Microsoft Dynamics CRM @ Joris Kalz's WebLog

Improving Microsoft Dynamics CRM Performance and Securing Data with Microsoft SQL Server 2008

Joris Kalz — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 02:46:16 GMT

Initiated by the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Engineering for Enterprise Team a new document has been released, which shows the different techniques you can use to further improve the performance of Microsoft Dynamics CRM by using SQL Server 2008. In summary, the results of the testing efforts demonstrate that the SQL 2008 features like Compression, Filtered Indexes, Sparse Columns, Backup Compression can significantly improve the application performance of both SQL Server 2008 and Dynamics CRM 4.0 while resulting in space savings. Download the document here:

Improving Microsoft Dynamics CRM Performance and Securing Data with Microsoft SQL Server 2008

Update Rollup 2 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM available

Joris Kalz — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 20:54:00 GMT

Update Rollup 2 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM is now available:

KB article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/959419

Download center page: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=aa671769-61e9-45c4-919f-c88199aa4241

Windows Azure and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Services

Joris Kalz — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:08:00 GMT

For quite a while now we have heard Microsoft talk about the next shift in the software industry and we have called it our Software + Services (S+S) strategy, also known simply as cloud computing.

And today, chief software architect Ray Ozzie announced Windows Azure, a cloud operating system that serves as the development and run-time environment for the Azure Services Platform. While this is definitely interesting in itself, I would like to point out, that Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online will be part of the Azure Services Platform.

This leads Microsoft to a very unique position compared to other competitors in the CRM space. Unlike them, we are offering Microsoft Dynamics CRM on-premise and we have a service offering with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, but also we offer a complete service platform that allows developers to create any type of application and they don't have to stay within the boundaries of CRM-related applications.

If you are interested in cloud computing and why this is related to Microsoft Dynamics CRM I highly recommend you to watch the on-demand webcast of the PDC keynote (750kbps).

More interesting stuff:
Windows Azura Videos:
http://channel9.msdn.com/posts/Charles/Manuvir-Das-Introducing-Windows-Azure/
http://channel9.msdn.com/posts/Charles/Steve-Marx-Windows-Azure-for-Developers/

Other links:
Azure for web developers, Azure for corporate developers, Azure for ISV, Azure for system, integrators, Azure for business, Windows Azure

Microsoft Dynamics CRM JScript Export Tool

Joris Kalz — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:04:56 GMT

I recently had to transfer several customizations to a different CRM installation. While Microsoft Dynamics CRM offers an export and import functionality, in this case I just wanted to select specific client side customizations. However, manually grabbing all jscript code is a little bit time consuming. Instead, I wrote a few lines of code to export all jscript code without annoying interaction.

The code is pretty straight forward, so feel free to modify. You can download the VS 2008 project here: Microsoft Dynamics CRM Jscript Export Tool

Before you start this tool, you have to change the app.config according to your CRM installation:

After running the tool, all client side jscript will be stored at the declared output folder.

The result will be a list of all entities containing jscript separated by event type and further by form and field events.

Hopefully you like this tool. In the final stage of this tool, it will be even possible to write changes back to Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

CRM 4.0 RTM VPC, Tools and Sample Data

Joris Kalz — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 04:55:00 GMT

Thanks to Michael Rich the new VPC Image is now available as a download. In addition there is a great demonstration tool, which helps you to prepare your demo environment and demo data. The VPC image is a one computer setup including Microsoft CRM 4.0 and associated Microsoft Dynamics CRM clients for Microsoft Office Outlook and Microsoft Internet Explorer.

The base language is English and the following language packs are already installed: German, French, Danish and Dutch, However, you can easily add other language packs by downloading them here. Beside the basic infrastructure components the image contains Microsoft Office Professional 2007, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, Microsoft Performance Point Server and Microsoft Office Communication Server to help you to demo the overall Microsoft value proposition.

But please keep in mind: Much more important than just a good demo platform are your skills to prepare and execute a software demo. There is fortunately a good book, which explains the art of demonstrating software in a very impressive way. By using the right demoing methods and by avoiding common pitfalls you can easily improve the quality of your software demonstrations and win more customers.

Learn more about this great book at amazon: Demonstrating to Win!

Best regards from Whistler

Product keys v4.0 available on Microsoft TechNet

Joris Kalz — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:19:13 GMT

In case you haven't noticed: I just stumbled upon the product keys on TechNet. It looks like they are now available.

Updated Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 SDK

Joris Kalz — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 01:33:00 GMT

Via E-Mail from Amy:

The Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 SDK download package has been updated. Version 4.0.1 includes several important changes:

The Plug-in walkthrough in the CHM has been updated to match the readme that is included in the SDK\Walkthroughs folder.
The Readme file in the SDK\tools\deployworkflowtool folder has been corrected.
Additional sample code has been added in the Scripting Sample Code topic.
New content has been added to the URL Addressable Forms topic.

CRM 4.0 plug-in registration tool

Joris Kalz — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:04:00 GMT

Great posting from Jonas about an update regarding the CRM 4.0 plug-in registration tool. Continue reading: http://blogs.msdn.com/jonasd/archive/2008/01/12/access-denied-when-using-pluginregistration-tool.aspx

Plug-in development and registration is a much more powerfull in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 compared to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0. The Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 SDK ships with two tools helping you to register your plug-ins. Jonas added a smart improvement, he simple added a new property and once checked default credentionals are used when connection to discovery and crm webservice.

Localization Wave 1 has been completed

Joris Kalz — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 18:38:00 GMT

The Microsoft Dynamics CRM Team just announced that ALL of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 WAVE 1 Languages (English, German, Spanish, French and Dutch) are now released and available for download! This includes both the language version plus the language packs. Wave 2 will be Simplified Chinese, Danish, Finnish, and Italian. The delivery date for all Wave 2 languages is currently scheduled for January 29th. We will continue to trickle out languages as they are available.

Great work!

PS: Some of you asked, if everything is fine with me. Don't worry, this is my last boring-list-of-download-posting, before I will write about using Silverlight to visualize relationships in Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

English

90-Day Trial Version Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Readme
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Language Pack Readme
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 for Microsoft Office Outlook (For On-Premise and Hosted Editions) Readme
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Data Migration Manager Readme
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 E-mail Router (On-Premise and Hosted Editions) Readme
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Implementation Guide

German

Spanish

French

Dutch

Dutch Language Pack available

Joris Kalz — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 22:15:00 GMT

Direct link:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=nl&FamilyID=50761e58-6040-4cf3-853a-f5ab535f7194

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Live announced

Joris Kalz — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 16:20:00 GMT

Bill Patterson just announced Microsoft Dynamics CRM Live:
http://blogs.msdn.com/crm/archive/2008/01/09/choice-begins-today.aspx

First language packs now available

Joris Kalz — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:04:00 GMT

The Microsoft Dynamics CRM Team today announced that the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 English, German and Spanish language packs are now available for download.