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Mastering SharePoint Server 2016: Exam 70-339 Guide

SharePoint 2016 is a comprehensive platform from Microsoft that enables organizations to build intranet portals, manage documents, collaborate on projects, and provide enterprise-level business intelligence and workflow automation. It is the successor to SharePoint 2013 and builds upon previous versions by offering improved hybrid cloud integration, enhanced performance, and more flexible deployment options.

SharePoint 2016 comes in two primary editions: SharePoint Server 2016 and SharePoint Online, which is part of the Microsoft 365 cloud services. SharePoint Server 2016 can be deployed on-premises or in a hybrid environment that combines on-premises and cloud-based functionality. This allows organizations to gradually move workloads to the cloud while maintaining critical systems locally.

One of the key focuses of SharePoint 2016 is to improve the user experience. Features such as the modern user interface, faster page load times, and improved mobile support make it easier for end-users to access, search, and collaborate on content. For IT administrators, SharePoint 2016 provides a more robust framework for managing infrastructure, security, and compliance.

In a typical SharePoint 2016 deployment, a SharePoint farm is created. A farm is a collection of SharePoint servers that work together to provide services and host content. A farm can have multiple web front-end servers, application servers, and database servers, each serving a specific role in delivering SharePoint functionality. Understanding the architecture and components of a SharePoint farm is essential for planning, deploying, and maintaining the environment effectively.

SharePoint 2016 Architecture

SharePoint 2016 architecture is built on a three-tier model: the web front-end tier, the application tier, and the database tier. Each tier is responsible for specific functions and can be scaled independently based on performance and availability requirements.

The web front-end tier hosts the SharePoint web applications and provides the user interface. These servers handle incoming requests from users, process queries, and render pages. Web front-end servers are stateless, meaning they do not store configuration or content data locally. Instead, they rely on the application and database tiers for processing and storage.

The application tier is responsible for running background services, business logic, and enterprise applications. Common services hosted in the application tier include the Search Service Application, Managed Metadata Service, User Profile Service, and Excel Services. These servers perform tasks such as indexing content, managing user profiles, handling workflow automation, and providing BI solutions.

The database tier consists of SQL Server instances that store all SharePoint content, configuration, and service application data. SQL Server provides high availability options, such as clustering and AlwaysOn Availability Groups, to ensure data reliability and disaster recovery. Proper planning of the database architecture is critical for achieving performance and redundancy goals.

SharePoint 2016 also introduces improvements in the MinRole topology, which allows administrators to assign predefined roles to servers in a farm. This ensures optimal performance and service placement, reducing the need for manual configuration. MinRole supports roles such as Front-end, Application, Distributed Cache, Search, and Custom, each optimized for specific workloads.

Information Architecture in SharePoint 2016

Information architecture (IA) in SharePoint 2016 refers to the design and organization of content, metadata, and navigation to ensure users can easily find and manage information. IA is a foundational element for successful SharePoint deployments because it directly impacts usability, search efficiency, and governance.

The first step in designing an IA is gathering business requirements. This involves understanding the types of content users will create, how they will access it, and the regulatory or compliance requirements that must be met. Stakeholder interviews, surveys, and workshops are commonly used to collect these requirements.

Once business requirements are understood, information can be structured using site collections, sites, lists, libraries, and content types. Site collections are top-level containers that group related sites, while individual sites host specific functionality or content. Lists and libraries are used to store structured and unstructured content, respectively. Content types define reusable sets of metadata and behaviors for items in lists or libraries, ensuring consistency across the organization.

Taxonomy and metadata play a key role in information architecture. Managed metadata allows organizations to define a hierarchical set of terms and apply them consistently across content. This improves search, filtering, and content discovery. Planning for discoverability also involves designing navigation structures, search refiners, and metadata-driven filters that align with user expectations.

IA must also consider governance policies, such as naming conventions, permissions, retention schedules, and content lifecycle management. A well-defined IA ensures that content is organized, secure, and compliant with organizational standards while providing a user-friendly experience.

