SharePoint Search Index Replication

SharePoint Search Index Replication Fails After Security Updates

By Microsoft Techy in SharePoint, SharePoint 2010, SharePoint 2013, SharePoint 2016, SharePoint 2016 search issues, SharePoint 2019, SharePoint Server, SharePoint Troubleshooting on
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SharePoint Search Index Replication Fails After Security Updates: these days, it has been a common issue after installing a windows security update in the SharePoint server, it breaks the search functionality in SharePoint 2016. In this troubleshooting technique, we will share how to fix the SharePoint 2016 Search after installing the security update.

Before getting into the actual agenda of the article, let us understand the SharePoint Search Service Index Replication and how it works.

SharePoint Search Index Replication: Enhancing Performance and Availability

The SharePoint Search Service is a powerful feature that enables users to quickly find relevant information within their SharePoint environment. Index replication is a critical aspect of the SharePoint Search Service, ensuring that search indexes are distributed across multiple servers to enhance performance, availability, and reliability. This article explores the importance of index replication, how it works, and best practices for managing and optimizing it in SharePoint.

Understanding SharePoint Search Service

The SharePoint Search Service is responsible for crawling content, indexing it, and making it searchable for users. It consists of several components:

  • Crawl Component: Gathers content from various sources and processes it.
  • Index Component: Stores the crawled content in the form of an index, which is then queried during search operations.
  • Query Processing Component: Interprets search queries and retrieves relevant results from the index.
  • Search Administration Component: Manages the overall search service application, including settings and configurations.

Importance of Index Replication

Index replication involves creating multiple copies of the search index and distributing them across different servers in a SharePoint farm. This process is vital for several reasons:

  1. High Availability:
    • Ensures that the search service remains operational even if one or more servers fail.
    • Provides redundancy, reducing the risk of downtime and data loss.
  2. Improved Performance:
    • Distributes search query load across multiple servers, reducing response times and enhancing user experience.
    • Enables efficient handling of large volumes of search requests.
  3. Scalability:
    • Allows for seamless scaling of search capabilities as the organization grows and the volume of content increases.
    • Facilitates the addition of new servers to handle increased load without affecting existing services.

How Index Replication Works

In a SharePoint farm, index replication is managed by the Search Service Application. The process involves several steps:

  1. Crawl and Indexing:
    • The Crawl Component gathers content from various sources and sends it to the Index Component.
    • The Index Component processes the content and creates an index, which is stored in the primary index partition.
  2. Replication to Secondary Servers:
    • The Search Service Application replicates the primary index to one or more secondary index partitions located on different servers.
    • This replication ensures that multiple copies of the index are available, providing redundancy and load balancing.
  3. Query Distribution:
    • When a user submits a search query, the Query Processing Component distributes the query to multiple index partitions.
    • Each index partition processes the query and returns results, which are then aggregated and presented to the user.

Configuring Index Replication

Configuring index replication involves setting up and managing index partitions and replicas within the SharePoint Search Service Application. Here are the key steps:

  1. Create and Configure Search Service Application:
    • Navigate to the SharePoint Central Administration site.
    • Under Application Management, click on Manage service applications.
    • Create a new Search Service Application or manage an existing one.
  2. Add Index Components:
    • In the Search Service Application management page, click on Topology for Search Service Application.
    • Add new index components to the desired servers to create index replicas.
  3. Distribute Index Partitions:
    • Assign index partitions to different servers to balance the load and ensure high availability.
    • Configure the replication settings to determine how frequently the index is replicated.
  4. Monitor and Optimize:
    • Regularly monitor the performance and health of the search service using tools like the Search Health Reports in Central Administration.
    • Optimize the configuration based on usage patterns and performance metrics.

Best Practices for Managing Index Replication

  1. Plan for Redundancy:
    • Ensure that there are multiple index replicas distributed across different servers to provide high availability and fault tolerance.
  2. Monitor Performance:
    • Use monitoring tools to track the performance and health of the search service.
    • Identify and address any bottlenecks or issues promptly.
  3. Scale According to Needs:
    • Regularly assess the search load and scale the infrastructure accordingly.
    • Add new index partitions and replicas as the volume of content and search queries increases.
  4. Regular Maintenance:
    • Perform regular maintenance tasks, such as reindexing and cleaning up old or irrelevant content.
    • Keep the SharePoint environment up-to-date with the latest patches and updates.
  5. Optimize Query Performance:
    • Optimize search queries and index configurations to ensure fast and relevant search results.
    • Use query throttling and load balancing to manage high query volumes effectively.

