Microsoft® Dynamics CRM 2011 Administration Bible

Chapter 3. Architecting Your CRM System

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Planning your deployment and architecture design considerations

• Understanding server roles and configurations

• Installing and upgrading the Dynamics CRM server

• Preparing for external access

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 is unique in the CRM marketplace because it is just as likely to be deployed for a 5,000-user multinational corporation as for a local business with 20 employees. It is really quite remarkable that its architecture and extensibility make it affordable and flexible for both of these types of deployments, as well as the range of possible deployments in between.

Because addressing all of the potential architectural scenarios and considerations would be difficult, the goal of this chapter is to provide insight and guidance that will be important for the most common deployment scenarios. Whether you are deploying Dynamics CRM for a Microsoft hosting partner, a small non-profit organization, or a large enterprise, this chapter contains information that is important as you plan your implementation strategy.

Note

This chapter covers planning and installing the Dynamics CRM server. Installation of additional components, such as the E-mail Router and the Outlook client are detailed in Chapter 4.

When starting your deployment, consider the analogy of building a house: before the first brick is laid an architect carefully drafts a blueprint, the building site is prepared, and appropriate tools and building materials are assembled. ...