Microsoft Dynamics crm planning Guide

Supported configurations

Active Directory requirements

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  The computer that runs Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server and the computer that runs SQL Server, where the Microsoft Dynamics CRM databases are located, must be in the same Active Directory domain.
  
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  The Active Directory domain where the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server is located must run in Windows 2000 native, Windows Server 2003 interim, Windows Server 2003 native, or any Windows Server 2008domain modes.
  
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  The Active Directory forest where the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server is located can run in Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003 interim, or Windows Server 2003 forest modes.
  
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  The accounts that are used to run the Microsoft Dynamics CRM services must be in the same domain as the computer that is running Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server.
  
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  The Microsoft Dynamics CRM security groups (UserGroup, PrivUserGroup, SQLAccessGroup, ReportingGroup, PrivReportingGroup) must be in a single OU. However, the OU does not have to be in the same domain as the computer that is running Microsoft Dynamics CRM.
  
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  For users who access Microsoft Dynamics CRM from another domain, a one-way trust must exist in which the domain where the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server is located trusts the domain where the users are located.
  

If you are not using the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Connector for SQL Server Reporting Services, a two-way trust is required for users in other domains to run reports successfully.

Single-server deployment

There is one limitation to single-server deployments: the server cannot also function as a domain controller, unless it is running Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition R2. If the computer is a member server (not functioning as a domain controller), a single-server configuration is also supported on Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008editions.

Except for Microsoft Windows Small Business Server, Microsoft Dynamics CRM is not supported when you install it on an Active Directory domain controller.

Multiple-server deployment

Server roles

You cannot install a new server role on a computer that already has a server role installed. To add a role to a server, you must first uninstall the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server, and then install all the roles that you want on that server. Because the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Connector for SQL Server Reporting Services is not installed by Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server Setup, it does not have to be uninstalled before you install new server roles.

Except for the SQL Server and SRS Data Connector server roles, installing server roles on separate computers is available only with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Enterprise.

Note

You cannot explicitly select the SQL Server "role" for installation during server Setup. This is a logical role that SQL Server sets when you specify a particular instance of SQL Server for use in the Microsoft Dynamics CRM deployment.

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  Deployment: Each instance of the server role services the entire deployment.
  
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  Organization: Each instance of the server role services an organization. Therefore, you can use deploy a different server role instance for a given organization.
  

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  Individual, Group, or Full: You can install the role individually (by using the command prompt), or as a part of a server role group or a full server installation (all roles) during Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server Setup. The Application Server Role Group and Platform Server Role Group options are available when you do a custom installation during Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server Setup.
  
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  srsDataConnectorSetup.exe: You can install the role by using Microsoft Dynamics CRM Connector for SQL Server Reporting Services Setup.
  

Install server role groupings by running Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server Setup

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  Application Server Role Group. Microsoft Dynamics CRM Web user interface and services.
  
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  Platform Server Role Group. Asynchronous services, such as the Workflow and Bulk E-mail services.
  

For information about how to install Microsoft Dynamics CRM at the command prompt, including server role installation, see "Use the Command Prompt to install Microsoft Dynamics CRM" in the Installing Guide.

The computer or computers that run the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server roles and the computer that is running SQL Server should be on the same LAN. This is because of the large amount of network traffic passing between the computers. The same is true with Active Directory. The computer or computers on which Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server and the Active Directory domain controller are running should be on the same LAN to guarantee efficient Active Directory access to Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

SQL Server and Active Directory domain controller placement

The same is true for Active Directory because Microsoft Dynamics CRM depends on it for security information. If communication with Active Directory is lost, Microsoft Dynamics CRM will not function correctly. If communication with Active Directory is inefficient, Microsoft Dynamics CRM performance will be affected. Therefore, it is important to put an Active Directory domain controller on the same high-speed, permanent network connection as the Microsoft Dynamics CRM and SQL Server computers.

Support for multiple-server topologies

Two-server (team) topology

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  Computer 1: Running on Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, or Windows 2000 Server as a functioning domain controller. If the computer is running on Windows Server 2003, it may also have Exchange Server 2003 installed.
  
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  Computer 2: Running on Windows Server 2008or Windows Server 2003, with instances of SQL Server 2005, SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services, and Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0.
  

Five-server (division) topology

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  Computer 1: Running on Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003 or Windows 2000 Server as a functioning domain controller.
  
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  Computer 2: Running on Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003 or Windows 2000 Server as a secondary domain controller.
  
