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Frank Lee님의 프로필Workopia Microsoft CRM &...사진블로그리스트 도구 도움말

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    2009-07-28

    Updates: Microsoft CRM 4.0 Update Rollup Best Practices

    This July was a good month for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 with the release of Update Rollup 5 and Mobile Express.

    Latest update for Microsoft Dynamics CRM link.

    You may have noticed that the Microsoft CRM Update Rollups are being released on a regular basis like every 2 months since Update Rollup 2.  This is much more frequent then the previous update release schedule (6 to 9 months).  So how do Small Medium Businesses (SMB) manage this given the more frequent updates?

    Here are three approaches and my notes on each one:

    1. Only apply Update Rollup as needed to solve bugs/issues
     - requires the least amount of administration resource, but could result in the highest reactive situation when encountering CRM issues/bugs that are solved by an Update Rollup

    2. Apply every Update Rollup upon being released
    - requires the most amount of administration effort to update the CRM Server and all of the CRM Outlook Clients upon each release of an Update Rollup.  However, this offers the highest avoidance of CRM issues/bugs that are solved by Update Rollups

    3. Apply Update Rollup on every 4, 5, or 6 months cycle
    - a good balance of administration resource and risk avoidance due to CRM issues/bugs that are solved by an Update Rollup.  As for 4, 5, or 6 - it would be your preference.

    Guess which approach I'd recommend for most SMBs?  Yup, number 3.  I'd personally select the every 4 months cycle.

    Some good practices on deploying Update Rollups:

    1. Always backup your CRM environment per the Update Rollup instructions prior to applying the Update Rollup.  If you have a test environment (I highly recommended having one), apply the Update Rollup there first.

    2. Wait two weeks after the release of an Update Rollup before applying it - just like any software, Update Rollup may contain some bugs itself.  There were some Update Rollups in the past that were "re-released" due to issues/bugs arised from the Update Rollup.  If this does happen, contact Microsoft CRM Support immediately for resolution.  And if you had waited after two weeks, you would mostly enjoy the benefit that a work-around/resolution is available due to Support already encountered the issue already.  No need to be the very first to apply an Update Rollup in production unless it fixes a specific issue/bug

    3. It is not necessary to apply both the CRM Server Update and CRM Outlook Client Update at the same time.  I do highly recommend they are both applied the same time to get the latest fixes to all your CRM enviornments (Server and Outlook Clients).  However, it is OK to apply the CRM Server Update first, and then apply the CRM Outlook Client Update the next few days/weeks.  Or the other way around - apply the CRM Outlook Client Update first and then apply the CRM Server Update afterwards

    4. Most SMB doesn't have a large CRM Users count, but if yours do, then I would look into auto deployment of the CRM Outlook Client Update to save time.  Reference the Microsoft CRM 4.0 Implementation Guide - Microsoft_Dynamics_CRM_IG_Operating.doc, section "Automatically update Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook" for details

    5. If you had encountered a bug/issue and have not apply the latest Update Rollup yet.  What should you do?  I would open a CRM Support Incident via CustomerSource - if the bug is a bug and "not a feature" then there is no cost to the Support Incident and you would get a resolution from the CRM Support engineer to either apply the latest Update Rollup, a Hot Fix, or other work-around.

     

     Contact us if you need help with your Microsoft CRM Update needs or the FREE 30 Day Trial.  Free Estimate.

     

    Frank
    Workopia, Inc.
    Microsoft Dynamics CRM MVP
    http://www.workopia.com/Links.htm

    오전 12:49 | 댓글 달기 | 고유 링크(Permalink) | 스크랩 | Microsoft CRM Update
    2008-06-15

    Upgrade: Microsoft CRM 3.0 to 4.0 Upgrade

    After performing numerous Microsoft CRM 3.0 to 4.0 upgrades, I'd like to share my observations here.  There are a few different scenarios for the upgrade – I will cover these three:

     

    1. Microsoft CRM 3.0 Small Business Edition to 4.0

    2. Microsoft CRM 3.0 Professional to 4.0 32 bit edition

    3. Microsoft CRM 3.0 Professional to 4.0 64 bit edition

     

    Note: For detail upgrade steps, review the Microsoft CRM 4.0 Implementation Guide - Installing Doc, Section: Upgrade from Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 Server.

