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Plan for administrative and service accounts (Windows SharePoint Services)

  • Article

Applies To: Windows SharePoint Services 3.0

 

Topic Last Modified: 2009-04-15

In this article:

  • About administrative and service accounts

  • Single server standard requirements

  • Server farm standard requirements

  • Least-privilege administration requirements when using domain user accounts

  • Least-privilege administration requirements when using SQL authentication

  • Least-privilege administration requirements when connecting to pre-created databases

  • Technical reference: Account requirements by scenario

This article describes the accounts that that you must plan for and describes the deployment scenarios that affect account requirements.

Use this article with the following planning tool: Windows SharePoint Services security account requirements (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=92885&clcid=0x409). This planning tool lists the requirements for each account based on the deployment scenario. The requirements are also listed in the Technical reference: Account requirements by scenario section of this article.

The account requirements detail the specific permissions that you need to grant prior to running Setup. In some cases, additional permissions that are automatically granted by running Setup are noted in the planning tool.

This article does not describe security roles and permissions required to administer Windows SharePoint Services 3.0. For more information, see Plan for security roles (Windows SharePoint Services).

About administrative and service accounts

This section lists and describes the accounts that you must plan for. The accounts are grouped according to scope. If an account has a limited scope, you might need to plan multiple accounts for this category.

After you complete installation and configuration of accounts, ensure that you do not use the Local System account to perform administration tasks or to browse sites. For example, do not use the same account that is used to run Setup to perform administration tasks.

Server farm-level accounts

The following table describes the accounts that are used to configure Microsoft SQL Server database software and to install Windows SharePoint Services 3.0.

Account Purpose

SQL Server service account

SQL Server prompts for this account during SQL Server Setup. This account is used as the service account for the following SQL Server services:

  • MSSQLSERVER

  • SQLSERVERAGENT

If you are not using the default instance, these services will be shown as:

  • MSSQL$InstanceName

  • SQLAgent$InstanceName

Setup user account

The user account that is used to run:

  • Setup on each server computer

  • The SharePoint Products and Technologies Configuration Wizard

  • The Psconfig command-line tool

  • The Stsadm command-line tool

Server farm account

This account is also referred to as the database access account.

This account is:

  • The application pool identity for the SharePoint Central Administration Web site.

  • The process account for the Windows SharePoint Services Timer service.

Windows SharePoint Services Search accounts

The following table describes the accounts that are used to set up and configure Windows SharePoint Services Search.

Account Purpose

Windows SharePoint Services Search service account

Used as the service account for the Windows SharePoint Services Search service. There is one instance of this service on each search server. Typically, a server farm will include only one search server.

Windows SharePoint Services Search content access account

Used by the Windows SharePoint Services Search application server role to crawl content across sites.

Plan for multiple accounts if the server farm includes multiple search server computers. This is not common.

Additional application pool identity accounts

If you create additional application pools to host sites, plan for additional application pool identity accounts. The following table describes the application pool identity account. Plan one application pool account for each application pool you plan to implement.

Account Purpose

Application pool identity

The user account that the worker processes that service the application pool use as their process identity. This account is used to access content databases associated with the Web applications that reside in the application pool.

Single server standard requirements

If you are deploying to a single server computer, account requirements are greatly reduced. In an evaluation environment, you can use a single account for all of the account purposes. In a production environment, ensure that the accounts you create have the appropriate permissions for their purposes.

For a list of account permissions for single server environments, see the Windows SharePoint Services security account requirements (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=92885&clcid=0x409) planning tool, or view the requirements listed in the Technical reference: Account requirements by scenario section of this article.

Server farm requirements

If you are deploying to more than one server computer, use the server farm standard requirements to ensure that accounts have the appropriate permissions to perform their processes across multiple computers. The server farm standard requirements detail the minimum configuration that is necessary to operate in a server farm environment. For a more secure environment, consider using the least privilege administration requirements using domain user accounts.