Logical and Physical Architecture

Logical architecture in SharePoint 2016 defines the structure and relationships between sites, services, and components without specifying the physical deployment. It focuses on how the system functions and how services interact to meet business requirements. Logical architecture documentation typically includes diagrams, service application maps, and functional descriptions that provide a blueprint for deployment.

Physical architecture, on the other hand, translates the logical design into tangible server components, network topology, and storage infrastructure. It specifies the number and type of servers, their roles, and how they are connected. Physical architecture also considers high availability, disaster recovery, load balancing, and resource allocation to ensure the system meets performance and reliability requirements.

A critical aspect of physical architecture is farm topology. SharePoint 2016 supports several topologies, including single-server, multiple-server, and distributed deployments. Each topology has trade-offs in terms of cost, complexity, and scalability. Selecting the right topology depends on factors such as user count, content volume, expected growth, and budget.

Mapping logical architecture to physical architecture involves identifying which servers will host specific service applications, databases, and web front-end components. This process ensures that workloads are balanced, redundancy is provided, and performance targets are achievable.

Deployment Options and Installation

SharePoint 2016 offers flexible deployment options to meet diverse organizational needs. On-premises deployment provides full control over servers, security, and customization, but requires internal IT resources for maintenance. Hybrid deployment allows organizations to integrate SharePoint Server 2016 with SharePoint Online, enabling cloud-based features while retaining sensitive data on-premises.

The installation of SharePoint 2016 involves several steps, including preparing the environment, installing prerequisites, configuring SQL Server, and running the SharePoint setup. Administrators can use scripted installations with PowerShell to automate deployment and ensure consistency across environments.

Once installed, farm configuration involves creating and configuring service applications, web applications, and site collections. This includes setting up managed accounts, configuring email, integrating with Office Online Server, and applying patches or updates. Proper installation and configuration are critical to achieving a stable, secure, and high-performing SharePoint environment.

SharePoint 2016 is a powerful platform that combines collaboration, content management, and business intelligence in a single environment. Understanding its architecture, deployment options, and information architecture principles is essential for planning, configuring, and managing a successful deployment.

By mastering the concepts of farm topology, logical and physical design, and information organization, IT professionals can ensure that SharePoint 2016 meets business needs while providing a secure, scalable, and efficient environment. The next parts will dive deeper into service applications, security, user management, and advanced features that enable organizations to fully leverage SharePoint 2016.

Service Applications in SharePoint 2016

Service Applications in SharePoint 2016 provide modular services that can be shared across web applications within a farm. They enable functionality such as search, user profiles, business intelligence, and workflow automation. Each service application can be managed independently, allowing administrators to scale or configure services according to organizational needs.

Some of the most commonly used service applications include:

Search Service Application

The Search Service Application is critical for content discovery. It crawls content across sites, libraries, lists, and external data sources, indexing it for fast retrieval. SharePoint 2016 introduces improvements in search performance and relevance ranking. Administrators can configure crawl schedules, query rules, and result sources to optimize search results.

The search topology consists of components such as crawl, query, analytics, and index partitions. Properly designing the search topology ensures high availability and efficient query execution, even in large enterprise environments.

Managed Metadata Service

The Managed Metadata Service (MMS) allows organizations to define centralized term sets and hierarchical taxonomies. Users can tag content consistently, improving navigation, search, and reporting. MMS also supports content types and term store management, enabling administrators to control metadata centrally while delegating term management to specific groups.

User Profile Service

The User Profile Service (UPS) manages user information, including properties such as name, department, skills, and contact details. UPS enables social features like My Sites, people search, and activity feeds. Integration with Active Directory ensures user profiles are automatically updated, while profile synchronization can be customized to include additional data sources.

Business Data Connectivity Service

The Business Data Connectivity (BDC) Service enables SharePoint to integrate with external systems such as ERP, CRM, and databases. Through BDC, users can access and manipulate external data directly within SharePoint lists, web parts, and workflows, without requiring separate applications. Security settings in BDC control user access to external data sources, ensuring compliance and data protection.

