Dynamics CRM and NAV test environment

As a part of my new job I'm going to setup a complete database environment consisting of Dynamics CRM, Dynamics NAV and SS Reporting Service. This environment is divided into a production database, plus a training, a user acceptance test and a development test server.

I've done this many times with NAV, but never with CRM. And here I'm told that this is somewhat of a challange, as we just cannot do it the same was as with NAV, where we just copied the databases over to a new server and renamed them and ran. But with the CRM this should not be possible, as it is using a lot of GUID's pointing toward the entries in Navision.

So if anyone has experinence setting up such an environment then I would love to hear from you.

I don't have experience but I am planning to setup a test CRM environment next week. I'll write about the result.

admin:

As a part of my new job I'm going to setup a complete database environment consisting of Dynamics CRM, Dynamics NAV and SS Reporting Service. This environment is divided into a production database, plus a training, a user acceptance test and a development test server.

I've done this many times with NAV, but never with CRM. And here I'm told that this is somewhat of a challange, as we just cannot do it the same was as with NAV, where we just copied the databases over to a new server and renamed them and ran. But with the CRM this should not be possible, as it is using a lot of GUID's pointing toward the entries in Navision.

So if anyone has experinence setting up such an environment then I would love to hear from you.

Hi Erik,

I think we briefly discussed this in Prague, but we discussed a lot and can't rememebr exactly.

ANyway, one of my clients has asked me to help them plan out a scenario to go to CRM,a dn possibly integrate with Navision. So my first step was to get the a test system set up. And that is not easy. Its nothign like Navision with a Database containing everything. ANd the hardware even for a 5 user system is nothing like what we expect with Navision. You could install an SBS system, and at least get started, but I really would not recommend that, since its not what you will need, so you may as well go all out and do it properly.

I setup www.dynamicsplayground.com to get started, but very quiclkly realized that I did not have the hardware, so I am now buying a new sertver just to test on. Defintiely you can't just set up a test system on your notebook. You can get a virtual machine that you can run a test system on, but I have not tried that yet.

I have posted questions on a few MVP and CRM sites, to find out if there is a simple "Test setup scenario", but so far no luck. I alsow went to a CRM semiar, and when I asked the presenter about installing a local test system on my notebook, the techie couldn't even understand what I was trying to do. When I mentioned Navision he was "ah yeah I have heard that Navision is real easy".

Anyway lets see if we can get some CRM people ont his site, or if not its time to start learning CRM.

I have done a Navision/CRM integration. I am a Navision person. I only got into CRM in the last 6 months.

One of our clients was using Navision Contacts and a lot of custom features. They have grown very quickly and wanted an easier way of exposing their system to sales teams all over the country and an easy integration with office products.

It’s true it’s difficult to copy a CRM database compared to Navision.
What we have done is create 3 separate installations Dev, Test, Live. Our initial setup (data migration) involved all 3 databases. From then on when ever we make a modification we follow a procedure of updating DEV then TEST and then LIVE.

 The difficulty about CRM is you have to be aware of all these external things.
Workflows
Callouts
SQL reports
Schedules
Not difficult to move but you have to be aware of how the system is setup.

Long story short. We didn’t worry too much about the data. We were more concerned the modifications were migrated.

My suggestion.
Start with the VPC Microsoft provides with CRM. Install Navision and get the integration going there first.

Setting up a "stand-a-lone" test environment is rather easy. No problem here, but it's when you want the full environment with production, dev.test, user acceptance test and training, with databases updated weekly with production data.

As for how I understand it, then the issue is that CRM is using GUID's as pointers to other records (in NAV for example). And when you then copy the database these pointers will still point to the old database. Not good!

admin:

Setting up a "stand-a-lone" test environment is rather easy. No problem here, but it's when you want the full environment with production, dev.test, user acceptance test and training, with databases updated weekly with production data.

As for how I understand it, then the issue is that CRM is using GUID's as pointers to other records (in NAV for example). And when you then copy the database these pointers will still point to the old database. Not good!

Can you let me know how you did this. Everyone I ask says its not possible

U can download and run it from here using Virtual PC:

Overview

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=A8EDFC7B-01D8-4500-845B-01370D4EED21&displaylang=en

Ah OK, yes this is what I also told, i.e. the VPC thingy. I was more trying to just install a CRM systme on my laptop, which I guess is not possible. So I will do the VPC thing then.

I just keep remembering the old Navision Logo:

The Beauty Of Simplicity.

And look where Navisoin is ending up: in a distributed 3 tier environment, running on IIS, just like MS CRM (well not exactly, but close)

DenSter:

And look where Navisoin is ending up: in a distributed 3 tier environment, running on IIS, just like MS CRM (well not exactly, but close)

Yes David Cox pointed this out a while back, and it has gotten me thinking a lot about where we are headed.

DenSter:

And look where Navisoin is ending up: in a distributed 3 tier environment, running on IIS, just like MS CRM (well not exactly, but close)

Oh and its also given me a good topic to reply to Melissa's email.  "The Beauty Of Simplicity."

Hi Gregory,

Quite some time ago you wrote: 

gregory:

I don't have experience but I am planning to setup a test CRM environment next week. I'll write about the result.

What was your results?