     

     

    1. Microsoft CRM 3.0 Small Business Edition to 4.0:

     

    – Ensure that the Microsoft Small Business Server (SBS) 2003 Premium is R2 since Microsoft CRM 4.0 Server requires Microsoft SQL Server 2005, so upgrade the SBS to R2 first, then upgrade CRM

     

    – After the upgrade, disable the "Microsoft CRM-Fax Router Service" since it is no longer needed in 4.0

     

    2. Microsoft CRM 3.0 Professional to 4.0 32 bit edition:

     

    – Ensure that Microsoft CRM 3.0 is running on SQL Server 2005.  If not, upgrade the SQL Server 2000 to 2005 first since Microsoft CRM 4.0 Server requires Microsoft SQL Server 2005.  Microsoft CRM 3.0 Server supports both SQL Server 2000 and 2005.  Microsoft CRM 3.0 Server is not supported on Windows Server 2008 - so don't upgrade the Microsoft CRM 3.0 Server Windows Operating System to 2008 prior to the upgrade. 

     

    3. Microsoft CRM 3.0 Professional to 4.0 64 bit edition:


    – Microsoft CRM 3.0 Server does NOT support 64 bits, but Microsoft CRM 4.0 does

     

    – Need to upgrade Microsoft CRM 3.0 Server to 4.0 32 bit edition first (see 2. above)

     

    – Then migrate (via the new 4.0 Import Organization in the Deployment Manager) the upgraded Microsoft CRM 4.0 32 bit edition to your new Windows Server 2003 or 2008 64 bit edition environment

     

     

    General upgrade notes:

     

    ·        All three license versions of the Microsoft CRM 4.0 (Workgroup, Professional and Enterprise) work on all supported platforms.  Check with your Microsoft CRM Partner on the best version to upgrade to.  If you have 3rd Party software installed, check with the 3rd Party software vendor for their 4.0 support, and if going 64 bits – their 64 bits support

     

    ·        Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 is officially supported to run on a computer that is running Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 and Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V in production systems.  Please review Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 946600 and for Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 957054.  Please review the software support on a computer that is running non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software on the Knowledge Base Articles.

     

    ·        Backup, backup, backup - last thing you want is a failed upgrade and no way to recover; people can get fired for this!  I would highly recommend keeping your production Microsoft CRM 3.0 environment intact and performing the Microsoft CRM 4.0 on new server(s).  This way, if the upgrade fails for whatever reason, all you have to do is turn on the existing Microsoft CRM 3.0 environment and be back in operation without any worries. 

     

    ·        Use the Microsoft CRM 3.0 Redeployment Tool to properly migrate a "copy" (all the configuration and data) of the current Microsoft CRM 3.0 environment to another enviornment.  The Redeployment Tool is located in the Microsoft CRM 3.0 Server CD's subfolder "RedeploymentTool".  Microsoft CRM 3.0 is not supported on Windows Server 2008.  Besure to read the instructions included in the "RedeploymentTool" subfolder and follow the directions so it doesn't impact your currrent environment

     

    ·        Test, test, test - especially if this is your first time performing the 4.0 upgrade, be sure to practice the upgrade in a test environment so you could experience all the glory details involved prior to upgrading your production 3.0 environment.  After the technical portion of the test upgrade is successful, ask your end users to login to the test environment and validate their current processes on it to minimize surprises.  If you have custom SDK functions, validate them, especially if you had deployed "unsupported" ones

     

    ·        For the Microsoft CRM Outlook Client upgrade, I'd recommend completely uninstalling the Microsoft CRM 3.0 Outlook Client and then reinstall with the Microsoft CRM 4.0 Outlook Client.  If you have any 3.0 Offline Outlook Clients, ensure that they have switched to Online prior to the upgrade.  Also, a good practice would be to apply the latest Windows and Office update on the Microsoft CRM Outlook Client PC

     

     

     

     
    오후 12:37 | 댓글 달기 | 고유 링크(Permalink) | 스크랩 | Microsoft CRM Update
    2007-06-28

    Updates: Update Rollup 2 and 3 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 (KB 927751)

    Last update: 3/17/08
     
     
    Here are the links to the latest public updates available for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 and the approch I'd recommend for applying these updates:
     
    1. Upgrade all the Microsoft CRM 3.0 Outlook Clients to "V3C" if you haven't done so yet.  This is highly recommended.  All new Microsoft CRM Outlook Clients installation should be installed using "V3C".  Download the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 Client for Microsoft Office Outlook Compatibility Update "V3C" via the following link: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=740e1b3b-11c3-4aef-b2e3-8309e0cf1bb0&DisplayLang=en
     
    2. Update both the Microsoft CRM 3.0 Server and all the Outlook Clients with the Update Rollup 2 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 (KB 927751).  Download the Update Rollup 2 via the following link:
     
    As of 3/17/08 3. Update Rollup 3 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 (KB 935364) is available, please apply Update Rollup 3 after Update Rollup 2 (Update Rollup 2 is a prerequisite for Update Rollup 3) to the Microsoft CRM 3.0 Server and all Outlook Clients.  You can download Update Rollup 3 via this link:
     
     
    Notes: 
      
    • Update Rollup 2 and Update Rollup 3 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 support both version of Microsoft CRM 3.0 Outlook Clients "V3" and "V3C".  However, I'd highly recommend upgrading all existing "V3" to "V3C".

