Development Matters Blog

When you restore a database from a production environment to a test / dev environment, you should run these scripts to ensure that your database is synchronized with the Application environment and proper object server.

Here are some samples scripts you should run:

Select * from BatchServerGroup
–Update BatchServerGroup set SERVERID = ’01@NewAOS’ where SERVERID = ’02@OldAOS’

Select * from BATCHSERVERCONFIG
–Update BATCHSERVERCONFIG set SERVERID = ’01@NewAOS’ where SERVERID = ’02@OldAOS’

Select * from SYSCLUSTERCONFIG

select * from SYSSERVERCONFIG
–Update SYSSERVERCONFIG set SERVERID = ’01@NewAOS’ where SERVERID = ’02@OldAOS’

Select * from SYSSERVERSESSIONS
–Update SYSSERVERSESSIONS Set AOSID = ’01@NewAOS’, Instance_Name = ’01′ where AOSID = ’02@OldAOS’

Select * from Batch
–Update BATCH set SERVERID = ’01@NewAOS’ where SERVERID = ’02@OldAOS’

select * from SYSCLIENTSESSIONS
–delete SYSCLIENTSESSIONS

Beside these, you should also check the Dynamics database for Enterprise Portal, Analytical Server BI setup and reporting server configuration. This could be done through SQL Server access or trough AX Administration setup.

Here is the list of Forms, tables and Columns which you should check.

List of forms in the Dynamics Databases that holders server specific information

You should also visit this page for further information regarding different scenarios you could need when restoring a Backup of a Microsoft Dynamics AX SQL Database to another Domain or Environment.

You have installed the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 5.0 CTP 3 version on Windows Server 2008 R2. Over time, you have made a lot of customizations – mostly based on Jscript. You decided to add some custom workflows and additional plug-ins for CRM and you decided to install Visual Studio 2010 with latest SP. Installation was finished successfully and you are able to use Visual Studio for development. However, adding web reference in the VS project indicates that the CRM server is not available. When you try to assess it via URL you are getting the configuration error like on the screen bellow:

To resolve the issue follow the next steps:

• Check the Application pull for CRM
  • Select Advanced Settings for CRMAppPool on the IIS server and be sure that it is using appropriate .NET framework version. It should be v4.0.30319.
• Check the CRM site
  • Select Microsoft Dynamics CRM site and the Handler Mappings on the right panel. Check all resources have a valid path (especially those which ends with 64bit). A path should end up with the folder which contains the appropriate dll or managed code defined in the feature. Make sure that appropriate framework version is used. For features which contain 4.0_64bit in name path should point out Framework v4.0.30316
• o Restart ISS and try to access the CRM Server.

Sure Step is a widely applied and proven methodology for Microsoft Dynamics implementations. Its flexibility offers possibilities to adopt parts of the methodology that partners find useful and applicable. Yet, in order to achieve full benefits of Sure Step, it is essential to apply a subset of options that must be used in a given implementation.

Many of the partners that use Sure Step still face issues in their implementation projects and the principal reason for that is failure to fully adopt the procedures and make Sure Step their Core Competence. What is Core Competence? A Core Competence is:

• Something that you do very well
• Something that delivers unique customer benefits
• It is hard for competitors to imitate
• IT IS CONSISTENTLY USED IN YOUR COMPANY

Achieving Core Competence requires continuous effort throughout the Company with substantial Change Management.

Microsoft has offered priceless assistance to companies that want to achieve the core competence in Sure Step. The methodology of adoption is a systematic approach that leads the team to a successful end of the adoption. The adoption process may be facilitated by specially trained facilitators who are trained to make sure the process is well led (never by the facilitator her/himself).

The adoption process begins with the Diagnostic phase that has to confirm the business need first. Then it is necessary to assign a “Champion” who will lead the adoption of Sure Step. The Champion should be selected amongst senior managers and must possess the credibility to lead the initiative. The next step is to form the “V-Team” that will be responsible for assessing, configuring and deploying Sure Step.

The Champion and the V-Team must attend a Sure Step training after which they must be assessed for their proficiency. Finally, the CEO announces the importance of the adoption process and officially assigns the Champion and the V-Team.

The process continues with the Analysis phase during which the V-Team takes the Adoption Self-Assessment provided by Microsoft. The Assessment will indicate the current level of adoption of Sure Step and what needs to be done during the adoption process. It will also indicate what skills must be developed by V-Team members to fulfill their responsibilities.

During the Analysis phase it is also essential to identify the risks during the adoption, to review required investments, to define the expected rewards and return from the adoption along with the ROI plan that will help the CEO to decide whether to continue with the process or not.

The Design phase begins with the redesign of current processes for sales, project implementation and performance management. The Champion and the V-Team explore the Proof of Concept for mapped processes. They also prepare a handbook “What is Sure Step and How to Use It”. The HR manager has to define the learning plans and job descriptions for all the roles defined in the new processes.

The IT department defines the requirements and then has to configure systems and migrate sales data and documents.

Sales readiness is achieved through activities of the Sales and Marketing teams. The Marketing team updates the customer messaging to reflect Sure Step as their new engagement process. The Sales team, after the Sure Step training, runs a pilot of the new Sure Step processes using real customer situations.

Marking the end of the Design phase, the CEO should communicate internally to summarize new processes and stress the importance of Sure Step.

During the Development phase, the custom development work should be completed – configuring existing systems. All the database development for customer data storage must comply with the privacy plans (that also must be created if they don’t exist). All the remaining data and documents must be migrated finishing the work begun with the sales data and documents.

The V-Team now can perform a pilot using real projects uploaded into the system. The Sales team should recommend which projects should be used for the pilot.

The Deployment phase should be started with the CEO’s communication signaling readiness to go live with Sure Step. Now the training is deployed across the company and everybody is ready to apply Sure Step. All the roles who have taken the training should prove their knowledge by using the Sure Step Proficiency Assessment. The HR manager should continuously monitor the ongoing effectiveness of training.

At the very end of the process, the adoption maturity can be measured by re-taking the adoption assessment taken at the beginning of the process and comparing the results. The Company can also measure the customer satisfaction after the adoption.

And don’t forget to communicate through the Company about the progress made to date, the results of everyone’s efforts and the future goals for Sure Step Partner Adoption.