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  Computer 3: Running on Windows Server 2008or Windows Server 2003 with an instance of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0.
  
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  Computer 4: Running on Windows Server 2008or Windows Server 2003, with instances of Microsoft SQL Server 2005, and SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services.
  
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  Computer 5: Running on Windows Server 2008or Windows Server 2003, with Exchange Server, and the E-mail Router installed.
  

Basic Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 five-server topology

Multi-forest and multi-domain Active Directory topology

Forest A: Parent Domain

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  Computer 1: Running on Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, or Windows 2000 Server as a functioning domain controller.
  
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  Computer 2: Running on Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, or Windows 2000 Server as a secondary domain controller.
  
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  Computer 3: Running on Windows Server 2008or Windows Server 2003 with an instance of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0.
  
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  Computer 4: Running on Windows Server 2008or Windows Server 2003 with an instance of SQL Server 2005.
  
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  Computer 5: Running on Windows Server 2008or Windows Server 2003 with an instance of SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services
  
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  Computer 6: Running on Windows Server 2008or Windows Server 2003, with Exchange Server, and the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 E-mail Router installed.
  

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  Computer 7: Running on Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, or Windows 2000 Server as a functioning domain controller.
  
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  Computer 8: Running on Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, or Windows 2000 Server as a secondary domain controller.
  
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  Computer 9: Running on Windows Server 2008or Windows Server 2003 with an instance of Exchange Server.
  

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  Computer 10: Running on Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, or Windows 2000 Server as a functioning domain controller.
  
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  Computer 11: Running on Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, or Windows 2000 Server as a secondary domain controller.
  
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  Computer 12: Running on Windows Server 2008or Windows Server 2003 with an installation of Exchange Server.
  

Multi-forest with client Internet access

Internet access to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 topology example

Multiple-domain and cross-forest implications

When you install Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server in a mixed-mode domain, the Microsoft Dynamics CRM groups are created by using global scope. Therefore, resources that must be added to the Microsoft Dynamics CRM groups, such as users or a computer that is running Exchange Server, must be located in the same domain. Active Directory global groups do not support adding resources from another domain.

Tasks for a native-mode domain with users in a mixed-mode domain

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  Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Reporting Services are deployed in a domain that is a Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003 native-mode domain.
  
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  Microsoft Dynamics CRM is set up to use pre-created existing system groups that have the Active Directory group type Universal Security.
  
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  Some Microsoft Dynamics CRM users are in a mixed-mode trusted domain.
  

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  To create the domain local security group with users from the mixed-mode trusted domain, follow these steps:
  

For users from mixed-mode domains to access Microsoft Dynamics CRM, the Microsoft Dynamics CRM security groups must be created as Domain Local.

The Microsoft Dynamics CRM security groups cannot be Global Security groups.

Users in a Windows NT mixed-mode domain cannot be added as Microsoft Dynamics CRM users because Windows NT mixed-mode domains are not supported. To resolve this issue, you must upgrade the Windows NT mixed-mode domain level to at least a Windows 2000 mixed mode. If you are upgrading a Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 deployment with users in a Windows NT mixed-mode domain, you must update the domain level before you run Setup.

1. 
   On the computer where Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server is installed, open Active Directory Users and Computers.
   
2. 
   Create a Domain Local Security Group named MixedModeCRMUsers in the domain where Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server is installed.
   
3. 
   Add all Microsoft Dynamics CRM users located in a trusted mixed-mode domain to this group.
   
4. 
   Assign the browser for Microsoft Dynamics CRM role to the MixedModeCRMUsers group in SQL Server Reporting Services. To do this, follow these steps:
   

1. 
   On the default Web site where Reporting Services is installed, start a Web browser and open the Reports folder by using the following path:
   

2. 
   Click the Properties tab, and then click the Your_Org_Name_mscrm folder.
   

In this step, Your_Org_Name represents the company name that you entered during Microsoft Dynamics CRM Setup.

3. 
   In the left column, click Security.
   
4. 
   Click New Role Assignment, and then type the MixedModeCRMUsers group name in the Group or user name box, and then click Browser for Microsoft Dynamics CRM in the Role column.
   
5. 
   Click OK, and close the Web page.
   

5. 
   Add the MixedModeCRMUsers group to the Logins on the SQL Server installation where the Microsoft Dynamics CRM databases are located. The MixedModeCRMUsers group must have the same permissions for the Microsoft Dynamics CRM databases as the ReportingGroup group.