Install Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 Server on multiple servers
You can install multiple Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 servers in order to balance the processing load across several servers. With multiple servers, you can also implement departmental Microsoft CRM systems that still have access to the same Microsoft CRM database.
Note This article does not apply to implementations that involve Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 and Microsoft CRM 3.0 Small Business Edition.
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Multiple server configuration
The base configuration for a Microsoft CRM 3.0 system is described in the Microsoft CRM 3.0 Implementation Guide, available on the Microsoft Download Center: www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=1ff067f8-4f77-40f0-ae9c-68ada7d4f16a&DisplayLang=en
The following diagram expands on the base configuration described in the Microsoft CRM 3.0 Implementation Guide by adding an additional Microsoft CRM server.
The configuration uses separate computers that are running the required components of a Microsoft CRM implementation that includes Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Exchange Server, and a Microsoft Active Directory domain controller. This configuration also has multiple Microsoft CRM servers accessing a single server running Microsoft SQL Server and a single server running Microsoft Exchange Server.
Installing the Microsoft CRM base configuration
Using the instructions in the Microsoft CRM 3.0 Implementation Guide, install, configure, and verify the correct operation of a Microsoft CRM system.
Important Do not install Microsoft CRM 3.0 at this point. Microsoft CRM will be installed later.
Install the following server components:
| • | Microsoft Windows 2000 Server or Microsoft Windows Server 2003 on all computers (including the computers that will later become the Microsoft CRM servers) |
| • | Active Directory |
| • | Microsoft SQL Server 2000 or Microsoft SQL Server 2005 |
| • | Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services 2000 or Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services 2005
Reporting Services can be installed on its own computer, or on the same computer that is running Microsoft SQL Server. |
| • | Microsoft Exchange Server |
Configuring Active Directory
Configure Active Directory by creating an account to run the CRMAppPool service and use a Service Principle Name (SPN). The SPN uniquely identifies an instance of a running service. Active Directory uses the SPN for mutual authentication of a service instance. This allows the service instance to be correctly authenticated when accessing resources (such as SQL Server Reporting Services) located on other domain member computers. For more information, see Service Principle Names.
In order to create SPNs, you must install the following tools from the Microsoft Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003 CD:
| • | adsiedit.msc is used to enter SPN values for a specific computer or user account. This tool requires adsiedit.dll. |
| • | search.vbs is used to identify if the SPN value is used anywhere else. |
1. | Open Active Directory Users and Computers. |
2. | Create an account to run the CRMAppPool (suggested name is CRMService). |
3. | Close Active Directory Users and Computers. |
4. | Open Windows Explorer, and then open the Program Files\Support Tools folder. |
5. | Double-click adsiedit.msc. |
6. | Expand the domain, expand the node that starts with DC=, and expand CN=Users. |
7. | Right-click the user account under which Microsoft CRM is installed (CRMService), and then click Properties. |
8. | In the Attributes list, scroll down, select servicePrincipalName, and then click Edit. |
9. | In the Value to add box, type HOST/CRMNLMName.FQDN, and then click Add. |
10. | Click OK twice. |
Enabling Network Load Balancing
Enable Network Load Balancing (NLB) on the network and create a server cluster for servers CRM01 and CRM02. The procedures for loading and administering NLB are different for Windows 2000 Server and Windows Server 2003. For information about enabling NLB for the Windows operating system you are using, see the Windows Help.
Installing Microsoft CRM 3.0 servers
Install your first instance of Microsoft CRM 3.0 (CRM01) using the following instruction changes to the procedures in Chapter 15, “Installing Microsoft CRM”, of the Microsoft CRM 3.0 Implementation Guide.
Note Each instance of Microsoft CRM 3.0 in a multi-server deployment must be installed one at a time. For example, complete the installation of CRM01 before you start Setup on CRM02.
1. | On the Select SQL Server page, select the SQL Server that is being used for the Microsoft CRM server installation. Then, select the Create new databases option. |
2. | On the Specify SQL Server Reporting Services Server page, select Connect to existing Report Server. Specify the Report Server installed earlier in this process. |
3. | On the Specify Security Account page, select the Domain user account (for example, CRMService) created previously in step 2. |
4. | Complete the Microsoft CRM Server Setup. |
Install a second instance of Microsoft CRM 3.0 (CRM02) using the following instruction changes to the procedures in Chapter 15 of the Microsoft CRM 3.0 Implementation Guide.
1. | On the License Code Information page, add the license code for this server. You cannot use the same license information that you used for your first Microsoft CRM server (CRM01). You must have a different license for each Microsoft CRM server. |
2. | On the Select SQL Server page, select the same SQL Server that is being used for the Microsoft CRM server installation. Then, select the Connect to existing databases option. |
3. | On the Specify SQL Server Reporting Services Server page, select Connect to existing Report Server and specify the Report Server installed as part of step 1 earlier. |
4. | Complete the Microsoft CRM Server Setup. |
