Actually, let me take that back a bit. Part of the complexity was that I had to keep *today's* MSCRM_CONFIG db, but restore an org db from about a month ago. The confusion comes in that the MSCRM_CONFIG deployment db lives on its own and supports any number of CRM organization dbs. I needed to keep the current config db and restore an old org db.
So the accurate answer might be that the backed up copy of the org in question predated the current one. The instance of the CRM_CONFIG db was current, and could not be deleted or restored. (Did I say MSCRM is a beast?) The sandboxed test vm included the current MSCRM_CONFIG db and I figured out how to deal with the errant org db. Once the appropriate procedure was discerned, I nuked the sandbox and fixed the dev environment. On Wed, Sep 11, 2013 at 11:06 PM, Richard Stovall <[email protected]> wrote: > You are right about that for sure. I had to revert the CRM org to roughly > a month ago. > > > On Wed, Sep 11, 2013 at 11:04 PM, Jon Harris <[email protected]> wrote: > >> I believe in this case he may be saying this cloned copy predated the >> current one but I could be wrong. >> >> Jon >> >> ------------------------------ >> From: [email protected] >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: RE: [NTSysADM] In defense of image-based VM backups >> Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2013 02:58:19 +0000 >> >> Couldn't you have just cloned the existing VM to make your sandbox; no VM >> backup required? >> >> DAMIEN SOLODOW >> Systems Engineer >> 317.447.6033 (office) >> 317.447.6014 (fax) >> HARRISON COLLEGE >> ------------------------------ >> *From:* [email protected] [[email protected]] >> on behalf of Richard Stovall [[email protected]] >> *Sent:* Wednesday, September 11, 2013 10:53 PM >> *To:* [email protected] >> *Subject:* [NTSysADM] In defense of image-based VM backups >> >> There was a discussion here a few weeks ago that centered on >> image-based backups for entire VMs vs data-based backups of applications >> only. My recollection is that most of us smaller guys prefer (or at least >> lean toward) the image-based variety, and the bigger, more mature orgs >> prefer data backups. >> >> I'm going to offer an example of the utility of image-based backups for >> small shops. >> >> My IT department consists of one other admin and me. We support a >> fairly complex IT environment for a company of our diminutive size. We >> recently went whole hog into MSCRM (on-premises), and our developers (we >> have more of them than IT staff) are working hard to customize it to suit >> the company's needs. >> >> Today I had to roll back a CRM org database to an earlier point in time >> for the devs, and at first blush it appeared to be a successful endeavor. >> Some funky issues arose, however, so I was faced with a difficult problem >> and no clear direction on how to solve it. (MSCRM is an enormous beast, >> btw.) >> >> Long story short, having the ability to (almost) immediately spin up a >> brand new, sandboxed copy of the CRM server allowed me to experiment and >> figure out how to resolve the problem without touching the one the devs >> actually use. This helped me document the proper fix and apply it in their >> environment in (literally) a few minutes. I could not have done this >> without the benefits of A) virtualization and B) the ability to create an >> exact clone of the affected machine. >> >> There are lots of benefits to virtualization, and private clouds, and >> all of the rest of the buzzwords currently on the IT bingo cards. But, to >> me, the greatest of these accrue to rank and file admins when confronted >> with the kind of situation I faced today. >> >> It's really cool stuff that could not have been accomplished quickly >> without virtualization *and* image-based backups. >> >> PS Full disclosure. I also do native SQL backups of the CRM databases >> within the VMs, and the restoration of one of these in SQL Management >> Studio was an integral part of the final solution. I guess this is a >> blended/hybrid solution, but it wouldn't have been easy without being able >> to instantly create a sandbox to test in, and that's an example of the >> power of image-based backups for the small IT shop. >> >> >> >
