Databases created by SharePoint 2010

As I mentioned in my previous post, I will explain more about databases created by SharePoint 2010. In this post I am giving you good overview of each database created by SharePoint 2010. If you want to read more about this topic you can read from chapter 2 of book “Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Administration by Tom Carpenter and James Pyles”.

To see list of these databases just open your SQL Server management studio and expand databases folder. You can see in below screenshot list of SharePoint Databases.

1.       Configuration Database:

This database contains information about the other SharePoint databases; the IIS websites and web applications; trusted solutions; Web Part packages; site templates; and web application and farm settings for SharePoint 2010 products, including default quotas and blocked file types.

This database is ready heavy, relatively small in size as compared to other SharePoint 2010 databases. Configuration Database must store on the same server as central admin contentment database is store. 

2.       Central Admin Content Database:

CA content database contains the content for central admin site. One CA content DB allow in one server farm. As I mentioned earlier it should store on same server where configuration DB is stored. This is a read-heavy database, but read operations are infrequent.

3.        Content Database:

This database stores web part properties, audit logs, usernames and rights. Content DB also store information about all files, documents, libraries and contain all contents. This is most important database of SharePoint 2010 server. More than one site can combined into single content database and recommended size of content DB is 200 GB. Content databases will vary in read and write operations, depending on use.

4.       Usage Database:

This database is used for reporting and diagnostic, health monitoring, usage and health data collection service. This database is extra-large in size and write heavy. 

5.       Business Data Connectivity Database:

This database stores external content types, their related objects and properties. BDC database is used by same service name business data connectivity service. This database is read heavy and relatively small in size as compared to other SharePoint 2010 databases.

6.       Application Registry Database:

This database required for backward compatibility with Business Data Connectivity API. It is used by same application of same name.  Application registry DB is only used during the upgrade and can be deleted after upgrade. This database is heavy read and relatively small in size. 

7.       Subscription Setting Database:

The Subscription Settings database is used by the Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Subscription Settings service, and it stores features and settings information for hosted customers. The database does not exist by default and must be created in SQL Server if you are deploying a multitenant SharePoint 2010 installation. The database is relatively small compared to other SharePoint 2010 databases, and it is a read-heavy database.

8.       Search Administration Database

This database stores access control list for crawl component and also stores search application configuration.  This database is used by search service application. It is medium size but ready heavy database.

9.       Crawl database:

Crawl DB stores state of crawl data and used by search service application. This database is extra-large in size and read heavy.

10.   Property Database:

This database stores information associated with crawl data e.g. Meta data, crawl queues, history data (history includes when Meta data first discover by crawler). Property database is used by search service application and it is extra-large in size and write heavy.

11.   Web Analytics Reporting Database:

This database stores aggregate standard reports group by site, date, assets, Meta data and diagnostics.  Web analytics reporting database is used by web analytics service application. This database can be extra-large to enormous. This database tracks all of the use accesses so you can see what is being used on your SharePoint sites.

12.   Web Analytics Staging Database

The Web Analytics Staging database is used by the Web Analytics service application for storage of un-aggregated data, asset metadata, and queued batch data. The database is medium-sized in relation to other SharePoint 2010 databases. 

13.   State Database:

This database is used by InfoPath form services and Visio services. This is medium to large database with read heavy operations with moderate write operations. It stores temporary state information for these service applications, as well as for the chart web part.

14.   Profile Database:

The Profile database is used by the User Profile service application, and it stores and manages user information and data. The database is medium to large in relation to other SharePoint 2010 databases. It is a read-heavy database. 

15.   Synchronization Database.

This database is used by user profile service application. It stores configuration and staging data when profile information is synchronized with Active Directory. Sync DB is medium to large in size and this is balanced read and write database. 

16.   Social Tagging Database:

This database is used by User Profile and Metadata Management service applications.  Social tagging DB stores social tags, notes created by users along URLS. Size of this DB depends upon usage, it can be extra-large. This is ready heavy database.

17.   Managed Metadata service Database:

The Profile database is used by the User Profile service application, and it stores and manages user information and data. The database is medium to large in relation to other SharePoint 2010 databases. It is a read-heavy database. 

18.   Secure Store Database:

This database is used by Secure Store service application, and stores usernames and password. It is relatively small database as compared to other SharePoint 2010 databases. 

19.    Word Automation Services Database:

This database is used by the Word Automation Services service application. This database stores information about pending and complete document process. This is database is relatively small in size.

20.   Performance Point Database:

This database stores temporary objects and permanent user comments and settings. This database is small in size but read heavy.

This article is referenced from book “Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Administration by Tom Carpenter and James Pyles”. I hope you have enjoyed this post, please don’t forget to write comments thanks J