Dynamics 365 – Backup/Restore online CRM instance

Maintaining backup of CRM is always suggestible to save organization(s) from unforeseen errors. Microsoft introduced on demand backups for online CRM instances. Backups can be,

• System backups
  • These are daily backups
  • System backups are retained up to three days – there is Expiration Date for each of the backups taken

• On Demand backups
  • Follow the below steps to take on demand backup of your organization
  • Login to into https://portal.office.com with Global Administrator or System Administrator or Delegated Admin security roles.
  • Navigate to Admin center
  • Expand Admin centers in the left panel and click on Dynamics 365
  • In the BACKUP & RESTORE tab, select the Organization for which backup is needed and click on New backup button.
  • Give a name to you backup and add some notes if needed and click Create.
  • Wait for few minutes for the Backup to be created 0.
    

Restoring Instance

Administrators’ can also restore the instance with the backups available. Restore can only be done to sandbox instance.

To restore in Production instance, first switch to Sandbox instance restore there and switch back to production instance.

Follow the below steps to take on demand backup of your organization

• In the BACKUP & RESTORE tab of Administration Center
• Select the required backup from the list available in the ‘Backup and Restore’ window
• Click on RESTORE.

Points to remember

• Restoring to any instance will swipe the whole organization and create a new instance with the Backup solution.

Upgrading CRM Instance to Dynamics 365

With Microsoft introducing Dynamics 365, System administrators’ can choose when to upgrade the instance.

• In the INSTANCES tab, Click on RESET button to reset
• Choose the target version, you want to upgrade or degrade and save it.
• Wait for 15-20 minutes for CRM to change to the desired version.

Points to remember

• This works for Sandbox instance at the initial stage. If you want to upgrade Production instance, first upgrade Sandbox and then upgrade Production.

A blog from  osmosys