For a list of standard requirements for server farm environments see the Windows SharePoint Services security account requirements (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=92885&clcid=0x409) planning tool, or view the requirements listed in the Technical reference: Account requirements by scenario section of this article.

For some accounts, additional permissions or access to databases are configured when you run Setup. These are noted in the accounts planning tool. An important configuration for database administrators to be aware of is the addition of the WSS_Content_Application_Pools database role. Setup adds this role to the following databases:

  • SharePoint_Config database (configuration database)

  • SharePoint_AdminContent database

Members of the WSS_Content_Application_Pools database role are granted the Execute permission to a subset of the stored procedures for the database. Additionally, members of this role are granted the Select permission to the Versions table (dbo.Versions) in the SharePoint_AdminContent database.

For other databases, the accounts planning tool indicates that access to read from these databases is automatically configured. In some cases, limited access to write to a database is also automatically configured. To provide this access, permissions to stored procedures are configured. For the SharePoint_Config database, for example, access to the following stored procedures is automatically configured:

  • proc_dropEmailEnabledList

  • proc_dropEmailEnabledListsByWeb

  • proc_dropSiteMap

  • proc_markForDeletionEmailEnabledList

  • proc_markForDeletionEmailEnabledListsBySite

  • proc_markForDeletionEmailEnabledListsByWeb

  • proc_putDistributionListToDelete

  • proc_putEmailEnabledList

  • proc_putSiteMap

Least-privilege administration requirements when using domain user accounts

Least privilege administration is a recommended security practice in which each service or user is provided with only the minimum privileges needed to accomplish the tasks they are authorized to perform. This means that each service is granted access to only the resources that are necessary to its purpose. The minimum requirements to achieve this design goal include the following:

  • Separate accounts are used for different services and processes.

  • No executing service or process account is running with local administrator permissions.

By using separate service accounts for each service and limiting the permissions assigned to each account, you reduce the opportunity for a malicious user or process to compromise your environment.

Least privilege administration with domain user accounts is the recommended configuration for most environments.

For a list of least privilege administration requirements with domain user accounts, see the Windows SharePoint Services security account requirements (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=92885&clcid=0x409) planning tool, or view the requirements listed in the Technical reference: Account requirements by scenario section of this article.

Least-privilege administration requirements when using SQL authentication

In environments where SQL authentication is a requirement, you can follow the principle of least privilege administration. In this scenario:

  • SQL authentication is used for every database that is created.

  • All other administration and service accounts are created as domain user accounts.

Setup and configuration

Using SQL authentication requires additional setup and configuration:

  • All database accounts must be created as SQL Server login accounts in SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Manager or SQL Server 2005 Management Studio. These accounts must be created before the creation of any databases, including the configuration database and the AdminContent database.

  • You must use the Psconfig command-line tool to create the configuration database and the SharePoint_AdminContent database. You cannot use the SharePoint Products and Technologies Configuration Wizard to create these databases. To create a farm or to join a computer to a farm, specify the SQL Server login that you created for these databases as the dbusername and dbpassword. The same SQL Server login is used to access both databases.

  • You can create additional content databases in Central Administration by selecting the SQL authentication option. However, you must first create the SQL Server login accounts in SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Manager or SQL Server 2005 Management Studio.

  • Secure all communication with the database servers by using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or Internet Protocol security (IPsec).

When SQL authentication is used:

  • SQL Server login accounts are encrypted in the registry of the Web servers and application servers.

  • The server farm account is not used to access the configuration database and the SharePoint_AdminContent database. The corresponding SQL Server login accounts are used instead.

Creating service and administration accounts

For a list of least privilege administration requirements with SQL authentication, see the Windows SharePoint Services security account requirements (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=92885&clcid=0x409) planning tool, or view the requirements listed in the Technical reference: Account requirements by scenario section of this article.

Creating SQL Server logins

Before creating databases, create SQL Server logins for each of the databases. Two logins are created for the configuration and SharePoint_AdminContent databases. Create one login for each content database.

