Database, database, database, yes there are plenty of them and guess what you need to maintain them for optimal performance! A MUST read for all farm admin, and I hope you all carefully implement maintenance plans: Database Maintenance for Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Products

This white paper provides information and guidelines for maintaining the databases that host Microsoft® SharePoint® 2010 data and configurations. It describes and provides examples of the database maintenance tasks that we recommend when using SharePoint 2010.

Yes we are currently on updating our Project Server 2010 database guidance as well, in the meantime this is a great starting point: Database maintenance plans for Project Server 2007

Just got published: SharePoint 2010 Virtualization Guidance and Recommendations a must read for anyone looking at SharePoint 2010 and Project Server 2010 virtualization:

Overview

This white paper illustrates best practices for virtualizing SharePoint Server 2010 on Windows Server 2008 R2 with Hyper-V. Technical decision makers, such as architects and systems administrators, can use this information to design, architect, and manage a virtualized SharePoint infrastructure.

Table of Content

Diagram highlighting a virtualization plan:

There is a new permission in Project Server 2010 called Manage Site Services which controls access to those services which operate at the farm level – such as OLAP services etc.  We have discovered a scenario where you cannot re-enable the Server Level permission “Manage Site Services” once you have cleared the permission.  Removing this permission prevents the ability to change the Administrators Group, manage Queue Settings, perform Active Directory Synchronization, manage Event Handlers and Build OLAP Cubes.

In order to work around the problem, you will need to run the following SQL command against the Published Database:

UPDATE dbo.MSP_WEB_SECURITY_ORG_PERMISSIONS

SET WSEC_ALLOW = 1, WSEC_DENY = 0

where WSEC_FEA_ACT_UID = '55FE20B7-73D6-421A-A0A8-41B8A482AE8B'

This script will re-enable the Manage Site Services permission for PWA so that you will be able to perform the blocked tasks. 

So if you have managed to lock yourself out of these permissions this is the answer.  We don’t normally suggest direct database access – but this is one of those times when it is the only way.