We have some performance problems in Microsoft CRM 4.0; for example, sometimes we are unable to access the contact list. How would you suggest we go about diagnosing the problem and getting support?
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In recent performance tests, Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 delivered sub-second response times with thousands of concurrent users and database sizes of several terabytes. In a previous Q/A on SearchCRM.com, I discussed Microsoft CRM performance issues and solutions.
The bottom line is that as a Microsoft Dynamics CRM user, you should expect comparable performance to what is described in these tests.
In the response mentioned above, I discussed a number of techniques for debugging Microsoft CRM 4.0 performance problems on your own, so I will not revisit them here. However, in addition to those techniques, I would recommend the following steps to address your issue internally before you contact support:
Make sure that you have the latest Update Rollup for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0. At this point, the latest update rollup is Update Rollup 6 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0. Update Rollups are cumulative packages with all updates and hotfixes released for the product to date and you will only need to apply the latest rollup. Once you do that, you can be certain that your performance problem is not caused by a known issue with the application.
Review this white paper, which provides a number of best practices for optimizing and maintaining Microsoft Dynamics CRM. It includes guidelines for optimizing the Client, Application, and Database tiers of the application and can help you resolve a number of performance problems.
If the first two steps have not resolved your issue, there are a variety of other external factors that could cause the performance degradation that you are describing. The best approach would be to contact your Microsoft partner. If you are not working with a Microsoft partner, you can also contact Microsoft Support.
Regardless of the approach you choose, do not stop until you resolve your Microsoft CRM 4.0 performance problem. It is just a matter of finding the root cause of your issue so that you can improve performance. Poor performance of your application is the easiest way to lose the user adoption battle.
This was first published in September 2009