Excel Services and PerformancePoint Services

Excel Services provides the ability to render and interact with Excel workbooks in the browser, enabling business intelligence scenarios. PerformancePoint Services allows the creation of dashboards, KPIs, and scorecards, integrating multiple data sources. Both services help organizations visualize and analyze data effectively.

Security Architecture in SharePoint 2016

Security in SharePoint 2016 is a multi-layered architecture that encompasses authentication, authorization, encryption, and auditing. It ensures that only authorized users can access content while maintaining compliance with organizational and regulatory requirements.

Authentication

SharePoint supports multiple authentication methods, including Windows authentication (NTLM or Kerberos), forms-based authentication, SAML-based claims authentication, and integration with Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS). Claims-based authentication provides a flexible framework for integrating external identity providers and supporting hybrid environments.

Authorization and Permissions

Authorization in SharePoint is role-based, using permission levels and security groups. Permission levels, such as Read, Contribute, and Full Control, define what actions users can perform on sites, lists, and documents. Security groups help manage permissions efficiently by assigning levels to groups rather than individual users.

Inheritance of permissions allows sites and lists to automatically inherit permissions from parent objects. Breaking inheritance provides granular control over sensitive content, ensuring that specific users or groups have the appropriate access.

Secure Store Service

The Secure Store Service is used to store and map credentials for external data sources. It provides a secure way to access external systems from SharePoint without exposing user credentials. The service supports group mapping, enabling multiple users to share a single set of credentials for external systems.

Data Encryption

SharePoint 2016 supports data encryption at rest and in transit. Transport Layer Security (TLS) encrypts communications between clients and SharePoint servers, while SQL Server Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) protects database content. Additionally, Information Rights Management (IRM) can restrict actions such as printing, copying, or forwarding sensitive documents.

Auditing and Compliance

Auditing in SharePoint allows organizations to track user activities, such as document access, modifications, and permission changes. Audit logs can be used for compliance reporting, forensic analysis, or internal policy enforcement. SharePoint also integrates with eDiscovery tools to support legal hold and content search for litigation purposes.

User and Group Management

Efficient user and group management is essential for maintaining security and operational efficiency in SharePoint 2016.

Users

Users are typically imported from Active Directory, Azure Active Directory, or other identity providers. Each user has a unique identity and can be assigned permissions at the site, list, or item level. User profiles store additional attributes, such as job title, department, and skills, which enhance search and social features.

Groups

Groups are collections of users with similar roles or responsibilities. SharePoint provides both SharePoint groups and Active Directory groups. SharePoint groups can be customized with specific permission levels, while AD groups allow centralized management across multiple SharePoint sites and other enterprise systems.

Permission Management

Permissions are assigned to users or groups through roles. Best practices include using groups wherever possible to reduce administrative overhead, adhering to the principle of least privilege, and maintaining clear documentation of permission structures. Auditing permissions regularly helps prevent unauthorized access and ensures compliance with security policies.

Site Collections and Site Templates

A site collection is the top-level container for sites in SharePoint. Each site collection can contain multiple subsites and can be managed independently. Site collections define boundaries for content, security, navigation, and quotas.

Site Templates

SharePoint provides built-in site templates to accelerate deployment. Common templates include:

• Team Site: For collaboration with document libraries, lists, and calendars.
  
  

• Communication Site: Designed for broadcasting news, announcements, and information to a broader audience.
  
  

• Document Center: Optimized for storing, organizing, and managing large volumes of documents.
  
  

• Records Center: Supports records management, retention policies, and compliance workflows.
  
  

Custom site templates can also be created using SharePoint Designer or saved as solution packages (WSP), allowing organizations to standardize deployment and maintain consistency.

Workflows and Automation

SharePoint 2016 supports workflows to automate business processes. Workflows can streamline document approval, task assignments, and notifications, reducing manual intervention and improving efficiency.

Out-of-the-Box Workflows

SharePoint provides built-in workflows such as Approval, Collect Feedback, Collect Signatures, and Three-State workflows. These workflows can be customized using SharePoint Designer or Visual Studio to meet specific business needs.