     

     

    As a good practice, always backup your Microsoft CRM environment prior to any updates, check out the following Microsoft CRM Backup link:
    http://www.microsoft.com/dynamics/crm/using/deploy/backup.mspx

     
     
     
     

    오전 9:21 | 댓글 달기 | 고유 링크(Permalink) | 스크랩 | Microsoft CRM Update
    2007-03-04

    Update: Daylight Saving Time (DST) Changes for Microsoft CRM 3.0

    Beginning in 2007, daylight saving time (DST) will be extended in the United States. DST will start on March 11, 2007, which is three weeks earlier than usual, and it will end on November 4, 2007, which is one week later than usual. This results in a new DST period that is four weeks longer than in previous years.  This will affect Microsoft CRM 3.0 and update is available.
     
     
    1. General Microsoft environment (Windows Operating System, Office, SQL Server, Exchange, etc.) is updated to support DST change, check out the following link:
    http://support.microsoft.com/gp/cp_dst or work with your IT partner.
     
    2. For Microsoft CRM 3.0, download the following two updates: Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 Time Zone Data Updates (KB 925874) and Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 Update Time Zones Wizard (KB 932984) from the following link:
     
    • Apply KB 925874, comes with two files - one for applying on the Microsoft CRM Server and one for the Microsoft CRM Outlook Client, instructions are in the KB article

     

    • Apply KB 932984, comes with one file - for applying on the Microsoft CRM Server, instructions are in the KB article - besure to run the "Microsoft.Crm.SE.TimeZoneSettings.exe"
     

    Note: 
     

     

     

    • DST update is NOT available for Microsoft CRM v1.2, only available for v3.0.  Since v1.2 is no longer supported at this time.
     

    오전 11:45 | 댓글 달기 | 댓글 읽기(1개) | 고유 링크(Permalink) | 스크랩 | Microsoft CRM Update
    2007-01-22

    Updates: Update Rollup 1 and Outlook Client "V3C"

    Last update: 6/28/07
     
    Update Rollup 2 is now available, use Update Rollup 2 going forward.
     
     
     
     
    Last update: 4/7/2007
     
    Here are the links to the latest public updates available for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 and the approch I'd recommend for applying these updates:
     
    1. Update the Microsoft CRM 3.0 Server with the Update Rollup 1
    Download the Update Rollup 1 via the following link:
     
     
    Note: No need to apply the Update Rollup 1 for the Microsoft CRM Outlook Clients, but instead apply the following "V3C":
     
     
    2. Upgrade all the Microsoft CRM 3.0 Outlook Clients to "V3C"
    Download the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 clients for Microsoft Office Outlook Compatibility Update via the following link:
     
     
    3. Update Daylight Saving Time (DST) on Microsoft CRM 3.0 Server and Microsoft CRM 3.0 Outlook Clients:
     
     
    Notes:
     
    • "V3C" will detect your exiting Microsoft CRM Outlook client and will perform an upgrade.  It supports both Vista and Office 2007, plus backward compatible with Windows 2000/XP and Office XP/Office 2003!

     

    • All new Microsoft CRM Outlook clients installation should be installed with "V3C"

     

     
    4. Review Hotfix below and apply only if needed. 
     
    Popular Hotfix:
    Issue: "Microsoft Office Outlook has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience."
    Action: Request this Microsoft CRM Hotfix 931270 via CustomerSource, apply it only to systems that are experiencing this specific issue. This hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next Microsoft Dynamics CRM service pack that contains this hotfix.
    Note: This problem is also corrected in an update for the 2007 daylight saving time (DST) changes. As a good practice, always apply publicly available updates first (since it received more testing) that could resolve the issue(s) prior to requesting Hotfix.
     
     
     
     

    오후 11:06 | 댓글 달기 | 고유 링크(Permalink) | 스크랩 | Microsoft CRM Update