The following table lists the logins that must be created. The Login column indicates the account that is specified or created for the SQL Server login. For the first login, you must enter the Setup user account. For all other logins, you create a new SQL Server login account. For these logins, the Login column provides an example account name.

Login Database SQL Rights

Setup user account

Configuration and SharePoint_AdminContent databases

Specify Windows authentication when creating the login.

<ConfigAdminDBAcc>

Configuration and SharePoint_AdminContent databases

  • Specify SQL authentication when creating the login.

  • Assign the dbcreator server role.

<WSSSearch_DB_Acc>

WSS_Search database

  • Specify SQL authentication when creating the login.

  • Assign the dbcreator server role.

<Content_DB_Acc1>

Content databases

  • Specify SQL authentication when creating the login.

  • Assign the dbcreator server role.

Least-privilege administration requirements when connecting to pre-created databases

In environments where databases are pre-created by a database administrator, you can follow the principle of least privilege administration. In this scenario:

  • Administration and service accounts are created as domain user accounts.

  • SQL Server logins are created for the accounts that are used to configure databases.

  • Databases are created by a database administrator.

For more information about deploying Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 using pre-created blank databases, see Deploy using DBA-created databases (Windows SharePoint Services).

Creating service and administration accounts

For a list of least privilege administration requirements when connecting to an existing blank database, see the Windows SharePoint Services security account requirements (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=92885&clcid=0x409) planning tool, or view the requirements listed in the Technical reference: Account requirements by scenario section of this article.

Creating SQL Server logins

Before creating databases, create SQL Server logins for each of the accounts that will access the databases. The accounts planning tool details the specific permissions that are configured for each account. For instructions on how to create and grant permissions to databases, see Deploy using DBA-created databases (Windows SharePoint Services).

The following table lists the logins that must be created. The database column indicates which databases are configured with permissions for each login account. For each login, specify Windows authentication when creating the login.

Login

Database

Setup user account (run-as user for the Psconfig command-line tool)

All databases

Server farm account (Office SharePoint Server database access account)

  • SSP database

  • SSP search database

Windows SharePoint Services Search service account

  • WSS_Search database

  • Configuration database

  • SharePoint_AdminContent database

Application pool identity for additional content databases

  • SSP database

  • SSP search database

  • Content databases associated with the application pool

Technical reference: Account requirements by scenario

This section lists account requirements by scenario:

  • Single server standard requirements

  • Server farm standard requirements

  • Least-privilege administration requirements when using domain user accounts

  • Least-privilege administration requirements when using SQL authentication

  • Least-privilege administration requirements when connecting to pre-created databases

Single server standard requirements

Server farm-level accounts

Account Requirements

SQL Server service account

Local System account (default)

Setup user account

Member of the Administrators group on the local computer

Server farm account

Network Service (default)

No manual configuration is necessary.

Windows SharePoint Services Search accounts

Account Requirements

Windows SharePoint Services Search service account

By default, this account runs as the Local System account.

Windows SharePoint Services Search content access account

Must not be a member of the Farm Administrators group.

The following are automatically configured:

  • Added to the Web application Full Read policy for the farm.

Additional application pool identity accounts

Account Requirements

Application pool identity

No manual configuration is necessary.

The Network Service account is used for the default Web site that is created during Setup and configuration.

Server farm standard requirements

Server farm-level accounts

Account Requirements

SQL Server service account

Use either a Local System account or a domain user account.

If a domain user account is used, this account uses Kerberos authentication by default, which requires additional configuration in your network environment. If SQL Server uses a service principal name (SPN) that is not valid (that is, that does not exist in the Active Directory directory service environment), Kerberos authentication fails, and then NTLM is used. If SQL Server uses an SPN that is valid but is not assigned to the appropriate container in Active Directory, authentication fails, resulting in a "Cannot generate SSPI context" error message. Authentication will always try to use the first SPN it finds, so ensure that there are no SPNs assigned to inappropriate containers in Active Directory.