Workflow Manager

Workflow Manager is a separate service that supports SharePoint 2016 workflows based on Windows Workflow Foundation 4.5. It provides improved scalability, reliability, and the ability to run long-running workflows. Administrators can monitor workflows, track progress, and troubleshoot errors using Workflow Manager dashboards and logs.

Hybrid Integration

SharePoint 2016 emphasizes hybrid deployment, enabling organizations to integrate on-premises SharePoint with SharePoint Online and Office 365 services. Hybrid scenarios include:

• Hybrid Search: Combines search results from both on-premises and cloud content.
  
  

• Hybrid Sites: Redirects users between on-premises and cloud sites based on content type or user role.
  
  

• Hybrid OneDrive for Business: Provides cloud storage while maintaining secure access to on-premises data.
  
  

• Business Connectivity Services (BCS) Hybrid: Allows cloud users to access on-premises data without direct VPN or firewall exposure.
  
  

Hybrid configurations help organizations adopt cloud capabilities gradually, reduce infrastructure costs, and enable mobile and remote access to SharePoint content.

Backup, Recovery, and High Availability

Maintaining high availability and protecting data are critical aspects of SharePoint administration.

Backup and Restore

SharePoint 2016 supports farm-level, site collection, and content-level backups. Administrators can use Central Administration, PowerShell scripts, or SQL Server tools to perform backups. Best practices include scheduling regular backups, verifying backup integrity, and storing copies offsite for disaster recovery.

High Availability

High availability can be achieved using load-balanced web front-end servers, redundant application servers, and SQL Server clustering or AlwaysOn Availability Groups. Redundancy ensures that if a server fails, users can continue to access content without disruption.

Disaster Recovery

Disaster recovery planning involves creating a secondary farm, replicating databases, and testing failover procedures. SharePoint supports multiple recovery scenarios, including full farm restore, service application restore, and granular item-level recovery.

Monitoring and Performance Optimization

Monitoring and optimizing SharePoint 2016 performance ensures a responsive and reliable user experience.

Monitoring Tools

SharePoint provides built-in health monitoring, usage analytics, and diagnostic logging. Administrators can track resource utilization, service health, search performance, and errors. SQL Server monitoring is equally important to ensure database responsiveness and prevent bottlenecks.

Performance Optimization

Performance can be optimized by implementing caching strategies, such as object cache, output cache, and BLOB cache. Network and hardware resources should be scaled appropriately, and service applications should be distributed across servers to balance workloads. Regular maintenance tasks like index optimization, log cleanup, and patch updates also improve performance.

SharePoint 2016 offers robust features for service management, security, user collaboration, workflow automation, and hybrid integration. Administrators must understand service applications, site structures, permissions, and hybrid configurations to maximize organizational efficiency.

Proper planning for backup, high availability, monitoring, and performance optimization ensures that SharePoint environments remain secure, reliable, and scalable. By combining best practices in service application deployment, security management, and workflow automation, organizations can leverage SharePoint 2016 as a central platform for collaboration, content management, and business intelligence.

Advanced Administration in SharePoint 2016

Advanced administration focuses on optimizing, scaling, and maintaining large SharePoint environments. It involves configuring farms, managing services, applying patches, and implementing monitoring for proactive issue resolution.

Farm Topology and Planning

A SharePoint farm consists of multiple servers that host web front-end (WFE), application, and database roles. Planning the farm topology is critical for performance, scalability, and high availability. Administrators must consider:

• Number of WFEs: To handle user requests and load balancing.
  
  

• Application servers: Hosting services such as Search, User Profile, and Excel Services.
  
  

• Database servers: Running SQL Server with sufficient I/O, memory, and CPU resources.
  
  

Topology decisions also include designing multi-tier farms, separating service applications across servers, and implementing redundancy for critical services.

Patch Management and Upgrades

Keeping SharePoint 2016 updated ensures security, performance, and compatibility. Administrators must regularly apply cumulative updates (CUs) and service packs. Key best practices include:

• Testing updates in a non-production environment.
  
