoint (http://www.avepoint.com/sharepoint-extension-archiving-docave/?en=apnl010901 )
Alternative Storage
The option of RBS presented above is necessary only if the SharePoint content database grows abnormally and documents are uploaded very frequently. If not, the content database can be managed by storing in multiple Site Collections.
Conclusion:
1) The RBS should be considered in a multi user environment, where SharePoint 2007 is used as a document library and database is used mainly to store the unstructured blob data. If not, the documents can be managed by having multiple site collections.
2) Based on the product review, “Open Text Storage Services” is the better than others. But still need to evaluate the effectiveness and cost
3) SAN is the best option to for storage device. But the size to be determined only upon the user requirement.
