SharePoint Performance Problems & Solutions

You may be using Microsoft’s SharePoint, a web application framework, in your enterprise or organization. Keeping it operating seamlessly across the network is an essential, ongoing task that requires periodic attention.

A common problem is system sluggishness. Slow page loads obviously waste a user’s time, but when SharePoint bogs down, it can translate into other issues. If someone has problems accessing documents needed for collaborative projects, or if a third-party supplier has problems with extranet access, the problem becomes a business productivity issue. When documents are needed in near-real time, latency is unacceptable.

SharePoint Problems: Connect the Dots

What is one of the problems we’ve seen time and again? A failure to connect the dots.

Do you regularly check to see whether files and data are missing? If you don’t, SharePoint may slow as the server dedicates resources to finding missing server-side dependencies (which may be the result of having orphaned sites or missing files), updates, upgrades, and other activities. The installation of updates and upgrades may become stuck as a result.

This problem is easily resolved by removing the missing server-side dependencies. Often, depending on the location of these resources, these can be removed from either the database or the storage location.

Have you connected the dots? Without seeing if you are able to do so, you won’t know the problems your users may be experiencing until they let you know (and they will typically let you know when their frustration has simmered to a boiling point!)

Analyzing SharePoint Dependencies

The only way you’ll know what the issues are — which includes any information or links to be removed — is to analyze all the missing server-side dependencies. This will allow known issues to be identified and can help you better determine what to remove. This process will also help you pinpoint root causes of recurring problems.

Along the same lines, if the dots you’re connecting in your system course through old, irrelevant, or unused data, this can also result in performance issues. This is easily resolved by better housekeeping, for example, archiving or deleting files, and instituting a lifecycle management program.

Tools for Speeding Up SharePoint

To help you in getting your SharePoint environment operating properly, there are several tools you might find useful. You might already have some of them.

• Visual Studio 2012, for example, can be used for verifying and debugging your SharePoint code. Features such as IntelliTrace can help you identify errors and when used with Microsoft Monitoring Agent in Trace mode, you not only can collect data, but also replicate the problem.
• Central Administration is a console from which SharePoint users can perform a wide range of administrative tasks that may help resolve persistent problems. You can look at the server farm and manage services, and see the resources available. You can also examine diagnostic data. SharePoint Health Analyzer is a feature available in Central Administration, which enables administrators to perform checks for potential configuration, performance, and usage problems in the farm. The Health reports explain the issues and the possible steps that an administrator can take to remedy the problem.
• Other helpful tools you can use to optimize SharePoint performance include Access Logs and Event Logs, the SharePoint Log Viewer, the Microsoft System Monitor, and Microsoft Performance Monitor.

What’s Next?

We have identified the 10 leading issues that cause SharePoint slowing and related performance problems in a white paper designed to help you troubleshoot your slow system.

Please download the Top 10 Reasons SharePoint is Running Slowly white paper.

You may want to contact Datavail for a thorough evaluation that can diagnose and resolve performance issues, and help your organization’s network run more effectively and efficiently.

If you would like to know more about our outsourcing services and how our Database experts  can help with your SharePoint operations, please contact Datavail to discuss a custom solution designed for your enterprise.