HTTP 405 Method not allowed + PerformancePoint Dashboard Designer + SharePoint Server 2013

Issues: When opening a Performance Point Dashboard Designer using SharePoint 2013 you get below error message.

Error: HTTP 405 "Method not allowed".

Background: We had some users who tried to create Performance Point Dashboard using Performance Point in SharePoint Server 2013. But when browsing the site they get error message.

Their dashboard creation shows successful. But when they tried to browse the dashboard it failed.

Troubleshooting:

Before moving any further I thought of letting you all read about what is HTTP 405 “Method not allowed” error is about.

A very good reference is: http://www.checkupdown.com/status/E405.html

I checked if the Performance Point service was configured correctly and based on what I Had read about the HTTP 405 error it seems to be an issue with the failure of authentication to some level and needed to find at where it is failing. 

Resolution:

MS KB: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2755141 has given me the final direction about the resolution.

It says user will get the above issue in one of the following scenarios:

·         You configure a web application to use multiple authentication methods in Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013.

·         You use forms-based authentication to log on to the web application.

·         You use Windows authentication to open the PerformancePoint Dashboard Designer.

First, point explained the issue well, when I had checked that we had implemented more than one type of authentication on a single zone.

Have configured the PerformancePoint Dashboard and the web app IN CA to use same authentication method and it solved the issues for the users.  

Applies to: SharePoint Server 2013, Performance Point Dashboard.

SharePoint Server 2013: PowerPivot Service application Database Tutorials

Below are some useful reference to Configure PowerPivot Service in SharePoint Server 2013 and moving PowerPivot Service Application database in SharePoint Server 2013.  

Configure Power Pivot for SharePoint 2013: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn456880(v=office.15).aspx

Move the PowerPivot Service application databases in SharePoint Server 2013: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj818381(v=office.15).aspx

Rename the PowerPivot Service service application databases in SharePoint Server 2013: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj818380(v=office.15).aspx

Changes to PowerPivot Service application database in SharePoint Server 2013: 

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2756665

Applies to: SharePoint Server 2013

Installation Scenarios supported by Microsoft for SharePoint server 2013.

Sometimes we do call MS professional and premium support to get technical assistance on some of the issue we face in our development, Sys-test, Pre-production and Production environments and Microsoft Support engineer might have told you that this configuration design is not supported.

We should all be familiarise with the what kind of installation/configuration scenarios Microsoft support for SharePoint Server 2013.

MS KB http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2764086 outline those scenarios, but I have outlined those for your reference.

The following SharePoint Server 2013 installation scenarios are not supported:

·     You try to install SharePoint Server 2013 on a drive that is formatted by using Resilient File System (ReFS). In this scenario, the installation fails, and the following error message is logged in the Setup log file:

datetime::[940] Catalyst file system check failed: The path root D:\ is not NTFS
datetime::[940] Showing message Title: 'Setup Warning', Message: 'The install location must be on a drive formatted with NTFS. Select another drive.'
datetime::[940] Message returned: 1

·         You install SharePoint Server 2013 in a workgroup.

·         You install SharePoint Server 2013 on a domain controller. This scenario is supported only for development configurations and not for production configurations.

·         You install SharePoint Server 2013 on Windows Web Server.

·   You install SharePoint Server 2013 on a virtual machine (VM) that uses Dynamic Memory. For more information about best practice configurations for SharePoint Server 2013 and virtual machines, go to the following Microsoft TechNet website:

So guys plan wise for your SharePoint Server 2013 Installation which is supported.

Applies to: SharePoint Server 2013 and SharePoint Server foundation 2013. 

Querying SharePoint list on SharePoint 2013.

I was looking for an option to query SharePoint list in SharePoint 2013 and found a very useful article from MS.

How to use SPQuery to query a list in SharePoint Server 2013: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2755129.

This article articulates about the PowerShell commands and C# code which you can use to query the SharePoint lists in SharePoint 2013 and this commands can also be used in SharePoint 2010.

However, if you need to run this in SharePoint 2007 then you need to take help of the SharePoint 2007 Object model.

Please share your views in the comment section.

Also a good reference: http://sharepointfordeveloper.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/sharepoint-2010-spquery-spsitedataquery.html

Applies to: SharePoint 2010, SharePoint 2013.   

SharePoint 2013: User profile service unexpected error after restore.

Issue: We had recently restored a SharePoint 2010 farm to a SharePoint 2013 Farm and User profile services gives error while starting it.

Error:  “Error: An unexpected error has occurred.”

Troubleshooting:

Checked that all the user profile service accounts were in place and have correct level pf permissions.

Tried to run the "psconfig -cmd upgrade -inplace b2b -wait" and then checked product and patch installation status in Central Administration.

Tried running the service via PowerShell command line, but no go.

Get-SPServiceInstance
Stop-SPServiceInstance -Identity “service application GUID” 

Tried the approach given in the TechNet blog here: 

http://blogs.technet.com/b/saantil/archive/2013/03/31/sp-2013-error-when-upgrading-the-user-profile-service-application.aspx, but no success.

Resolution:

MS has supported this behavior as Know issue and could be resolved by the steps given in the KB http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2752610.

It says that you need to create a new User Profile services and User profile service application proxy by deleting the old one.

It can be performed by the following PS Script:

·         $proxy = Get-SPServiceApplicationProxy | where {$_.typename -eq "User profile service application Proxy"}

Remove-SPServiceApplicationProxy -Identity $proxy –confirmfalse

This command deletes the current user profile service application proxy.

·         $upa = Get-SPServiceApplication | where {$_.name -eq ""}

New-SPProfileServiceApplicationProxy -Name -Uri $upa.uri.absoluteURI

This command creates a new user profile service application proxy.

Another article which supports the same behavior is here:

http://ventej.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/quick-fix-user-profile-service.html

Applies to:  

·         SharePoint server 2010

·         SharePoint server 2013