Specify content database settings

1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click SharePoint Central Administration.
2. On the Central Administration page, under Server Configuration, click Set default content database server.
3. In the Content Database Server section, type the database server name.

   If you are using Microsoft SQL Server authentication, you must also supply the administrator account user name and password.

4. Click OK.

You can create multiple content databases for each virtual server. There are two situations in which you create a new content database: when you extend a new virtual server and when your other content databases are getting full. You use a different method to create the content databases in each of these cases.

To create a content database when you extend a virtual server, use the Extend Virtual Server page. For information about extending a virtual server and creating a content database, see About extending a virtual server.

1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click SharePoint Central Administration.
2. On the Central Administration page, under Virtual Server Configuration, click Configure virtual server settings.
3. On the Virtual Server List page, click the virtual server that you want to configure.
4. On the Virtual Server Settings page, under Virtual Server Management, click Manage content databases.
5. On the Manage Content Databases page, under Content Databases, click Add a content database.
6. In the Database Information section, select either Use default content database server or Specify database server settings.

   If you select Specify database server settings, type the database server name and database name. If you are using SQL Server authentication, you must also supply the administrator account user name and password.

7. In the Database Capacity Settings section, type a number in the Number of sites before a warning event is generated box.
8. Type a number in the Maximum number of sites that can be created in this database box.
9. Click OK.

You can also change database connection settings and warning and maximum site levels for a content database.

1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click SharePoint Central Administration.
2. On the Central Administration page, under Virtual Server Configuration, click Configure virtual server settings.
3. On the Virtual Server List page, select the virtual server that you want to configure.
4. On the Virtual Server Settings page, under Virtual Server Management, click Manage content databases.
5. On the Manage Content Databases page, under Content Databases, click the database that you want to change.
6. To change database status, in the Database Status box, select Ready or Offline.
7. To change the number of sites allowed for a content database, in the Database Capacity Settings section, type a new warning and maximum number.
8. Click OK.

Note that when you remove a content database, the site data stored in that database is not deleted. You can reconnect to the content database later to restore the sites.

1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click SharePoint Central Administration.
2. On the Central Administration page, under Virtual Server Configuration, click Configure virtual server settings.
3. On the Virtual Server List page, select the virtual server that you want to configure.
4. On the Virtual Server Settings page, under Virtual Server Management, click Manage content databases.
5. On the Manage Content Databases page, under Content Databases, select the database that you want to change.
6. On the Manage Content Database Settings page, in the Remove Content Database section, select the Remove content database check box.
7. Click OK.

You can reconnect to a content database that you have removed by adding it again. To reconnect to an existing content database, use the same database server and database name.