SP2013 plan for upgrading the Distributed cache - with screenshots

Open SharePoint Management Shell - RUNAS Administrator

Get into the cache:

Use-CacheCluster

Check the cache cluster status:

Get-CacheHost

Verify current version is CU1: 1.0.4639.0

(Get-ItemProperty "C:\Program Files\AppFabric 1.1 for Windows Server\PowershellModules\DistributedCacheConfiguration\Microsoft.ApplicationServer.Caching.Configuration.dll" -Name VersionInfo).VersionInfo.ProductVersion

 Stop the Cache on the server:

Stop-SPDistributedCacheServiceInstance -Graceful

Check the cache cluster status:

Get-CacheHost

Check Output shows the current server is DOWN:

Run the .exe from: C:\APPFabricCU5

Modify the DistributedCacheService.exe.config file in C:\Program Files\AppFabric 1.1 for Windows Server - copy the file first

Then add the line:

Restart the cache on the server:

$instance = Get-SPServiceInstance | ? {$_.TypeName -eq "Distributed Cache" -and $_.Server.Name -eq $env:computername}

$instance.Provision()

Check the cluster with Get-CacheHost:

If it comes up as status UNKNOWN: Just wait a bit and then try Get-CacheHost again

Verify version is now: 1.0.4655.0

(Get-ItemProperty "C:\Program Files\AppFabric 1.1 for Windows Server\PowershellModules\DistributedCacheConfiguration\Microsoft.ApplicationServer.Caching.Configuration.dll" -Name VersionInfo).VersionInfo.ProductVersion

WAIT 5 mins before doing next server

PLAN

This is the plan I used to upgrade the Distributed cache on a Production farm with 4 Web Front Ends.

Step	Server	Action
1	SP01	Open SharePoint Management Shell - RUNAS Administrator
2	SP01	Get into the cache:
3	SP01	Check the cache cluster status:
4	SP01	Verify current version is CU1: 1.0.4639.0
5	SP01	Stop the Cache on the server:
6	SP01	Check the cache cluster status:
7	SP01	Run the .exe from: C:\APPFabricCU5
8	SP01	Modify the DistributedCacheService.exe.config file in C:\Program Files\AppFabric 1.1 for Windows Server - copy the file first
9	SP01	Restart the cache on the server:
10	SP01	Check the cache cluster status:
11	SP01	Verify version is now: 1.0.4655.0
12	SP01	WAIT 5 mins before doing next server
13	SP02	Open SharePoint Management Shell - RUNAS Administrator
14	SP02	Get into the cache:
15	SP02	Check the cache cluster status:
16	SP02	Verify current version is CU1: 1.0.4639.0
17	SP02	Stop the Cache on the server:
18	SP02	Check the cache cluster status:
19	SP02	Run the .exe from: C:\APPFabricCU5
20	SP02	Modify the DistributedCacheService.exe.config file in C:\Program Files\AppFabric 1.1 for Windows Server - copy the file first
21	SP02	Restart the cache on the server:
22	SP02	Check the cache cluster status:
23	SP02	Verify version is now: 1.0.4655.0
24	SP02	WAIT 5 mins before doing next server
25	SP03	Open SharePoint Management Shell - RUNAS Administrator
26	SP03	Get into the cache:
27	SP03	Check the cache cluster status:
28	SP03	Verify current version is CU1: 1.0.4639.0
29	SP03	Stop the Cache on the server:
30	SP03	Check the cache cluster status:
31	SP03	Run the .exe from: C:\APPFabricCU5
32	SP03	Modify the DistributedCacheService.exe.config file in C:\Program Files\AppFabric 1.1 for Windows Server - copy the file first
33	SP03	Restart the cache on the server:
34	SP03	Check the cache cluster status:
35	SP03	Verify version is now: 1.0.4655.0
36	SP03	WAIT 5 mins before doing next server
37	SP04	Open SharePoint Management Shell - RUNAS Administrator
38	SP04	Get into the cache:
39	SP04	Check the cache cluster status:
40	SP04	Verify current version is CU1: 1.0.4639.0
41	SP04	Stop the Cache on the server:
42	SP04	Check the cache cluster status:
43	SP04	Run the .exe from: C:\APPFabricCU5
44	SP04	Modify the DistributedCacheService.exe.config file in C:\Program Files\AppFabric 1.1 for Windows Server - copy the file first
45	SP04	Restart the cache on the server:
46	SP04	Check the cache cluster status:
47	SP04	Verify version is now: 1.0.4655.0
48	SP04	WAIT 5 mins before doing next server

SharePoint service transition: Criteria workflow for acceptance of Production farm to Live

Below is a real-world list of steps that can be used to track SharePoint acceptance to Live service:

Criteria	Output
High Level Design (HDD) authorised	HLD Document
Low Level Design (LLD) Authorised	LLD Document
Service Design Document (SDD) authorised	SDD Document
Where one exists, has the best practice analysis tools been run against the estate?	Best Practice Report
Application performance for scale: What evidence is there that this architecture will work for the nominated load?	Run a load tester application to model the load. Run sizing tools from the vendor.
As built document.	Run through LLD against currently installed environment to check settings are as they say. Produce compliance / Gaps document.
Has the design been validated that it matches the solution deployed? I.E. the LLD matches the solution & SDD. This is regarded as 'as built' and significantly reduces the risk of the intended design not being implemented correctly	Do this with a different resource than who wrote the LLD to reduce the risk of repeated errors
Can all workload characteristics be measured and planned for?	SCOM monitoring in place
Backup and Recovery Implemented and Tested	Test Plan
Has monitoring been setup & tested as detailed in the LLD, or the monitoring and management plan document	SCOM monitoring in place in prelive and Test plan updated. Testing carried out
Have Topology Diagrams been loaded into the Procedures Database?	Document in Procedures Database
SSL and other certificates documented	SSL and other Cert Information stored
Are support procedures in place? E.g. monitoring, reporting	Monitoring and reporting processes in place
Are disk/storage thresholds set and monitored?	SCOM thresholds in place
Process in place to handle breaches in storage?	Process Database updated with breach process
Are the Server pre-live checks complete and passed?	Pre-live checks are done
Is SCOM clear of alerts for whole estate?	Review Pre-live in SCOM
Has the implementation plan been agreed?	Project Plan updated (use the collateral in the ST folder for OAC/OAM)
Go Live Tasks/Final commissioning	Final Go Live checks completed
Are the Servers set to live in SCOM?	Servers set to live

Group policy settings for SP2013

Recently I had to sort out group policy user rights for SP2013 service accounts - I put together the following table which may be useful to anyone else out there who has to do this:

GPO setting	Service Account	Path	Notes
Act as part of the Operating System	Claims to Windows	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
Allow log on locally	Farm	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment	Also added Administrators
Adjust memory quotas for a process	Setup	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
	Reporting Services	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
	Search	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
	Service Apps	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
	Web Apps	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
	Farm	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
Impersonate a client after authentication	Claims to Windows	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment	Also added Administrators and SERVICE
	Web Apps	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
	Farm	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
	Search	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
Logon as a batch job	Workflow	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
	Farm	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
	Web Apps	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
	Service Apps	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
Logon as a service	Setup	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
	Claims to Windows	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
	Search	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
	Service Apps	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
	Workflow	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
	Farm	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
	Web Apps	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
Replace a process level token	Setup	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
	Reporting Services	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
	Search	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
	Service Apps	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
	Web Apps	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
	Farm	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment
Local Administrators Group	Setup	\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment\Restricted Groups