If you plan to back up to or restore from an external resource, permissions to the external resource must be granted to the appropriate account. If you use a domain user account for the SQL Server service account, grant permissions to that domain user account. However, if you use the Network Service or the Local System account, grant permissions to the external resource to the machine account (domain_name\SQL_hostname$).

Setup user account

  • Domain user account.

  • Member of the Administrators group on each server on which Setup is run.

  • SQL Server login on the computer running SQL Server.

  • Member of the following SQL Server security roles:

    • securityadmin fixed server role

    • dbcreator fixed server role

If you run Stsadm commands that affect a database, this account must be a member of the db_owner fixed database role for the database.

Server farm account

  • Domain user account.

Additional permissions are automatically granted for this account on Web servers and application servers that are joined to a server farm.

This account is automatically added as a SQL Server login on the computer running SQL Server and added to the following SQL Server security roles:

  • dbcreator fixed server role

  • securityadmin fixed server role

  • db_owner fixed database role for all databases in the server farm

Note   if you configure the Microsoft Single Sign-On Service, the server farm account will not automatically be given db_owner access to the SSO database

Windows SharePoint Services Search accounts

Account Requirements

Windows SharePoint Services Search service account

  • Must be a domain user account.

  • Must not be a member of the Farm Administrators group.

The following are automatically configured:

  • Access to read from the configuration database and the SharePoint_Admin Content database.

  • Membership in the db_owner role for the Windows SharePoint Services Search database.

Windows SharePoint Services Search content access account

  • Same requirements as the Windows SharePoint Services Search service account.

The following are automatically configured:

  • Added to the Web application Full Read policy for the farm.

Additional application pool identity accounts

Account Requirements

Application pool identity

No manual configuration is necessary.

The following are automatically configured:

  • Membership in the db_owner role for content databases and search databases associated with the Web application.

  • Access to read from the configuration and the SharePoint_AdminContent databases.

  • Additional permissions for this account to front-end Web servers and application servers are automatically granted.

Least-privilege administration requirements when using domain user accounts

Server farm-level accounts

Account Server farm standard requirements Least-privilege using domain user accounts requirements

SQL Server service account

Use either a Local System account or a domain user account.

If a domain user account is used, this account uses Kerberos authentication by default, which requires additional configuration in your network environment. If SQL Server uses a service principal name (SPN) that is not valid (that is, that does not exist in the Active Directory directory service environment), Kerberos authentication fails, and then NTLM is used. If SQL Server uses an SPN that is valid but is not assigned to the appropriate container in Active Directory, authentication fails, resulting in a "Cannot generate SSPI context" error message. Authentication will always try to use the first SPN it finds, so ensure that there are no SPNs assigned to inappropriate containers in Active Directory.

If you plan to back up to or restore from an external resource, permissions to the external resource must be granted to the appropriate account. If you use a domain user account for the SQL Server service account, grant permissions to that domain user account. However, if you use the Network Service or the Local System account, grant permissions to the external resource to the machine account (domain_name\SQL_hostname$).

Server farm standard requirements with the following additions or exceptions:

  • Use a separate domain user account.

Setup user account

  • Domain user account.

  • Member of the Administrators group on each server on which Setup is run.

  • SQL Server login on the computer running SQL Server.

  • Member of the following SQL Server security roles:

    • securityadmin fixed server role

    • dbcreator fixed server role

If you run Stsadm commands that affect a database, this account must be a member of the db_owner fixed database role for the database.

Server farm standard requirements with the following additions or exceptions:

  • Use a separate domain user account.

  • This account should NOT be a member of the Administrators group on the computer running SQL Server.

Server farm account

  • Domain user account.

  • If the server farm is a child farm with Web applications that consume shared services from a parent farm, this account must be a member of the db_owner fixed database role on the configuration database of the parent farm.

