I want to Merge Multiple Dynamics GP 2013 Instances (4 DYNAMICS DBs running in 4 different SQL Server Instances) in to one SQL Instance

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Posted on by Muhammad Imran Ali

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Hi There,

We are using 4 Different Instances of Dynamics GP 2013 (Version 12.00.1538 SP2) with 4 Different Instances of SQL Server 2008 R2 (Because of 4 different DYNAMICS Databases) because i have upgraded 2010 to 2013 recently. I want to know that can I merged all the instances of Dynamics GP 2013 in to One SQL Server Instance as Microsoft provided a feature in Dynamics GP 2013 to Change the Dynamics GP Database Name. Can I Rename the existing DYNAMICS Database name and merged all instances in to one SQL Server Instance?

Thanks

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Beat Bucher GP Gee... 28,058 Moderator on at

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RE: I want to Merge Multiple Dynamics GP 2013 Instances (4 DYNAMICS DBs running in 4 different SQL Server Instances) in to one SQL Instance

Muhammad Imran Ali ,

This is an old thread, but the question was really answered and marked as resolved.

As Mariano Gomez pointed out, this is not an easy feat. But Microsoft had documented in some way how to achieve this and even provides some scripts to help manage the 'renaming' of the DYNAMICS instance system DB on the new server to something else (i.e. DYN02).

I've never tested this scenario, but would think that technically it should work. You still would have to separate the DEX.ini settings file in the client, even if the client is at the same major & minor version for each instance, because that file drives the GP client to which instance of DYNAMICS it should 'talk'..

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/developingfordynamicsgp/2012/09/25/using-the-named-system-database-feature-for-microsoft-dynamics-gp-2013/
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Mariano Gomez 26,225 on at

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RE: I want to Merge Multiple Dynamics GP 2013 Instances (4 DYNAMICS DBs running in 4 different SQL Server Instances) in to one SQL Instance

In order to merge all 4 environments under one SQL Server, you will need to first bring all 4 environments to GP 2013 R2. Named System databases were implemented in 2013 R2 - you are currently running SP2. Subsequently, you will want to install 2013 R2 on your new server and use the Named System Database feature to setup all 4 system databases, i.e., DYN01, DYN02, DYN03, and DYN04. Each instance will need to match the account framework of the corresponding individual instance you will be migrating.

Once you have each instance created, you will follow the steps (were applicable) in KB article 878449 (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/878449/how-to-transfer-an-existing-microsoft-dynamics-gp-microsoft-small-busi) to transfer the databases between servers. You will carefully restore the system database and companies from your old SQL Server instance onto the new system database. You may need to run the Microsoft Dynamics GP Database Maintenance Utility to redeploy all stored procs as there may be procedures created with references, especially at the company level, to "DYNAMICS" and not the new system database.

Repeat the above steps for each instance you will be consolidating onto the new server. Just to be clear, you will end up with 4 Microsoft Dynamics GP client instances too (one for each new system database).

Good luck! Sounds like a fun project :-)
Tim Wappat 5,703 on at

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RE: I want to Merge Multiple Dynamics GP 2013 Instances (4 DYNAMICS DBs running in 4 different SQL Server Instances) in to one SQL Instance

Are you an end user or support partner?

This is not a standard thing to do so if you are an end user you should get your partner involved.

All the records in the destination DYNAMICS database need to syncronised with the records from the various source DYNAMICS databases, things like next note IDS and company set up tables.

Look into any custom or third party products you have running, check if they use DYNAMICS and what is needed to merge their records.