How to fix the SharePoint 2016 search issue after installing the security update?

When we see this issue after installing the security update in the SharePoint server, many people around the open forums say that we cannot fix this issue. However, we could try resetting the search index, if this does not work we need to re-create the new search service application. I understand if we create a new search service application it will work but I am not convinced with this approach why because if you have a very complex customized search where you need to manually re-create the custom “managed properties”, it is not easy to do until you had a proper backup of the configurations.

Moreover, if you are smart enough to handle this, you might open your old search service application manage property page in one tab and you can refer to this configuration for your newly created search service application page but the obstacle here is – the old search manage property page does not open it is error out, so, this door is also closed, we need to find the other way.

To answer my analysis, in short, we need to run the SharePoint configuration wizard in all the servers connected to the farm, starting from the application server, this will fix the issue however, ensure you are completing this wizard run successfully.

Note – prerequisites:

Before running the configuration wizard safely, it is recommended to take backup of the below:

  • SharePoint_Config database
  • Search related database, which will get from the search administration page
  • Image backup of all SharePoint servers

Search Databases in SharePoint 2013/2016/2019

There are four basically search databases in SharePoint on-premises:

  • Crawl Database – This database stores all the crawl-related information, such as the last crawl time and the last Crawl ID.
  • Search Administration Database – This database contains the search configuration settings, such as the search topologies, mapping between the crawled items, the metadata properties, etc.
  • Link Database – The link database stores information extracted by the content processing component. In addition, it stores information about search clicks; the number of times people click on a search result from the search result page.
  • Analytics Reporting Database – This database is used for generating reports on search-related information and usage analysis.

Note:

  • The format of the database name is as:”<Database Name>_<GUID>” example: Search_Service_Application_<GUID>

The common issue you might face while running the configuration wizard is as below:

  • Exception: The operation cannot be performed on the database “WSS_UsageApplication” because it is involved in a database mirroring session or an availability group. Some operations are not allowed on a database that is participating in a database. If you have AG (availability group) setup in SQL, before running the configuration wizard we must remove the “WSS_UsageApplication” database from the AG group and after successfully running the wizard, we must add it back.
  • Exception: The upgraded database schema doesn’t match the TargetSchema (EventID:an59t) – for this, we must upgrade the mentioned database, refer to this article on how to perform the upgrade – [Fixed] The upgraded database schema doesn’t match the TargetSchema(Failed to upgrade SharePoint Products)
  • After running the SharePoint configuration wizard successfully in all the servers in the farm, reset the search index from the central admin search administration page.
  • Restart the application server followed by other servers connected to the farm like the WFE server.
  • Start the Full Crawl, this will plenty of time (minutes/hours) depending on the volume of data you have in the particular content source (web application).
  • After some time, try to search for something in the search box from the site, it should work.

Summary: Fix your SharePoint 2016 Search Index Replication

Thus, in this article, we have learned the below with respect to fixing the SharePoint 2016 search issue after installing a security update:

  • How to fix the SharePoint 2016 search issue after installing the security update?
  • What are the search databases in SharePoint 2013/2016/2019

Index replication is a crucial aspect of the SharePoint Search Service, ensuring high availability, improved performance, and scalability. By understanding how index replication works and following best practices for managing it, organizations can enhance their search capabilities and provide a seamless user experience. Proper planning, monitoring, and optimization are key to leveraging the full potential of SharePoint’s search functionality and maintaining a robust and efficient search service.

See Also: SharePoint Troubleshooting Articles

You may also look into the below SharePoint search troubleshooting articles:

 

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Microsoft Techy

As a SharePoint and Power Platform Maven, my greatest joy comes from sharing my expertise with colleagues, friends, and the tech community, helping them navigate the ever-evolving world of technology and guiding them through the dynamic landscape of modern technology.

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1 comments on “SharePoint Search Index Replication Fails After Security Updates”

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