Microsoft CRM 2015, code name Vega, alias The Fall Release, is just around the corner. Microsoft is promoting this new release heavily on their online site. I will eventually discuss new features in subsequent posts, at the present time,  I will focus on the changes required to the software platform in order to upgrade or install this new on premise version of MSCRM 2015.

In order to run the fall release, a number of the supported technologies currently supported in MSCRM 2013 will be depreciated. Rather than list what is being depreciated I will list what is supported for an on premise implementation of MSCRM 2015.

Windows Operating Systems:

The following Windows Server versions are not supported for installing and running Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2015:

• Windows Server 2012 Foundation
• Windows Server 2012 Essentials
• Microsoft Windows Small Business Server editions
• The Windows Server 2008 family of operating systems

Supported Windows Server 2012 editions

The following editions of the Windows Server 2012 operating system are supported for installing and running Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2015:

• Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter
• Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard
• Windows Server 2012 Standard
• Windows Server 2012 Developer

Server Virtualization:

Microsoft Dynamics CRM servers can be deployed in a virtualized environment by using Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2012 with Hyper-V or virtualization solutions from vendors who participate in the Microsoft Windows Server Virtualization Validation Program (SVVP). You must understand the limitations and best practices of server virtualization before you try to virtualize your installation of Microsoft Dynamics CRM. For information about Hyper-V, see the Microsoft Virtualization website.

Internet Information Services (IIS)

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2015 supports Internet Information Services (IIS) versions 8.0 and 8.5.

It is recommend that you install and run IIS in Native Mode before you install Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server. However, if IIS is not installed and it is required for a Microsoft Dynamics CRM server role, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server Setup will install it.

SQL Server editions

Any one of the following Microsoft SQL Server editions is required and must be installed on Windows Server 2008 (SP2 or R2) 64-bit-based versions or Windows Server 2012 (RTM or R2) 64-bit-based computers, running, and available for Microsoft Dynamics CRM:

• Microsoft SQL Server 2012, Enterprise, 64-bit SP1
• Microsoft SQL Server 2012, Business Intelligence, 64-bit SP1
• Microsoft SQL Server 2012, Standard, 64-bit SP1

Important Notes:

• 32-bit versions of Microsoft SQL Server database engine are not supported for this version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM.
• SQL Server Compact or Microsoft SQL Server Express editions are not supported for use with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2015.
• Microsoft SQL Server 2008 versions are not supported for use with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2015.

Software component prerequisites

The following SQL Server components must be installed and running on the computer that is running SQL Server before you install Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2015:

• SQL word breakers This is only required for some Microsoft Dynamics CRM language editions. For more information about word breaker versions for languages supported by SQL Server see Configure and Manage Word Breakers and Stemmers for Search.
• SQL Server Agent service
• SQL Server full-text indexing

The following components must be installed and running on the computer where Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2015 will be installed:

• Services
  • Indexing Service To install this service, see the Windows Server documentation.
  • IIS Admin
  • World Wide Web Publishing
• Windows Data Access Components (MDAC)
• Microsoft ASP.NET (Must be registered, but does not have to be running.)

SQL Server Reporting Services

Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services is required for reporting features in Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

The following Microsoft SQL Server editions can be used for Microsoft Dynamics CRM reporting and must be installed on a Windows Server 2012 (x64 RTM or R2) 64-bit-based computer, running and available for Microsoft Dynamics CRM:

• Microsoft SQL Server 2012, Enterprise, 64-bit SP1
• Microsoft SQL Server 2012, Business Intelligence, 64-bit SP1
• Microsoft SQL Server 2012, Standard, 64-bit SP1

Important Notes:

• 32-bit versions of Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Reporting Services are not supported for this version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM.
• SQL Server Compact or Microsoft SQL Server Express editions are not supported for use with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server.
• Microsoft SQL Server 2008 versions are not supported for use with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2015.
• Using a Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Reporting Services server running in SharePoint mode is not supported with Microsoft Dynamics CRM. For more information about Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Reporting Services SharePoint mode, see Install Reporting Services SharePoint Mode.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Reporting Extensions requirements

The Microsoft Dynamics CRM Reporting Extensions component has the following requirements:

• You must complete Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server Setup before you run Microsoft Dynamics CRM Reporting Extensions Setup.
• You can install and run Microsoft Dynamics CRM Reporting Extensions on only one instance of Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services on a computer.
• The identity account running the instance of Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services where the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Reporting Extensions are running can’t be the local system or a virtual account. This is required for Microsoft Dynamics CRM reporting to work because the identity account must be added to the PrivReportingGroup Active Directory security group that is used by Microsoft Dynamics CRM.
• Separate deployments of Microsoft Dynamics CRM cannot share one Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services server. However, a single deployment of Microsoft Dynamics CRM that has multiple organizations can use the same Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services server.
• You must run the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Reporting Extensions Setup on a computer that has a supported version of Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services installed. More information: SQL Server Reporting Services
• For smaller data sets and fewer users, you can use a single-server deployment or a multiple-server deployment. With larger datasets or more users, performance decreases quickly when complex reports are run. Use a multi-server deployment with one computer that is running SQL Server for Microsoft Dynamics CRM, and another server for Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Reporting Authoring Extension Requirements

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Report Authoring Extension is required to author fetch-based reports by using SQL Server Data Tools.

You must install the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Report Authoring Extension on a PC that has the following software.

• SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) installed with either Microsoft Visual Studio 2012 or Microsoft Visual Studio 2010. More information: Install SQL Server Data Tools
  • For Microsoft Visual Studio 2012: You must download and install Microsoft SQL Server Data Tools – Business Intelligence for Visual Studio 2012.
  • For Microsoft Visual Studio 2010: You must select and install the SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) feature that is included with Microsoft SQL Server 2012 or Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Express on the computer that is running Visual Studio 2010. Download: Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Express
• If your organization uses Microsoft Office 365, make sure that the computer on which the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Report Authoring Extension is installed also has the Microsoft Online Services Sign-in Assistant installed on it. If Microsoft Online Services Sign-in Assistant is already installed, check the registry key SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSOIdentityCRL and make sure that the TargetDir registry key in MSOIdentityCRL contains msoidcli.dll.

I will supplement this post soon with additional requirements for:

Sharepoint and Microsoft Office

My best,

Steven