Apps Configuration for SharePoint 2013

SharePoint apps feature has been looks great in your site. Here the simple steps to configure an apps and few tweaks to ride it.

Before you jump into the configuration check bellow points;Configuration the domain names in DNS

• Create dedicated forward lookup zone for SharePoint apps
  • On DNS server, click Start to navigate Administrator Tools and open DNS (or) goto run dnsmgmt.msc
  • In DNS manager, right click Forward Lookup Zones and click New Zone
  • In the wizard, click Next
    
  • In the Zone Type windows, accept the default of Primary Zone then click Next
    
  • In the Active Directory Zone Replication Scope page, select the appropriate replication method for your environment
    
  • In Zone Name, enter your app domain name which will be used for SharePoint apps
    
  • On the Dynamic Updates windows, select the appropriate types which is apt for you environment
    
  • Click finish to complete the zone creation
    
• Create a wildcard Alias (CNAME) for access an apps
  • In DNS manager, click newly created zone and add New Alias to point to the SharePoint server
    
  • In the New Resource Record windows,  enter the Alias name as Wildcard entry (*)
  • Next you have to select the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) for target host
    
  • Click Ok to finish the steps
• To verify the new domain name
  • Go to command prompt
  • From the command prompt you can enter wildcard sub domain host like ping app-ABCDEF12345.sathiyaspapp.com, if you get an reply from source system.  Sound great to move on.

1. Create a new wildcard SSL certificate (If you have SSL)
2. Configure the Subscription Settings and App Management service applications
   • To enable the Subscription and App management services from CA
     • Go to SharePoint central administrator site
     • Click Manage services on server under System Settings
     • Start App Management Service and Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Subscription Settings Service
       
     • Now you are ready to configure the apps
3. Configure the App Management service application from CA
   • Go to SharePoint CA
   • Click Manage service applications under Application Management section
   • Top ribbon click New to add App Management Service Application
   • Enter appropriate details like Name, database, app pool account and name
   • Click Ok to create the service application
4. Configure the App URLs
   • Navigate Apps from Central administrator
   • Click Configure App URLs under App Management
     • An error my throw if the subscription setting service didn’t configured like “The Subscription Settings service and corresponding application and proxy needs to be running in order to make changes to these settings.”
     • Solution: Have to create an service application from PowerShell.  (P.S: We can’t create this service application from CA)
       
       Create Subscription Settings Service Application

       $account = Get-SPManagedAccount sathiya\spappPool $appPool = New-SPServiceApplicationPool -Name SubscriptionServiceAppPool -Account $account $serviceApp = New-SPSubscriptionSettingsServiceApplication -ApplicationPool $appPool -name “Subscription Settings Service Application” -DatabaseName “LIVESP13-SubscriptionSettingsDB” $serviceAppProxy = New-SPSubscriptionSettingsServiceApplicationProxy -ServiceApplication $serviceApp

       1 2 3 4

       $account = Get–SPManagedAccount sathiya\spappPool $appPool = New–SPServiceApplicationPool –Name SubscriptionServiceAppPool –Account $account $serviceApp = New–SPSubscriptionSettingsServiceApplication –ApplicationPool $appPool –name “Subscription Settings Service Application” –DatabaseName “LIVESP13-SubscriptionSettingsDB” $serviceAppProxy = New–SPSubscriptionSettingsServiceApplicationProxy –ServiceApplication $serviceApp

   • In the App domain field, type the domain name which we have created for SharePoint apps
   • In the App prefix field you can use any text for identify it
   • Click Ok
   • Powershell
     
     Configure app URLs by using Windows PowerShell

     Set-SPAppDomain sathiyspapps.com Set-SPAppSiteSubscriptionName -Name “app” -Confirm:$false

     1 2	Set–SPAppDomain sathiyspapps.com Set–SPAppSiteSubscriptionName –Name “app” –Confirm:$false

   • The environment is ready to add apps and use it.  If you are a system account then you will get an error “Everything is fine, but we had a small problem getting your license. Please go back to the SharePoint Store to get this app again and you won’t be charged for it.” because the System Account couldn’t make it.  So use other account to add an app to your site.

Cheers…!