User Profile Synchronization Service does not start

User Profile Sync Service is a must-have feature in SharePoint 2013 in order to look up AD users properly via the commonly used user lookup dialog or user lookup button.

While going through many installations and configurations projects of SharePoint, the User Profile Sync Service never started right the first time on me.  It does take extra steps to properly set up and configure.

Below is the common technique to resolve the issue.

1. Add service account user to SharePoint Farm Admin Group on SharePoint Server.
2. Add service account user to local admin group of the SharePoint Server.
3. Restart the Timer Service
4. Open ADSI Edit as domain admin.
1. Right-click and Connect To "Default naming context". 
2. Go to "Select a well known Naming context:" and choose "Configuration". 
3. Click [OK].
4. Expand Configuration. 
5. Right Click [CN=Configuration, DC....]. Select [Properties]. Select [Security].
6. Add service account user and assign [Read] and [Replicating Directory Changes] permissions.
7. Click [OK].
5. Now go to Central Admin Site.
6. Go to "Manage Service Applications"
7. Click [User Profile Service Application]. 
1. Check [Permissions] at the top ribbon menu. Make sure the service account user exists.
2. Check [Administrators] at the top ribbon menu.Make sure the service account user exists with full permission.
8. Try starting User Profile Sync Service again and see if it works.

SharePoint Workflow Manager - Useful Info

Here are some useful links and reminders when setting up or troubleshooting the SharePoint Workflow Manager 1.0.

Suppose the SharePoint environment is made of the following:
Domain Name: contoso.edu
SharePoint Server FQDN: sp.contoso.edu (admin site port = 13311)
SharePoint Server Computer Name: SP13
Workflow Manager FQDN: sqlwopi.contoso.edu

• Check if Workflow Manager is connected:
  http://sp.contoso.edu:13311/_admin/WorkflowServiceStatus.aspx 
• Check if Workflow Service is working (Do this from the Sharepoint Server):
  http://sqlwopi.contoso.edu:12291 (if http is used)
  https://sqlwopi.contoso.edu:12290 
• To check the Workflow Manager Service status (Do this on the Workflow Manager Service Server):
  Get-WFFarmStatus
• To connect SharePoint Farm to Workflow Manager Service (on SharePoint Server):
  Register-SPWorkflowService -SPSite "https://sp.contoso.edu" -WorkflowHostUri "http://sqlwopi.contoso.edu:12291" -AllowOAuthHttp -Force (when http is used)