Moving Microsoft Dynamics GP from one SQL Server to another

Moving Microsoft Dynamics GP from one SQL Server to another – Alba Spectrum

Alba Spectrum Group, http://www.albaspectrum.com help@albaspectrum.com , 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918

If your company deploys Microsoft Great Plains as corporate ERP, at some day you will come to this IT routine on how to migrate your accounting/MRP system from one physical computer to another. As IT person you may or may not have a lot of GP architecture knowledge, this is why we would like here to orient you in this subject of transferring. We would like to stress here, that this routine of transfer typically is something that should be done by professional consultant, so you do not have us responsible for consequences if you have complications: customization, reports modification, complex integrations to name a few

Great Plains Architecture. Microsoft Dynamics GP is MS SQL Server based application. GP workstation connects to SQL database via ODBC, this means that when migration is done, you should update ODBC connection settings to point out to new SQL Server
GP Security Model. This is the most important part in understanding the migration scenario. Great Plains initially targeting multiple database platforms: Pervasive SQL/Btrieve, Ctree/Faircom, and MS SQL Server plus several networking platforms, such as MS Windows, Novell and Macintosh – and by doing so – it doesn’t use Windows Domain logins or even SQL Server logins. Instead it uses it own security model, built in DYNAMICS database. GP security model realization for MS SQL Server platform utilizes MS SQL Server logins (stored in master database) and grants them access to DYNAMICS and each company databases. Additional complication here is this – GP user password (as you enter it in GP interface when you login) is actually encrypted for your user login in MS SQL Server – this is why you can not just use your GP user login to register GP SQL Server in MS SQL Server Enterprise Manager
Installing GP on the new Server. When you are done with SQL installation (don’t alter sorting options), you will need to install Microsoft Dynamics GP with empty companies with the same companies databases ID (where you used similar GP account structure segmenting – this is technically not required, but will make your life easier, if something goes wrong)
Now security transfer surgery. If you feel that you are very strong with DTS – you may use this tool. If you are not at this level of SQL DB administration, please login to GP customer source and find current techknowledge on users logins transfer from one SQL server to another

Andrew Karasev, Alba Spectrum Group, http://www.albaspectrum.com help@albaspectrum.com , 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918, serving GP customers remotely in Montreal, Toronto, New York, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Phoenix, Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, Kansas City, Denver, Rhino, Las Vegas, Vancouver, Seattle. Local service is available in Texas: downtown Houston, Richmond, Rosenberg, Sugar Land, Galveston, Katy, Dallas, in Illinois: downtown Chicago and suburbs: Naperville, Aurora, Bolingbrook, Winchester, Morris, Minooka, Plainfield, Romeoville, Schaumburg, Elk Grove, Lombard, Downers Grove, Lisle, Ottawa, LaSalle, De Kalb, Plano, Crystal Lake, Montgomery, Oswego, Elgin.