  

• Backing up content databases and configuration before patching.
  
  

• Monitoring post-update logs for errors and inconsistencies.
  
  

PowerShell Administration

PowerShell is essential for automating administrative tasks in SharePoint. Common uses include:

• Creating and configuring site collections.
  
  

• Managing service applications.
  
  

• Assigning permissions at scale.
  
  

• Automating backups and restores.
  
  

PowerShell scripts reduce human error, speed up repetitive tasks, and enable advanced configurations not available in the Central Administration UI.

Business Intelligence (BI) in SharePoint 2016

SharePoint 2016 provides powerful BI capabilities for data visualization, reporting, and decision-making.

Excel Services

Excel Services allows users to publish and interact with Excel workbooks in the browser. Features include:

• Calculations and charts without needing the desktop Excel application.
  
  

• Parameterized reports for dynamic analysis.
  
  

• Secure sharing of financial and operational models across the organization.
  
  

PerformancePoint Services

PerformancePoint Services enables the creation of interactive dashboards, KPIs, and scorecards. Benefits include:

• Combining data from multiple sources, such as SQL Server, Analysis Services, and Excel workbooks.
  
  

• Real-time visual analytics for monitoring business performance.
  
  

• Integration with SharePoint lists, libraries, and workflows for actionable insights.
  
  

Power BI Integration

While SharePoint 2016 predates full Power BI integration, hybrid scenarios allow embedding Power BI reports via web parts or SharePoint Online integration. This provides advanced visualization and cloud-powered analytics for enterprise data.

SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) Integration

SSRS can be integrated with SharePoint in SharePoint mode, allowing users to view, manage, and deliver reports directly within SharePoint libraries. Features include:

• Report subscriptions and alerts.
  
  

• Parameterized and interactive reports.
  
  

• Secure access through SharePoint permissions.

Compliance, Governance, and Records Management

Organizations often face strict regulatory requirements. SharePoint 2016 provides tools for compliance, governance, and record-keeping.

Information Management Policies

SharePoint allows administrators to define policies for content lifecycle management, including:

• Retention schedules and automatic deletion.
  
  

• Auditing and tracking of document access.
  
  

• Labels and classification for regulatory compliance.
  
  

eDiscovery

The eDiscovery Center in SharePoint 2016 supports legal and regulatory investigations. Key capabilities include:

• Creating eDiscovery cases to search content across site collections.
  
  

• Placing content on legal hold to prevent deletion or modification.
  
  

• Exporting results for litigation or regulatory audits.
  
  

Records Management

The Records Center template supports document retention and disposal based on defined policies. Features include:

• Routing rules to automatically classify incoming documents.
  
  

• Version control and audit trails.
  
  

• Integration with Information Rights Management (IRM) for content protection.
  
  

Governance Planning

Effective governance ensures consistent usage, security, and maintenance. Governance plans include:

• Defining site lifecycle policies (creation, maintenance, and deletion).
  
  

• Standardizing site templates, content types, and metadata.
  
  

• Establishing roles and responsibilities for site owners, administrators, and content authors.

Enterprise Search and Navigation

Search is a cornerstone of productivity in SharePoint 2016. Advanced search configuration ensures users can quickly find relevant content.

Search Components and Topology

Key components include:

• Crawl component: Indexes content from SharePoint sites, file shares, and external data sources.
  
  

• Query component: Processes user search requests and retrieves relevant results.
  
  

• Analytics component: Tracks search patterns to improve result ranking.
  
  

• Index partition: Organizes content to improve search performance.
  
  

Result Sources and Query Rules

Administrators can define result sources to prioritize content from specific locations. Query rules enable:

• Boosting certain results based on keywords.
  
  

• Triggering display templates or promoted results.
  
  

• Customizing search experience for different user groups.
  
  

Navigation Optimization

Navigation ensures users can efficiently browse and access content. SharePoint supports:

• Structural navigation for fixed site hierarchies.
  