Its a small project but possible but certainly not for the inexperienced or you could get into some big problems. It should be dummy ran on a test copy of your live environments too, running your usual processes to make certain everything is working as it should after the merge.

regards,

Tim.
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RE: I want to Merge Multiple Dynamics GP 2013 Instances (4 DYNAMICS DBs running in 4 different SQL Server Instances) in to one SQL Instance

how do you go about merging all the dynamics databases into one with multiple company databases?
Muhammad Imran Ali 455 on at

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RE: I want to Merge Multiple Dynamics GP 2013 Instances (4 DYNAMICS DBs running in 4 different SQL Server Instances) in to one SQL Instance

Richard Wheeler,

Yes you are absolutely correct.
Richard Wheeler 75,848 Moderator on at

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RE: I want to Merge Multiple Dynamics GP 2013 Instances (4 DYNAMICS DBs running in 4 different SQL Server Instances) in to one SQL Instance

Just to be clear, the end result of this work will be to take the 4 different DYNAMICS databases that exist on 4 different servers under 4 different instances of SQL and to have one server with one instance of SQL with 4 DYNAMICS databases? Is this correct?
Muhammad Imran Ali 455 on at

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RE: I want to Merge Multiple Dynamics GP 2013 Instances (4 DYNAMICS DBs running in 4 different SQL Server Instances) in to one SQL Instance

Frank Hamelly,

Yes you are right, I want to do the same with GP 2013 SP2 (Version 12.00.1538) with already existing 4 DYNAMICS databases. If i rename these database like (DYN01, DYN02,DYN03 and DYN04) and move it in to one SQL Server Instance (Currently they are in 4 different SQL Instances because of same DYNAMICS database name). Is is possible to rename these already existing DYNAMICS database ? If i try to rename these databases then what challenges i might face during this process?

Thanks
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Frank Hamelly | MVP... 46,527 Super User 2025 Season 1 on at

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RE: I want to Merge Multiple Dynamics GP 2013 Instances (4 DYNAMICS DBs running in 4 different SQL Server Instances) in to one SQL Instance

Beginning with GP 2013 R2, you can have multiple system (DYNAMICS) databases in one SQL instance because you can choose a name for the system DB other than DYNAMICS when you install GP. I currently have two instances of GP running on my server - 2013 R2 and 2015. Their system databases are named DYN2013R2 and DYN_GP2015, respectively. I believe this is what you're trying to accomplish, correct Muhammad?

If it were me, rather than renaming the existing DYNAMICS database, I would leave it as named and create 3 other system DBs. It might not hurt to rename it, but I would respect the rule - "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".
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Bill Campbell 12 on at

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RE: I want to Merge Multiple Dynamics GP 2013 Instances (4 DYNAMICS DBs running in 4 different SQL Server Instances) in to one SQL Instance

Muhammad, the DYNAMICS DB does not contain company operational data - it is the control database for the overall management of the Dynamics Companies you have created.

Each instance has to have one and only one DYNAMICS db and then as many individual company databases as is needed for the operation.

If you want to put all 19 companies onto 1 SQL instance you still only need 1 Dynamics database. To accomplish this, you need to follow the advice provided by Richard and Harry on how to create a single DYNAMICS (control) Database.

If you are trying to consolidate your SQL Instances, then I would suggest as by others that you choose one of the instances (my suggestion would be the one with 17 companies) use that as your base. If that is the SQL Server Instance you want to keep, all the better.

With the DYNAMICS db selected, and the 17 COmpany DB's already in place, what you need to do now is create the other 6 (six) company databases using the Dynamics Utilities pointed at this instance. Once they are created, you would then restore the 6 databases from their last backups to the new SQL Instance.

You will likely have to look at the security settings for the 'new' companies once you have moved them since you will not be copying the logins and adjust them as needed.

Hope this helps and adds some clarification to what Harry and Richards (and others) have suggested above.
Muhammad Imran Ali 455 on at

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RE: I want to Merge Multiple Dynamics GP 2013 Instances (4 DYNAMICS DBs running in 4 different SQL Server Instances) in to one SQL Instance

Bill Campbell,

Yes i don't want to merge all companies in to one DYNAMICS database. I want to move 4 Instances of DYNAMICS databases in to ONE SQL Server Instance. I Have 4 Instances of DYNAMICS DBs from Which ONE DYNAMICS have 10 companies, 2nd have 7 companies, 3rd have 1 company and 4th have one company. I just want to move these four instances of DYNAMICS dbs in to ONE SQL Server Instance by Renaming of DYNAMICS DB Databases.