How to synchronize data in two MS Dynamics CRM servers?

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Hi,

We have two MS Dynamics CRM servers configured in two SQL servers, the solutions in both servers are same.

CRM Server 1 is for end users and keeps receiving new inputs, then:

what's the best way to synchronize the data in Server 2 with Server 1?

Our previous try, which is unsupported and incorrect, is to replicate the Server 1 SQL DB and bring it into Server 2 SQL DB (only replicate the DB for CRM data, not MSCRM_CONFIG). Since the organization ID is different in Server 2, Server 2 was down after this operation.

In this case, is there any way to save the Server 2?

The original Server 2 DB was gone and cannot be rollback.

Thanks in advance.

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Patric 342 on at

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Hello,

I am not sure why do you need to do this unless you have specific reason to do this other than backup,

Typically the server architecture should be 2 application server load balanced with 1 SQL server and you can have SQL Server data backed up to another server externally, the 2 application server should be pointing to SQL only.

For the application server customization and solution should be backed up manually/automatically from your end or there are several softwares available for the server clone backup

because having two SQL server wont help in the event of DR, the server privilege groups are created in SQL db which will create complication while restoring.

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Patric 342 on at

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You can try

1. Create standard two DB in the server

2. bakup data from other SQL server

3. reinstall application and choose intall into existing db

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Farhan Syed 1,156 on at

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Hi Chenlin Ye,

Is the Server 2 in a production environment ?

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Community Member on at

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Server 1 is in a production environment, Server 2 is in development but the report team need it have all real data to develop reports.

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Michael Hammons on at

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Hello Chenlin,

The challenge is Dynamics CRM is not just a database in the traditional sense. There are lots of metadata properties, security, views and related entities that are required for the system to run properly; and that means it's not a good idea to just "copy" data from one system to another.

If you want to keep two different Dynamics CRM systems "in sync" you will need to replicate the data and that requires using the API/SDK. You basically have three options:

1. Develop your own "replication" engine through code. This is possible but, would require a fair amount of development effort.

2. Do what Patric suggests. This is simply making a backup of Server 1 and then Restoring as a separate instance on Server 2. I have found for a dev/prod setup like yours this is not really all that ideal. If anything is done to Server 2 that is different than Server 1, it wipes all that out on the restore.

3. Use a 3rd party tool that can handle this for you. There are a number of tools like this available. We have a lot of success with one called Scribe Software. They have two offerings, one is on-premise based, and the other is a hosted SaaS service. In both cases you can easily setup a replication "job" to keep two or more Dynamics CRM systems in sync. www.scribesoft.com/Online

We use it to a lot to make a copy of a CRM Online instance to an on-premise database for easier reporting and analytics. The Scribe application works equally well for replicating two on-premise databases.

There are a few other similar 3rd party applications; CozyRoc, Informatica, Jitterbit, KingswaySoft, to name a few.

Mike

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ScottDurow 21 on at

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There are number of solutions depending on how regularly and how automated you want the 'sync' to be.

1. Simply backup your production database, and then restore to your development database server. You can then manually use the import organization wizard in the CRM2011 deployment management console. This option is going to be your easiest option if you don't mind doing the import manually - you could script the backup/restore.

2. Use a product such as http://www.simego.com/ or Scribe to copy your data on a regular basis from your Production server to your dev server. This essentially keeps the data in sync and will work if you need the dev instance data to always up to date.

3. Use the Microsoft Instance Adaptor for CRM2011 - www.microsoft.com/.../details.aspx however this does not support N:N relationships or attachments.

hth

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Mohammad Atif on at

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Please see blogs.msdn.com/.../microsoft-dynamics-crm-and-sql-server-2012-better-together.aspx and leverage SQL 2012 for this data sync between two CRM databases hosted on two different instances of SQL server

Thanks,

Mohammad

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Community Member on at

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Thank you all!

I then use the deployment manager to import the DB as a new Organization. In the long-term view, I'll do as Patric's suggestion.

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