Disaster Recovery and MS Dynamics CRM

Is your backup solution correctly backing up all FOUR of the CRM Databases, the WorkFlow Rules (housed on the server), the Customizations and more?

How do you know?

Did you know that not all backup software can backup MS SQL databases? Are you backing up the SQL databases?

If your server died today and your IT firm/department recovered it would CRM recovery correctly?

What if you had three people OFFLINE with CRM data in their local MSDE database, AND you had to roll back the central CRM databases by 10 hours (last nights backup). Would you have an issue?

What would happen when the OFFLINE clients went back online (synching to the central database)?

Comments

[Pete]

Anne -- If you had to rollback to a backup taken prior to taking your clients offline you would be fine. The Server does not hold information in regards to who is currently offline and who is not. When the clients go online again they playback all data in their playback queue (Offlinequeue). If you had to rollback to a backup taken prior to creating client subscriptions you would have a problem. However calling the CRM Support team would definately help.. If there was crucial data in the local MSDE DB you would be able to delete your subscription keys on the client thus allowing to hook up with the SQL DB -- again as all data changes are in the offlinequeue table they would simply be uploaded upon connecting. If you have HOURS of extra time play around with this and test it.

Cheers,
HNP

[Marcus Solorio]

Wow!
We are currently looking at CRM and this is the kind of post that helps develop a full and comprehensive focus on this topic (DR).

Thanks Anne!
Marcus