Additional permissions are automatically granted for this account on Web servers and application servers that are joined to a server farm.

This account is automatically added as a SQL Server login on the computer running SQL Server and added to the following SQL Server security roles:

  • dbcreator fixed server role

  • securityadmin fixed server role

  • db_owner fixed database role for all databases in the server farm.

Note   If you configure the Microsoft Single Sign-On Service, the server farm account will not automatically be given db_owner access to the SSO database.

Server farm standard requirements with the following additions or exceptions:

  • Use a separate domain user account.

  • NOT a member of the Administrators group on any server in the server farm, including the computer running SQL Server.

  • This account does not require permissions to SQL Server before creating the configuration database.

Windows SharePoint Services Search accounts

Account Server farm standard requirements Least-privilege using domain user accounts requirements

Windows SharePoint Services Search service account

  • Must be a domain user account.

  • Must not be a member of the Farm Administrators group.

The following are automatically configured:

  • Access to read from the configuration database and the SharePoint_Admin Content database.

  • Membership in the db_owner role for the Windows SharePoint Services Search database.

Server farm standard requirements with the following additions or exceptions:

  • Use a separate domain user account.

Windows SharePoint Services Search content access account

  • Same requirements as the Windows SharePoint Services Search service account.

The following are automatically configured:

  • Added to the Web application Full Read policy for the farm.

Server farm standard requirements with the following additions or exceptions:

  • Use a separate domain user account.

Additional application pool identity accounts

Account Server farm standard requirements Least-privilege using domain user accounts requirements

Application pool identity

No manual configuration is necessary.

The following are automatically configured:

  • Membership in the db_owner role for content databases and search databases associated with the Web application.

  • Access to read from the configuration and the SharePoint_AdminContent databases.

  • Additional permissions for this account to front-end Web servers and application servers are automatically granted.

Server farm standard requirements with the following additions or exceptions:

  • Use a separate domain user account for each application pool.

  • This account should not be a member of the Administrators group on any computer in the server farm.

Least-privilege administration requirements when using SQL authentication

Server farm-level accounts

Account Server farm standard requirement Least-privilege using SQL authentication requirements

SQL Server service account

Use either a Local System account or a domain user account.

If a domain user account is used, this account uses Kerberos authentication by default, which requires additional configuration in your network environment. If SQL Server uses a service principal name (SPN) that is not valid (that is, that does not exist in the Active Directory directory service environment), Kerberos authentication fails, and then NTLM is used. If SQL Server uses an SPN that is valid but is not assigned to the appropriate container in Active Directory, authentication fails, resulting in a "Cannot generate SSPI context" error message. Authentication will always try to use the first SPN it finds, so ensure that there are no SPNs assigned to inappropriate containers in Active Directory.

If you plan to back up to or restore from an external resource, permissions to the external resource must be granted to the appropriate account. If you use a domain user account for the SQL Server service account, grant permissions to that domain user account. However, if you use the Network Service or the Local System account, grant permissions to the external resource to the machine account (domain_name\SQL_hostname$).

Server farm standard requirements with the following additions or exceptions:

  • Use a separate domain user account.

Note

All database accounts must be created as SQL Server login accounts in Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Manager or SQL Server 2005 Management Studio. These accounts must be created before the creation of any content databases, including the configuration database and the SharePoint_AdminContent database. Create one SQL Server login for both the configuration database and the SharePoint_AdminContent database.

Setup user account

  • Domain user account.

  • Member of the Administrators group on each server on which Setup is run.

  • SQL Server login on the computer running SQL Server.

  • Member of the following SQL Server security roles:

    • securityadmin fixed server role

    • dbcreator fixed server role

If you run Stsadm commands that affect a database, this account must be a member of the db_owner fixed database role for the database.

Server farm standard requirements with the following additions or exceptions:

  • Use a separate domain user account.

  • SQL Server login on the SQL Server computer.

