Upgrade from Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2011

Applies To: Dynamics CRM 2015

You cannot directly upgrade from Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015. However, you can upgrade a Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 deployment in-place by using a valid Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 product key, or migrate by using a Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 trial product key, as an interim step in the upgrade process.

In This Topic

CRM 2015 upgrade best practices

In-place upgrade: Upgrade a CRM 2011 deployment using a valid CRM 2013 product key

Migration upgrade: Upgrade a CRM 2011 deployment by using a CRM 2013 trial product key

CRM 2015 upgrade best practices

• Before you upgrade Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server, make sure all Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook users with go offline capability sync with the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server to send and receive the most recent data.

• Consider migrating the deployment by using a new instance of SQL Server. Although this option requires a different computer for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server and a different instance of SQL Server, it provides the least amount of potential downtime for Microsoft Dynamics CRM users since the existing Microsoft Dynamics CRM deployment can remain functioning until the upgrade is completed and verified.

• When you migrate the deployment from Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015, you can create separate deployments for both CRM 2013 and CRM 2015 at the same time. After the deployments are verified, you can import the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 organizations in to the CRM 2013 deployment and then quickly import them into the CRM 2015 deployment as described in the Migration upgrade: Upgrade a CRM 2011 deployment by using a CRM 2013 trial product key topic below. Since the CRM 2013 deployment is only temporary, the CRM 2013 deployment can be created as a virtual machine.

In-place upgrade: Upgrade a CRM 2011 deployment using a valid CRM 2013 product key

Be aware that following these steps may cause significant application downtime if issues occur during the in-place upgrade of a production Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server. Instead of using an upgrade option that may affect the production deployment, consider migrating your deployment. More information: Upgrade from Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011

1. Make sure the servers running Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2011 meet the minimum hardware and software requirements. More information: Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2015 hardware requirements_deleted and Software requirements for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2015

2. Upgrade the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2011 using a valid product key. To do this, follow the steps in this topic: Upgrade from Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Server

3. Complete post-upgrade tasks such as install Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 Reporting Extensions. After the upgrade: Post-upgrade steps for servers 

4. Apply Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 Service Pack 1 (SP1) to the deployment.

5. If you have Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for Outlook users, upgrade them to CRM 2013 for Outlook. More information: Upgrade Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for Outlook to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 for Outlook 

6. Upgrade the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2013 to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2015. More information: Upgrade from Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 Server 

   Warning

   Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for Outlook is not compatible with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2015. Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for Outlook users must be upgraded to at least CRM 2013 for Outlook for compatibility with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2015.

7. For users who require go offline capability, upgrade CRM 2013 for Outlook to Dynamics CRM 2015 for Outlook. More information: Upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 for Outlook

Migration upgrade: Upgrade a CRM 2011 deployment by using a CRM 2013 trial product key

Notice that when you use a Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 trial product key you cannot upgrade Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2011 in-place. Instead, you must create a new deployment of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 and then migrate your Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 organizations into the new Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 deployment.

1. Create a new deployment. To do this,

   • At least one Windows Server 2012 computer running IIS.

   • Although you can also run SQL Server 2012 on the same computer that is running IIS, we recommend at least one dedicated SQL Server 2012 to use for the database engine.

   • Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server. Download and install Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2013 that is available on the Microsoft Download Center. The trial product keys are included in the download description. More information: Install Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 Full Server role on a server without Microsoft Dynamics CRM installed

   Important

   You cannot in-place upgrade Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2011 to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2013 using a trial product key. You must create a new deployment.

   Trial versions of Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server can be used within a 90-day period before you must enter a valid commercial product key to continue use.

   To make sure the latest updates to the Setup program are applied that help ease upgrading, we strongly recommend that you click Get updates for Microsoft Dynamics CRM during the installation or upgrade.

2. In the new Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2013 trial versioned deployment:

   1. Install Microsoft Dynamics CRM Reporting Extensions.

   2. Apply Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 Service Pack 1.

3. Take the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 production deployment offline. For information about how to disable organizations and servers in Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2011, see the Deployment Manager Help.

4. Import each organization into the new deployment. Organizations will be upgraded during the import. To do this, back up each organization database on the SQL Server that maintains the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 organization databases and restore each database to the new SQL Server. Then, use the Update-CrmOrganization Windows PowerShell command or Deployment Manager to import each organization in to the deployment.

5. Install or upgrade the new trial version to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2015 by following the steps in the Install or upgrade Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server topics.

   Warning

   Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for Outlook is not compatible with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2015. Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for Outlook users must be upgraded to at least CRM 2013 for Outlook for compatibility with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2015.

   If you import (migrate) a Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 organization in to a new CRM 2015 deployment, make a copy of the encryption key for each CRM 2013 organization in the deployment. The key will be required when you import a Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 organization in to a new CRM 2015 deployment. More information: Copy your organization data encryption key

6. In the new Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2015 deployment:

   1. Install Microsoft Dynamics CRM Reporting Extensions.

   2. Import each Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 organization into the new deployment. To do this, use the Update-CrmOrganization Windows PowerShell command or Deployment Manager.

   3. Upgrade optional applications to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015.

      1. In-place upgrade CRM 2013 for Outlook. More information: Upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 for Outlook

      2. Uninstall optional applications that cannot be upgraded in-place, such as Microsoft Dynamics CRM Email Router, and install the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 version as necessary.

   4. Update the appropriate records to the DNS server so that Microsoft Dynamics CRM clients will resolve to the new Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server.

7. Upgrade CRM for Outlook to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013.

   1. In-place upgrade Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 versions of CRM for Outlook to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013. More information: Upgrade Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for Outlook to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 for Outlook.

   Important

   To use Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2015, CRM for Outlook users must have Dynamics CRM 2015 for Outlook or CRM 2013 for Outlook. Although CRM 2013 for Outlook is compatible with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2015, Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for Outlook is not.

8. For users who require go offline capability, upgrade CRM 2013 for Outlook to Dynamics CRM 2015 for Outlook.

See Also

Upgrade from Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 Server
Upgrade Microsoft Dynamics CRM Reporting Extensions

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