Installation and Setup – Preparing your Server Environment

For SharePoint Installation, i don't think any other article on the web could be better then this.
http://mindsharpblogs.com/bill/archive/2006/06/27/1153.aspx

The thing that is missing on most of the articles are regarding the principal acocunts and permissions.

Proper planning is crucial to the successful implementation of any MOSS 2007 Farm.

Below is guide to preparing your server environment by creating the proper accounts and simplifying permissions by making of use of Active Directory groups.


Step 1 – Create Accounts and Admin Group in Active Directory

The following user accounts should be created:

SAMPLE USER ACCOUNTS:

Server Farm Account = Domain\SP-ServerFarm
Setup User Account = Domain\SP-SetupUser
SQL Service Account = Domain\SP-SQLService

SAMPLE DOMAIN GLOBAL GROUP:

AD Global Group = Domain\SharePointAccounts

Step 2 – Add Accounts to Administrative Group

Add the three setup accounts created in Step 1 to the Active Directory Global Group created in Step 2.

Step 3 – Add Domain Group to Local Administrators Group on SharePoint Servers

Add the Active Directory Global Group (Domain\SharePointAccounts) to the Local Administrators Group of every Web Front End or Application Server within your SharePoint Farm.

Note: You may also use Active Directory Group Policies to accomplish this.

Step 4 – Add Account to the SQL Server Local Admin Group

Add the SQL Service Account (Domain\SP-SQLService) to the Local Administrator Group of your SQL Server.

Step 5 - Assign SQL Server Roles

Create the following Logins and assign the defined Roles on the SQL Instance to be used for the installation of MOSS 2007:

Logins Roles
Domain\SP-ServerFarm dbcreator, securityadmin
Domain\SP-SetupUser dbcreator, securityadmin
Domain\SP-SQLService dbcreator, securityadmin, sysadmin
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Domain-level SharePoint User Accounts (Farm Deployment Only)

Setup User Account

SQL Server Service Account

SharePoint Farm Account

Shared Services Provider (SSP) Account

SSP Service Account (Timer Service)

My Sites Application Pool Account

Search Service Account

Content Access Account

User Profiles Access Account

Excel Services Account

Application Pool Identity Account