Collation Settings For SharePoint Databases

In case you need to create a database from withn SQL Server you need to undersand that the default collation settings of the Model database (which is the blueprint used to create any new database) is not by default what is required by SharePoint. SharePoint requires the collation setting of "Latin1_General_SI_AS_KS_WS" as in the following. This is to ensure file name uniqueness consistent with the Windows operating system.



Figure: SharePoint Collation Setting Requirement

You cannot change the Model Database settings after the installation as in the following. In case the SQL Server instance is dedicated to SharePoint, ensure the collation setting is Latin1_General_CI_AS_KS_WS during installation. Or you change the newly created database collation setting to match this collation else SharePoint won't be able to use that database. Even for Master and TempDB it is recommended to use Latin1_General_CI_AS_KS_WS as the instance default collation (again during installation not after installation).



Figure: Model DB Collation Setting