SharePoint Config database Log file too big – Steps to reduce it

Ever faced the uphill task to manage large (over 50 GB at times) of SharePoint configuration database log file (can be MOSS 2007, SharePoint 2010 or SharePoint 2013). I have and to the extent that the Logfile might end up eating all the drive space.
Different people have different opinion on how to approach this and I have my own. Here goes my 2 cent:
1. Connect to the Configuration database SQL Server.
2. Run the following command against the configuration database (SP_config_XXXX):
DBCC SQLPERF(logspace)
The above command will show you the amount of free space available. It generally will be 99% used. Issue a checkpoint now. Run:
DBCC SQLPERF(logspace)
Checkpoint
3. Take your Transactional logfile backup using SSMS:
Start > All Programs > Microsoft SQL Server 2008 > SQL Server Management Studio > Connect to the Configuration database SQL Server > Right Click the Config database name > Tasks > Backup > Under Backup Type Select “Transaction Log” > Provide a Backup to location > Under Options make sure “Truncate the transaction log” radio button is selected > Set Backup compression select “Compress backup”
Wait for it to finish may take 5 -7 minutes but depends on server resources available.
4. Once Step 3 is complete Run :
DBCC SQLPERF(logspace)
You should see that the logspace used % for the config db is now  0.7% or so.
5. Issue the command to find the Config database logfile name:
Select * from Sys.Database_Files
Copy the name of the Configuration database logfile cause you are going to need it in the next step.
6. Shrink the logfile now using the command below. My Logifile name is SP_Config_prod01_log and I used 1000 MB since I did not want my logfiles to be 512 KB in size and then grow rapidly (I hate illusion)
DBCC ShrinkFile (‘SP_config_prod01_log’,1000)
7. Now the fun starts. You will be surprised to note ladies and gentlemen that the logfile has not shrunk. Indeed we live in a world of illusion. At this point I will request you to maintain peace and not run like a headless chicken and follow these steps.
Redo Step 3 to take the Transactional logfile backup again and this time under Options in the backup menu > under Overwrite media > Select “Append to the exisiting backup set”.
This time the backup will be much faster than Step 3.
8. Issue the Shrink command again:
DBCC ShrinkFile (‘SP_config_prod01_log’,1000)
9. Check the Log Size using:
DBCC SQLPERF(logspace)
The Config DB logfile size should have gone down to 1000 MB.
10. And the most important. Thank God and not me that you reached this far without screwing up your production server.

Installing APC for PHP 5.5 and 5.6

If you need to install and enable the php_apc extension for PHP 5.5 or 5.6, there is a way to accomplish this. But before you do this, there are a few things you have to be aware of:

1. The last PHP version that had the php_apc extension included in was PHP 5.3. * Newer versions of PHP have replaced APC with php_opcache.
2. The last APC release was php_apc 3.1.14, and while it worked with PHP 5.5, it was immediately removed due to some serious memory issues that could not be fixed. * php_apc 3.1.14 is not available anywhere, it was removed from all official sources.
3. The only available release of APC is 3.1.13, and while it’s for both PHP 5.3 and 5.4, it’s only non-beta for 5.3 (i.e., not recommended for PHP 5.4).* php_apc 3.1.13 will not work with PHP 5.5+.

Having said that, APC has two parts to it…

• The opcode cache part that compiles and caches script code.
• And the data cache part that stores key/value pairs (e.g., just like memcached).

If your scripts require APC, more than likely they only do so because they use APC’s data cache part. And if you want to run those scripts under PHP 5.5 or 5.6, the APCu extension fully replaces APC, and is fully compatible with APC’s API.
APCu is the APC extension with the opcode cache part removed (which was the source of all APC issues) and the data cache part cleaned up. APCu has the same exact functions and configuration directives as APC – so it can be used as a drop-in replacement.
Also, from what I’ve gathered, APCu performs even better than memcache/memcached on single server setups (which is the case 95% of the time if you are using a WAMP such as WampDeveloper Pro).

Installing APCu For PHP 5.5

1. Download the latest build of APCu from –
http://windows.php.net/downloads/pecl/releases/apcu/
For PHP 5.5 Standard:

php_apcu-4.0.7-5.5-ts-vc11-x86.zip

For PHP 5.5 FCGI:

php_apcu-4.0.7-5.5-nts-vc11-x86.zip

2. Extract out files php_apcu.dll and php_apcu.pdb into the proper PHP version package –
For PHP 5.5 Standard:

C:\WampDeveloper\Versions\Php\php-5.5.24.0-r1-win32-vc11-standard\ext\

For PHP 5.5 FCGI:

C:\WampDeveloper\Versions\Php\php-5.5.24.0-r1-win32-vc11-standard-fcgi\ext\

3. Edit php.ini, near end add section:

[APCu]
extension=php_apcu.dll
apc.enabled=1
apc.shm_size=32M
apc.ttl=7200
apc.enable_cli=1
apc.serializer=php

3. Save file. Restart Apache.

How to install Alternative PHP Cache(APC) in Xampp Windows?

Steps to Follow Install the Apc:

1. Extract Zip file and extract rename the dll file to php_apc.dll 
2. Copy Past .dell file into php/ext folder. 
3. Modify the php.ini configuration file by placing the below code in the file extension : php_apc.dll Important: Please the Remove the comma before the extension if exists. 
4. Restart the Xampp check the phpinfo() search for apc if its found APC installed Successfully.

Download 
https://pecl.php.net/package/APCu

Changing Network Switch/Replacing old switch

1) Upload/Check configuration on the new switch
2) Unplug and connect the new switch with one connection
3) Reset external firewall
4) Test connection using PC/Telephone/Printer
5) Move all the connection from old switch to new switch

XAMP/WAMP/LAMP - Server Info

If you want to see what are the various services running on your XAMP/WAMP/LAMP service

Create a test php page and use the following code.



phpinfo();

?>

SharePoint 2013 - Error : Sorry, Something went wrong ... The URL is invalid. It may refer to a nonexistent file or folder

Error:
Sorry, Something went wrong ...The URL is invalid. It may refer to a nonexistent file or folder

Investigation:
Go to the SharePoint application server.
Open the Event Viewer.
See the details on the actual error.

e.g.
Database full error on SQL Server instance 'SERVER_NAME' in database 'SERVER_NAME_DATABASE_SITENAME'. Additional error information from SQL Server is included below.

Could not allocate space for object 'dbo.DocStreams'.'DocStreams_CI' in database 'SERVER_NAME_DATABASE_SITENAME' because the 'PRIMARY' filegroup is full. Create disk space by deleting unneeded files, dropping objects in the filegroup, adding additional files to the filegroup, or setting autogrowth on for existing files in the filegroup.

Reason:
The space/storage on the database server is either Full or permissions have changed on the server for the SharePoint Application.

Resolution:

In the event if space/storage is full, you have to check the size of database log.
Redefine the log storage limit using the application management.

How to activate/install php - imap (XAMP)

Web applications osticket require IMAP - PHP on web server: "Inbound Email cannot function without the IMAP c-client libraries enabled/compiled".

All that I need to do is to open php.ini file and enable IMAP.

If you don't use XAMPP, find php.ini file in your server directory. Remove ";" to enable PHP - IMAP