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How to configure a live CRM Backup? RRS feed

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    Hi everyone,

       I am looking to configure a complete backup for our CRM 4.0 Server. The primary server has both SQL 2005 and CRM 4.0 installed. I have a backup server with identical hardware/software and I want it to be a backup so that if the primary server has a complete hardware failure, users can simply reconfigure their CRM Outlook Clients to point to the backup server.

       This means that I need 2 way SQL replication between the primary and backup server. I have read extensively on how to try and set this up, but being new to SQL server, I have difficulty understanding.

       The other issue that I have is: in what order do I set up the backup server? Do I:

    1. Install SQL 2005
    2. Set up replication
    3. perform replication
    4. install CRM 4
    5. Point CRM 4 to the existing SQL database

       Is this the correct order? I am unsure how to do step 5...

    If anyone has done this I would greatly appreciate your help. If anyone knows of a step by step guide that can be understood by someone who is new to SQL, this would aslo be invaluble.

    Thanks in advance,

    Al
    Monday, July 21, 2008 3:43 PM

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    Larry as always has a good approach.

     

    At a hosted CRM 3.0 deployment at a Data Center, we spread the components out.

     

    I know you have a "All Eggs in one basket" type of deployment, but if you virtualized the environemt then you might have more of a chance to get backup and running.  Especially if you have a connector like somthing from Nolan Bridge that could possible be connected to an ERP system.

     

    At the data center the Virtualization scheme worked quit well when a Dell hot fix caused the application server to BSOD.  We had a copy of the VM we had made with all the customizations loaded so we just started up the CRM Application server and straight away we were in business.

     

    If you are putting both the database and the CRM server together then perhaps you do not have many users so the virtualization path may work for you.   But don't starve the VM.  Give it the I/O and memory it needs for the look an feel of a real server.

     

     

    Friday, July 25, 2008 7:19 AM
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    You might want to consider database MIRRORING instead of regular replication. Here is an exerpt from the 70-431 certification exam study guide (MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70–431)—Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Implementation and Maintenance), Chapter 17.

     

    "Database mirroring is a new Microsoft SQL Server 2005 availability technology that lets you maintain a hot or warm standby server with automatic failover and no data latency. Database mirroring, available currently as an evaluation feature that you enable by using a trace flag, operates at the database level to provide a duplicate copy of data on a mirror database and server. This chapter introduces you to database mirroring, which will be included as a supported feature of SQL Server 2005 in a future service pack, and it explains each operating mode that you can configure for this long-awaited feature."
    Wednesday, July 23, 2008 4:56 AM
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    Larry as always has a good approach.

     

    At a hosted CRM 3.0 deployment at a Data Center, we spread the components out.

     

    I know you have a "All Eggs in one basket" type of deployment, but if you virtualized the environemt then you might have more of a chance to get backup and running.  Especially if you have a connector like somthing from Nolan Bridge that could possible be connected to an ERP system.

     

    At the data center the Virtualization scheme worked quit well when a Dell hot fix caused the application server to BSOD.  We had a copy of the VM we had made with all the customizations loaded so we just started up the CRM Application server and straight away we were in business.

     

    If you are putting both the database and the CRM server together then perhaps you do not have many users so the virtualization path may work for you.   But don't starve the VM.  Give it the I/O and memory it needs for the look an feel of a real server.

     

     

    Friday, July 25, 2008 7:19 AM
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    Thanks for the options, but for us, a VM is not what we want, although, it might be a good idea for some other apps we use.

    Does anyone have a concrete answer to my initial question? i.e., how to properly set up 2 way replication, and how do I install CRM on the backup server and point it to the existing database (the backup)? Thanks

    Al
    Tuesday, July 29, 2008 2:54 PM
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    you can use redeployment wizard to install and point for backup server

     

    Regards,

    Imran

     

     

    Thursday, July 31, 2008 9:57 AM
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