Microsoft® Dynamics CRM 2011 Administration Bible

Chapter 2. Taking a Tour of Dynamics CRM

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Discovering new features for customizers and users in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011

• Deciding between hosted or on-premise deployment

• Required hardware and software

• Dynamics CRM client overview

Microsoft Dynamics CRM has come a long way since Microsoft's initial foray into the customer relationship management market in 2003. Driven by a competitive marketplace and the rapid evolution of cloud-based offerings, Microsoft has delivered a significantly enhanced feature set with industry-leading sales, marketing, and customer service functionality, as well as a compelling development platform.

In this chapter, we explore the new features and functionality in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, and the different ways you can deploy and access Dynamics CRM. Along the way, we take a look at the hardware and software required to get the most out of Dynamics CRM. The purpose of this chapter is to help you get comfortable with some of the most important features and deployment considerations.

Looking at What's New in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011

Microsoft has made significant architectural changes to Dynamics CRM in order to provide its customers with the same breadth of customization and control, whether they subscribe to the company's Dynamics CRM Online offering or purchase the software for traditional, on-premise installation.

A number of significant changes to the application's architecture are meant to more closely align Dynamics CRM with the software ...