Do you make batch files for deployment to Test and Production servers? (CRM 4 Only)

The goal is that CRM developers **to not ** move from Dev to Test and to Production manually. Basically, we don't want a developer to touch Test or Production servers. The testers can run the .bat file. See SSW rules to setup packages. How should developers work?

• All development done in a Virtual Server
• Use TFS and VS.NET 2003 (since working with VS.NET 2003 you need to TFS adapter for 2003)
• Backup your customizations.xml
• Put into TFS (see rule: Do you put your exported customizations and your plug-in customization under source-control during deployment?) - check it in and replace the file (avoid it customizing workflow in 3.0 because it deploys better in 4.0 - but if you do then you need to backup your workflow changes also)

Create a Deployment.bat like this

REM (deploy the callouts - Part 1)

REM (restart IIS of CRM TEST Server - BASILISK)
iisreset BASILISK

REM (copy callouts dlls onto CRM TEST Server - BASILISK)
copy Microsoft.Crm.Platform.Callout.Base.dll "\\BASILISK\C$\Program Files\Microsoft CRM\Server\bin\assembly"
copy SSW.TimeProIntegrationCallouts.dll "\\BASILISK\C$\Program Files\Microsoft CRM\Server\bin\assembly"
copy callout.config.xml "\\BASILISK\C$\Program Files\Microsoft CRM\Server\bin\assembly"

REM (deploy the callouts - part 2)
REM Stop the WorkFlow Service (as we need to remove the lock on the .dlls)
REM Start it
REM (avoid workflow in v3 - see comment above C but if you do you need to)
REM Manual - use Import wizard
REM (avoid server side validation logic in v3)
REM  Deploy a 1.1 web service

Deploy to Test Server

• Import the customizations.xml
• Run .bat file

Deploy to Production Server

• Import the customizations.xml
• Run .bat file