  

• Managed navigation driven by the term store for dynamic menus.
  
  

• Friendly URLs and metadata-based navigation to enhance usability and search engine optimization.

Collaboration and Social Features

SharePoint 2016 emphasizes collaboration and social interaction to improve productivity and knowledge sharing.

My Sites and OneDrive for Business

• My Sites: Personalized sites for users to manage profiles, content, and social interactions.
  
  

• OneDrive for Business: Cloud-like storage for personal documents with synchronization capabilities.
  
  

Social Features

• Newsfeeds and microblogging: Facilitate team communication and content sharing.
  
  

• Communities: Enable discussion boards, reputation scoring, and member recognition.
  
  

• Activity feeds: Track colleagues’ activities, providing contextual awareness.
  
  

Co-Authoring and Real-Time Collaboration

• Multiple users can edit documents simultaneously in Office Online or desktop applications.
  
  

• Versioning ensures document history is maintained, and conflicts are minimized.

Hybrid and Cloud Integration

Hybrid deployments bridge on-premises SharePoint with Office 365, providing flexibility and scalability.

Hybrid Search

• Combines results from SharePoint on-premises and SharePoint Online.
  
  

• Improves relevance and discovery across environments.
  
  

Hybrid Sites and OneDrive

• Directs users to the most appropriate content location, whether on-premises or cloud.
  
  

• Supports seamless access to personal and shared files through OneDrive for Business.
  
  

Security and Compliance in Hybrid Environments

• Integration with cloud identity providers (Azure AD, ADFS) ensures secure authentication.
  
  

• Data loss prevention (DLP) policies can extend to hybrid scenarios, maintaining regulatory compliance.

Performance Tuning and Monitoring

Proactive performance management ensures SharePoint 2016 remains responsive and reliable.

Caching Strategies

• Object cache: Reduces database queries for frequently accessed data.
  
  

• Output cache: Stores rendered pages for faster delivery.
  
  

• BLOB cache: Caches binary large objects such as images and videos to improve page load times.
  
  

Monitoring Tools

• Health Analyzer: Identifies configuration issues and potential problems.
  
  

• Usage and Health Data Collection: Tracks server, site, and user metrics.
  
  

• ULS Logging: Provides detailed logs for troubleshooting and diagnostics.
  
  

Optimization Best Practices

• Regularly maintain search indexes.
  
  

• Optimize SQL Server performance through indexing and maintenance plans.
  
  

• Load balance web front-end servers for peak usage periods.

Migrating and Upgrading to SharePoint 2016

Migration and upgrade planning are essential for organizations moving from older SharePoint versions or other platforms.

Upgrade Paths

• Database-attach upgrade: Recommended for large farms; involves attaching content databases to a new SharePoint 2016 farm.
  
  

• In-place upgrade: Less common; suitable for smaller deployments with minimal customization.
  
  

Migration Tools

• Microsoft SharePoint Migration Tool (SPMT) for cloud migrations.
  
  

• Third-party tools for complex migrations, including content restructuring and metadata preservation.
  
  

Post-Migration Validation

• Verify site and content integrity.
  
  

• Reconfigure service applications and permissions.
  
  

• Test workflows, custom solutions, and search functionality.

SharePoint 2016 offers a comprehensive platform for enterprise collaboration, content management, business intelligence, and compliance. Advanced administration, hybrid integration, performance optimization, and governance planning are essential for maximizing its potential.

By leveraging service applications, workflows, BI tools, and social features, organizations can create a secure, scalable, and productive environment. Effective planning, monitoring, and continuous improvement ensure that SharePoint 2016 supports organizational goals while maintaining compliance, security, and high availability.

Customization and Development in SharePoint 2016

SharePoint 2016 allows for extensive customization, ranging from branding to custom applications and workflows. Proper planning ensures that customizations are maintainable and do not compromise performance or security.

Branding and User Interface Customization

SharePoint branding involves tailoring the look and feel of sites to align with organizational identity. Techniques include:

• Master Pages: Control overall page layout, header, and footer.
  
