Introduction
Prior to explaining about Web Applications, I am just sharing few ideas about the hierarchy of SharePoint. There are four levels in SharePoint.
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You can create multiple Web Applications under a Farm in SharePoint. Farm is the main parent of SharePoint. Web Application is the child of Farm in SharePoint. Site collection is a child of Web Application in SharePoint. Web is the grand child of site collection in SharePoint.
What is Web Application?
Web Application refers to the parents of site collection in SharePoint. We can create a multiple number of site collections under a Web Application.
During creation of Web Application, we have to take care about a few things, which are given below.
- Create an IIS Website
- Port No
- Host Header
- Path of the Web Application
- Authentication type
- Database name
Example
A company has multiple branches in different countries and different states. Thus we have to create an application in SharePoint .
Let's assume my company name is RajInfotech and it's located in USA, Canada, India and Dubai.
Here, I have to create a Web Application for RajInoftech. Rajinfotech refers to the parents and we have to create all the branches under Rajinfotech.
URL- http:// Rajinfotech.com (Web Application Name)
We should create all the branches under Rajinfotech Web Application .
URL : http:// Rajinfotech.com/Sites/USA (USA :Site Collection)
URL : http:// Rajinfotech.com/Sites/CANADA (CANADA: Site Collection)
URL : http:// Rajinfotech.com/Sites/INDIA (INDIA: Site Collection)
In a country, If we have multiple braches, then we have to create Sub sites under a site collection, as shown below.
URL : http:// Rajinfotech.com/Sites/INDIA/Bangalore (Bangalore : Sub Sites)
Steps to create a Web Application
Step 1
Click Start Button in your computer -> Search SharePoint Central Administrator.
Step 2
Click SharePoint Central Administrator -> go to Application Management -> Click Manage Web Application.
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Step 3
Once you click Manage Web Application, a pop-up Window will open to create a new Web Application.
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Already two Web Applications are shown here because these are the default Web Applications created during SharePoint installation.
Step 4
When you click New button, it will pop-up a one more page to create a Web Application .
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I have already discussed about IIS and port no. These fileds are mandatory to create a Web Application in SharePoint. Please provide the needed information.
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By default, it will set Windows authentication in Authentication type. Enable form based Authentication and set it to No. In the URL field, you can put the URL and set the zone option. Always selected Zone is default but you are able to change it.
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By Default- Wss_Content will be created in a content database but you are able to change the databse name.
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In Service Application, you can activate your Services whenever you want in your Web Application. Once you activate the Service Application, its scope would be inside the Web Application.
Step 5
Once you complete everything, you can scroll down and click OK button to create a Web Application.
It will take some time to load and after some time, the Web Application will be created and you will confirm once a screen will come in front with the success message.
Now, go to your Manage Web Application and check whether your Web application is located or not. Once you created a Web Application, you are able to create multiple no of site collection under the Web Application.
Stay tuned for my next article on How to create a site collection under a Web Application in SharePoint 2013.