  • NOT a member of the following SQL Server security roles:

    • securityadmin fixed server role

    • dbcreator fixed server role

  • NOT a member of the Administrators group on the computer running SQL Server.

Note

You must use the Psconfig command-line tool to create the configuration database and the SharePoint_AdminContent database. You cannot use the SharePoint Products and Technologies Configuration Wizard to create these databases. To create a farm or to join a computer to a farm, specify the SQL Server login that you created for these databases as the dbusername and dbpassword. The same SQL Server login is used to access both databases. All other content databases can be created in Central Administration by selecting the SQL authentication option.

Server farm account

  • Domain user account.

  • If the server farm is a child farm with Web applications that consume shared services from a parent farm, this account must be a member of the db_owner fixed database role on the configuration database of the parent farm.

Additional permissions are automatically granted for this account on Web servers and application servers that are joined to a server farm.

This account is automatically added as a SQL Server login on the computer running SQL Server and added to the following SQL Server security roles:

  • dbcreator fixed server role

  • securityadmin fixed server role

  • db_owner fixed database role for all databases in the server farm

Note   If you configure the Microsoft Single Sign-On Service, the server farm account will not automatically be given db_owner access to the SSO database.

Server farm standard requirements with the following additions or exceptions:

  • Use a separate domain user account.

  • NOT a member of the Administrators group on any server in the server farm, including the computer running SQL Server.

  • NOT a SQL Server login on the computer running SQL Server.

  • This account does not require permissions to SQL Server before creating the configuration database.

Windows SharePoint Services Search accounts

Account Server farm standard requirement Least-privilege using SQL authentication requirements

Windows SharePoint Services Search service account

  • Must be a domain user account.

  • Must not be a member of the Farm Administrators group.

The following are automatically configured:

  • Access to read from the configuration database and the SharePoint_Admin Content database.

  • Membership in the db_owner role for the Windows SharePoint Services Search database.

Server farm standard requirements with the following additions or exceptions:

  • Use a separate domain user account.

  • NOT a member of the Administrators group on any server in the farm, including the computer running SQL Server.

  • NOT a SQL Server login.

Windows SharePoint Services Search content access account

  • Same requirements as the Windows SharePoint Services Search service account.

The following are automatically configured:

  • Added to the Web application Full Read policy for the farm.

Server farm standard requirements with the following additions or exceptions:

  • Use a separate domain user account.

  • NOT a member of the Administrators group on any server in the farm, including the computer running SQL Server.

  • NOT a SQL Server login.

Additional application pool identity accounts

Account Server farm standard requirement Least-privilege using SQL authentication requirements

Application pool identity

No manual configuration is necessary.

The following are automatically configured:

  • Membership in the db_owner role for content databases and search databases associated with the Web application.

  • Access to read from the configuration and the SharePoint_AdminContent databases.

  • Additional permissions for this account to front-end Web servers and application servers are automatically granted.

Server farm standard requirements with the following additions or exceptions:

  • Use a separate domain user account.

  • NOT a member of the Administrators group on any server in the farm, including the computer running SQL Server.

  • NOT a SQL Server login.

Least-privilege administration requirements when connecting to pre-created databases

Server farm-level accounts

Account Server farm standard requirement Least-privilege when connecting to pre-created databases requirements

SQL Server service account

Use either a Local System account or a domain user account.

If a domain user account is used, this account uses Kerberos authentication by default, which requires additional configuration in your network environment. If SQL Server uses a service principal name (SPN) that is not valid (that is, that does not exist in the Active Directory directory service environment), Kerberos authentication fails, and then NTLM is used. If SQL Server uses an SPN that is valid but is not assigned to the appropriate container in Active Directory, authentication fails, resulting in a "Cannot generate SSPI context" error message. Authentication will always try to use the first SPN it finds, so ensure that there are no SPNs assigned to inappropriate containers in Active Directory.