  

• Page Layouts: Define content regions for publishing pages.
  
  

• Themes and CSS: Apply consistent colors, fonts, and styling across sites.
  
  

• Custom Web Parts: Add interactive components that enhance user experience.
  
  

Best practices for branding:

• Avoid extensive modifications to out-of-the-box master pages to simplify future upgrades.
  
  

• Use themes and CSS for styling wherever possible.
  
  

• Test customizations across multiple browsers and devices.
  
  

SharePoint Framework (SPFx)

SPFx is the modern development model for SharePoint. Key features include:

• Client-side development using JavaScript frameworks (React, Angular).
  
  

• Full integration with modern and classic pages.
  
  

• Lightweight, responsive, and mobile-friendly custom solutions.
  
  

• Easy deployment through the app catalog.
  
  

Add-ins and Apps

SharePoint 2016 supports add-ins (formerly called apps) that extend functionality without directly modifying the SharePoint server:

• SharePoint-hosted add-ins: Contain client-side scripts and no server-side code.
  
  

• Provider-hosted add-ins: Hosted externally (Azure, on-prem web servers) but integrated with SharePoint.
  
  

• Simplifies maintenance and reduces risk during upgrades.

Security in SharePoint 2016

Security is multi-layered in SharePoint, covering authentication, authorization, data protection, and auditing.

Authentication and Identity Management

SharePoint supports multiple authentication methods:

• Windows authentication: NTLM or Kerberos for internal users.
  
  

• Claims-based authentication: Flexible approach for AD FS, SAML tokens, or OAuth.
  
  

• Forms-based authentication: Custom login pages for external users.
  
  

• Hybrid identity: Integration with Azure AD for cloud and on-prem access.
  
  

Authorization and Permissions

• Permission levels: Predefined or custom levels controlling actions (Read, Contribute, Full Control).
  
  

• Role-based access control: Assign permissions to groups rather than individual users.
  
  

• Item-level security: Restrict access to specific documents or list items.
  
  

Data Protection

• SSL/TLS encryption: Secures data in transit.
  
  

• Information Rights Management (IRM): Restricts actions on sensitive documents (printing, copying, editing).
  
  

• Data loss prevention (DLP): Monitors and protects sensitive content from accidental sharing.
  
  

Auditing and Compliance

• Track user activity, document access, and configuration changes.
  
  

• Generate audit reports for regulatory compliance.
  
  

• Integrate with Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems for real-time monitoring.

Workflows and Automation

Automation in SharePoint enhances productivity and reduces manual processes.

SharePoint Designer Workflows

• Ideal for no-code workflow creation.
  
  

• Can automate approvals, notifications, and document lifecycle actions.
  
  

• Supports reusable workflows across multiple lists and libraries.
  
  

Microsoft Flow (Power Automate) Integration

• Enables cloud-based workflows connecting SharePoint, Office 365, and third-party applications.
  
  

• Handles complex scenarios like multi-stage approvals, data collection, and notifications.
  
  

• Extends on-prem SharePoint 2016 functionality via hybrid connectors.
  
  

Nintex and Third-Party Workflow Tools

• Provide advanced workflow design with drag-and-drop interfaces.
  
  

• Offer integration with ERP, CRM, and other enterprise systems.
  
  

• Enable reporting, analytics, and advanced error handling in workflows.

Content Management Best Practices

Effective content management ensures that SharePoint remains organized, usable, and compliant.

Document Management

• Versioning: Track changes and maintain history for accountability.
  
  

• Check-in/Check-out: Prevent conflicts during simultaneous edits.
  
  

• Content types: Standardize document metadata, templates, and policies.
  
  

Records and Retention

• Classify content according to organizational and regulatory requirements.
  
  

• Automate retention and disposition using information management policies.
  
  

• Use the Records Center to centralize long-term content storage.
  
  

Metadata and Taxonomy

• Implement a managed metadata service for consistent tagging.
  
  

• Use term sets for navigation, filtering, and search optimization.
  
