How to configure User Profile Service application in partition mode

Here we see how to configure User Profile Service application in partition mode.

Service application can be configured to partition the data, so that the same instance of the service application can be used by multiple tenants. In this we will be seeing how to partition the User Profile service application. Both the user profile service application and proxy should be configured. This can be done via powershell or object model only.

The mode of a service application cannot be changed from partitioned mode to un-partitioned mode and vice - versa.

Configure User Profile Service Application in partition mode using powershell:

• User profile service application name
  
  $userProfileServiceApplicationName = "Partitioned User Profile Service Application"
  
• SQL database server name
  
  $dbServerName = "ServerName"
  
  
  
• Create a new application pool
  
  $applicationPool= New-SPServiceApplicationPool -Name "PartitionedUserProfileServicePool" -Account domain\userName
  
• Create a new user profile service application
  
  $userProfileService = New-SPProfileServiceApplication -Name $userProfileServiceApplicationName -ApplicationPool $applicationPool -ProfileDBServer $dbServerName -ProfileDBName "upsProfileDB" -SocialDBServer $dbServerName -SocialDBName "upsSocialDB" -ProfileSyncDBServer $dbServerName -ProfileSyncDBName "upsSyncDB" -PartitionMode

Once you run the command you may get the following error



The reason is "$dbServerName" is not correct. Give the correct database server name.

• Create a new user profile service application proxy
  
  New-SPProfileServiceApplicationProxy -Name "$userProfileServiceApplicationName Proxy" -ServiceApplication $userProfileService -DefaultProxyGroup -PartitionMode
  

Start the User Profile Synchronization service

• Go to Central Administration => Application Management => Manage services on server => User Profile Synchronization service.
• Start the service.
  
  
  
• Select the service application and enter the credentials.
• Click on Ok.
• Once you have started the User profile synchronization service check whether the "Forefront Identity Manager Service" and "Forefront Identity Manager Synchronization Service" are started automatically.
  
  
  

Manage User Profiles page:

Go to Central Administration => Application Management => Manage service applications => you could be able to see a new partition user profile service application created successfully.



Click on the "Partitioned User Profile Service Application" to see the Manage User Profiles page, you could see a slight difference from the regular user profile service application.