  • If you plan to back up to or restore from an external resource, permissions to the external resource must be granted to the appropriate account. If you use a domain user account for the SQL Server service account, grant permissions to that domain user account. However, if you use the Network Service or the Local System account, grant permissions to the external resource to the machine account (domain_name\SQL_hostname$).

Server farm standard requirements with the following additions or exceptions:

  • Use a separate domain user account.

Setup user account

  • Domain user account.

  • Member of the Administrators group on each server on which Setup is run.

  • SQL Server login on the computer running SQL Server.

  • Member of the following SQL Server security roles:

    • securityadmin fixed server role

    • dbcreator fixed server role

If you run Stsadm commands that affect a database, this account must be a member of the db_owner fixed database role for the database.

Server farm standard requirements with the following additions or exceptions:

  • Use a separate domain user account.

  • NOT a member of the Administrators group on the computer running SQL Server.

This account is used to configure databases. After each database has been created, change the database owner (dbo or db_owner) to the Setup User account.

Server farm account

  • Domain user account.

  • If the server farm is a child farm with Web applications that consume shared services from a parent farm, this account must be a member of the db_owner fixed database role on the configuration database of the parent farm.

Additional permissions are automatically granted for this account on Web servers and application servers that are joined to a server farm.

This account is automatically added as a SQL Server login on the computer running SQL Server and added to the following SQL Server security roles:

  • dbcreator fixed server role

  • securityadmin fixed server role

  • db_owner fixed database role for all databases in the server farm

Note   If you configure the Microsoft Single Sign-On Service, the server farm account will not automatically be given db_owner access to the SSO database.

Server farm standard requirements with the following additions or exceptions:

  • Use a separate domain user account.

  • NOT a member of the Administrators group on any server in the server farm, including the computer running SQL Server.

  • This account does not require permissions to SQL Server before creating the configuration database.

After the Shared Services Provider (SSP) database and the SSP search database are created, add this account to the following for each of these databases:

  • Users group

  • db_owner fixed database role

Windows SharePoint Services Search accounts

Account Server farm standard requirement Least-privilege when connecting to pre-created databases requirements

Windows SharePoint Services Search service account

  • Must be a domain user account.

  • Must not be a member of the Farm Administrators group.

The following are automatically configured:

  • Access to read from the configuration database and the SharePoint_Admin Content database.

  • Membership in the db_owner role for the Windows SharePoint Services Search database.

Server farm standard requirements with the following additions or exceptions:

  • Use a separate domain user account.

When running the Psconfig command-line tool to start the Windows SharePoint Services Search service, membership is automatically configured in the following:

  • Users group and db_owner role for the WSS_Search database.

  • Users group in the configuration database.

  • Users group in the Central Administration content database.

Windows SharePoint Services Search content access account

  • Same requirements as the Windows SharePoint Services Search service account.

The following are automatically configured:

  • Added to the Web application Full Read policy for the farm.

Server farm standard requirements with the following additions or exceptions:

  • Use a separate domain user account.

When running the Psconfig command-line tool to start the Windows SharePoint Services Search service, membership is automatically configured in the following:

  • Users group and the db_owner role in the WSS— Search database.

  • Users group in the configuration database.

  • Users group in the Central Administration content database.

Additional application pool identity accounts

Account Server farm standard requirement Least-privilege when connecting to pre-created databases requirements

Application pool identity

No manual configuration is necessary.

The following are automatically configured:

  • Membership in the db_owner role for content databases and search databases associated with the Web application.

  • Access to read from the configuration and the SharePoint_AdminContent databases.

  • Additional permissions for this account to front-end Web servers and application servers are automatically granted.

Server farm standard requirements with the following additions or exceptions:

  • Use a separate domain user account for each application pool.

  • This account should not be a member of the Administrators group on any computer in the server farm.

After the SSP database and the SSP search database are created, add this account to the following for each of these databases:

  • Users group

  • db_owner role

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See Also

Concepts

Plan for security roles (Windows SharePoint Services)