  

• Reduce reliance on folders; leverage metadata-driven libraries.

Monitoring, Troubleshooting, and Optimization

Maintaining SharePoint health is critical to performance and reliability.

Performance Monitoring

• Use built-in tools like Health Analyzer and Developer Dashboard.
  
  

• Monitor SQL Server, IIS, and SharePoint services for bottlenecks.
  
  

• Evaluate page load times, search crawl performance, and workflow execution.
  
  

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• ULS logs: Detailed error messages for advanced diagnostics.
  
  

• Event Viewer: Tracks Windows-level errors impacting SharePoint.
  
  

• PowerShell scripts: Automate error detection and remediation.
  
  

Optimization Strategies

• Enable caching (BLOB, object, output) to reduce database load.
  
  

• Optimize search index schedules for high-content farms.
  
  

• Review service application usage; remove unused or redundant services.

Real-World Best Practices

Applying best practices ensures that SharePoint 2016 deployments remain scalable, secure, and manageable.

Governance and Policies

• Define clear ownership for sites, libraries, and workflows.
  
  

• Establish naming conventions for sites, lists, and content.
  
  

• Document processes for site creation, modification, and deletion.
  
  

Backup and Disaster Recovery

• Implement SQL and SharePoint farm backups with regular testing.
  
  

• Plan for redundancy and high availability (HA) using SQL Always On or database mirroring.
  
  

• Ensure recovery time objectives (RTO) and recovery point objectives (RPO) meet business requirements.
  
  

User Adoption and Training

• Provide training on collaboration, search, and document management.
  
  

• Encourage the use of metadata and modern features for efficiency.
  
  

• Gather user feedback to continuously improve site design and usability.

Emerging Trends 

Even with SharePoint 2016, planning for modernization is important:

• Hybrid deployment readiness: Facilitate migration to SharePoint Online or Microsoft 365.
  
  

• Integration with Power Platform: Automate tasks with Power Automate and analyze data with Power BI.
  
  

• Modern UI adoption: Gradually transition sites to modern pages for improved responsiveness and mobile experience.
  
  

• Security enhancements: Adopt zero-trust principles and hybrid identity management.

SharePoint 2016 provides a robust platform for collaboration, content management, automation, and compliance. By leveraging customization, secure workflows, best practices, and monitoring, organizations can maximize productivity while maintaining governance and security.

A well-planned SharePoint 2016 environment can evolve into hybrid or cloud scenarios, ensuring that investments remain relevant as technology and business needs advance.

Final Thoughts

SharePoint 2016 remains a powerful and flexible platform for collaboration, content management, and enterprise automation. Its combination of on-premises control, hybrid capabilities, and integration with the broader Microsoft ecosystem makes it a valuable tool for organizations of all sizes.

When deploying or managing SharePoint 2016, several overarching principles are key:

Plan Thoughtfully: From architecture and governance to permissions and content structure, careful planning reduces future headaches.

Balance Customization and Maintainability: While branding and custom solutions enhance user experience, avoid modifications that complicate upgrades or increase technical debt.

Prioritize Security: Protect sensitive information with strong authentication, access control, encryption, and auditing.

Automate Wisely: Use workflows, Power Automate, and third-party tools to streamline processes without creating overly complex or brittle systems.

Monitor and Optimize: Regularly review performance, search indexing, and usage analytics to maintain a smooth, responsive environment.

Encourage User Adoption: Even the most technically sound platform fails without proper user engagement. Training, clear policies, and intuitive design drive adoption.

Plan for the Future: Hybrid readiness, modern UI adoption, and integration with Power Platform ensure your SharePoint investment remains relevant as technology evolves.

Ultimately, SharePoint 2016 is more than just a platform—it is a framework for collaboration, knowledge management, and digital transformation. Organizations that invest in planning, governance, training, and optimization will unlock their full potential, fostering productivity, compliance, and innovation across teams.

A thoughtfully designed SharePoint environment is not just a repository for documents or a collaboration tool—it becomes a central hub where people, processes, and technology converge to achieve strategic business goals.

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