This was an interesting discovery, as I try not to work after 10pm (when my automated, scripted Site Collections are due to run).

When I tried to save a document to a document library, I was greeted with the following two issues:

When saving to a document library, I got…

You do not have the correct permissions. Contact the server administrator.

And when trying to add a new item to a list, I got…

Error: Access Denied

That’s what I get for trying to be extra efficient with my current workload. Time to go to bed, like a normal human … helps with the grumpies in the morning as well. Oh right, you are waiting for the answer/solution. Ok, here it goes…

SP2 for SharePoint, modifies the default behaviour of STSADM backups

I have a nightly scheduled Site Collection Backup script that runs at 10pm – I don’t have a huge Site Collection/Content Database and I like the extra security and flexibility I get regarding recovery of a full Site Collection. It’s been humming away for 2+ years and I’ve never had a problem … until now. With the release of SP2, the ‘SetSiteLock’ option is now on by default. Prior to SP2, it was an option/flag you set as a best practice (I didn’t, I forgot, didn’t care at the time, I don’t remember…). But now, it is on by default. Which means my Site Collection is read only during this operation.

In my case, I’m perfectly happy with that. And I’m too lazy to go back to my script and add in the necessary ‘NoSiteLock’ switch (what can I say, I like the idea of the best practice being forced/bestowed upon me – if it bothers me in the future, maybe I’ll change it).

Full details of the issue can be found here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc287967.aspx and specifically, the interesting notes/passages are the following:

Note:

The force and nositelock parameters were first introduced in Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 with Service Pack 2 (SP2).

and…

Important:

If changes are made to the site collection during the backup process, the backup can become corrupted. Backing up large site collections can take a long time. To reduce the chance that user activity will interfere with a site collection backup, or that the time that is required to back up large site collections will exceed the available maintenance window, follow these recommendations:

Do not use the Stsadm backup operation for site collections larger than 15 gigabytes (GB). For larger site collections, see the recommendations in Back up and restore site collections by using built-in tools (Windows SharePoint Services 3.0).

For the duration of the backup, set the site collection URL to read-only by using the Setsitelock: Stsadm operation (Windows SharePoint Services). This lets users view content on the site, but prevents activities such as adding or changing content that interfere with the backup process. When the backup is complete, return the access setting of the site collection URL to its default state.

In Service Pack 2 for SharePoint Products and Technologies, site collections are automatically locked as read-only before a backup process occurs. Therefore, there is no need to use the Setsitelock: Stsadm operation (Windows SharePoint Services) operation. If you do not want site collections to be locked as read-only, you must specify the nositelock parameter that is available in Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 with Service Pack 2 (SP2).

SharePoint Site Collections Read Only during STSADM Scheduled Backups

When saving to a document library, I got…

And when trying to add a new item to a list, I got…

SP2 for SharePoint, modifies the default behaviour of STSADM backups

Navo - The company directory for the connected workplace.