Create Default Service Application App Pool

Before you create your service applications in SharePoint 2013, you'll want to create a default service application app pool. Once it is created, you'll assign this app pool account to your service applications.

 

Open SharePoint Management Shell and run as Administrator. Type in the cmdlet:

 

New-SPServiceApplicationPool -Name "Default SharePoint Service App Pool" -Account DOMAIN\sp_serviceapps 

Set SMTP Message Size

We set up a new incoming email list on our SharePoint 2010 site and allowed it to receive attachments. We tested the email worked correctly and the list could receive the emails with attachments. However, when end users attempted to email a large attachment, they received the following message:

"This message exceeds the maximum message size allowed. Microsoft Exchange will not try to redeliver this message for you. Please make the message smaller -- by removing attachments, for example -- and try sending it again, or provide the following diagnostic text to your system administrator."

The Web application was set to allow for 1024 MB for uploads which was plenty large enough for our use. Also, the list settings were set correctly to allow attachments.

The issue turned out to be the settings on the SMTP side. To fix it, go to IIS 6.0:

1. Expand the server name and right-click on SMTP Virtual Server.
2. Select the Messages tab
3. Adjust the settings according to your allowable limits

Configure Managed Accounts in SharePoint 2013

When you create your SharePoint 2013 farm, you'll want to set up some Managed Accounts. These are the accounts you'll need:

In Central Admin > Security >  Configure Managed Accounts > Register Managed Account

• Service App account:  DOMAIN\sp_serviceapps 
• Web app account:  DOMAIN\sp_webapp

  

SharePoint 2013 ISO Install

Below are the steps to install SharePoint 2013 from the ISO. I've kept the steps very simple and limited only to the actual install of SharePoint 2013 using NTLM. All the items that are in italics are personal choice for the installer. I left in the details as examples.

1. Install SharePoint first on the Central Admin server
2. Choose Setup from SharePoint ISO and use the Config Wizard 
3. Create a new Complete Server Farm
4. SQL info
1.  Enter SQL alias name SQL (see Set Up a SQL Alias for SharePoint 2013)
5. Enter the configuration database name SP2013_Config
6. Enter your farm service account DOMAIN\sp_farm
7. Enter the farm account's password
8. Enter a Passphrase ThisIsMyPassphrase
9. Choose a port or leave the entry selected for you.
10. NTLM
11. When Central Admin opens on the server, choose No I will configure myself.**
12. If you have a multi-server farm, then on all remaining servers
1. Install SharePoint and go through the Config Wizard.
2. Use passphrase to connect to farm

** If you are creating a development box, you can allow the wizard to set up the services you want to use to make it easy on yourself. Just depends on your preference. You can select to configure your own services if you want. The bare bones services to select are:

• State Service
• Usage and Health Data Collection
• Managed Meta Data
• Search

That's it. It's pretty easy to actually install SharePoint 2013. The hardest part is actually getting everything ready for the install.

References
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc262957(v=office.15).aspx

Set Up a SQL Alias for SharePoint 2013

When I build all my SharePoint farms, I always set up a SQL alias. A SQL alias is similar to setting a host file in that you provide a name for your SQL instance and then you can change the actual source of that instance to anything. This is helpful if your SQL has to change servers for any reason. Your install will use your alias pointed to wherever you set it.

This works for both SharePoint 2013 and SharePoint 2010.

To set up a SQL alias, simply go to your start icon and choose the Run program. Type in cliconfg and OK. Cliconfg pops up.

 

On the General tab, enable TCP/IP. Switch to the Alias tab. Select the TCP/IP radio button and in the ALIAS text field type the name you want to use for your SQL. I usually just use SQL. In the Server Name field, type the actual name of your SQL SharePoint server.

 

When you create your SharePoint farm and the install asks you for your SQL name, all you have to do is enter SQL (or whatever name you used). Now you can change the SQL source anytime you need to without affecting your farm.