Conflict Content Databases names inside my sharepoint farm

Question

I am using SharePoint server 2013, and i am facing problems on understanding how to manage my SharePoint content databases:-

1. currently i have a single content database, with name = WSS_Content_7f4b7139e33b4a22b1333045071cd45a, as shown below :-

2. but when i wanted to create a new web application i get this content database name, not sure what this represents. baring in mind that when i create the web application all its site collection will be added under the content database shown on point 1:-

3. also i checked my SharePoint server for problem from "CA >>Review problems and solutions ", I got that these databases are running in compatibility range,, although these content databases were removed from my server ,, but still they exists inside the sql :-

so can anyone adivce on these 2 questions:-

• why i will get different content database when i create a new web application? and from where i can check this content database ?

• why my "Review problems and solutions" is still analyzing deleted content databases ? and is there a way to remove them permanently or atleast stop analyzing them ?

thanks

Answer 1

The name of a content database is just a random generated name that does not have any type of function more than that you can't have 2 databases with the same name. (Every database has it owns unique ID, the display name is just there to make administration easier.)

However you should name your content databases to something relevant to make it easier for yourself (or anyone else) to actually get a clue what they are used for and where. And it will make administration easier as you might wanna use PowerShell to manage them as a example.

By design, you can have multiple databases attached to a webapplication, but 2 webapplications can't consume the same database as this would be to ask for deadlocks.

Everytime you create a new web application from the UI, SharePoint will create a new content database. But you can always create a new webapplication and then attach another database to the webapplication and remove the one that was created, as long as you have at least a rootsite in the other database.

About the health analyzer, if the databases are not attached to a webapplication they should not show up there as the timer job only scans for databases that are being used by SharePoint. I don't know at what interval the timer job runs, but if you re-run the job manually, they shouldn't be there as long as they are not attached to any webapplication.

Added: You should upgrade your content database, as you have applied a update or a fix and the database haven't been upgraded since.

Answer 2

I know you get the answer, here is my 2cetns on it.

why i will get different content database when i create a new web application? and from where i can check this content database? Christoffer already explained it. SharePoint when create a content DB it puts guid in front of it, make it unique, you cant have two database with same name / id in the same farm. You can create have 2 database with same name on same SQL server. Thats why this GUID thing comes. Now their are ways to create a database with friendly name, like when you created a new Service application / Web application you can change the name of the database in said field. You can also use the powershell to create the web app/ service and then you can give the friendly name.

why my "Review problems and solutions" is still analyzing deleted content databases ? and is there a way to remove them permanently or atleast stop analyzing them ?

If it is deleted, then you have to re-analyze the rule. You can edit the rule by going to central admin > monitoring > review Problems and solutions on this page search for the rule, click on it then edit and uncheck the enabled checkbox.