Commerce Installation: Configuration, Deployment, and Migration

Microsoft Professional Advisory Services is a support option that provides short-term, proactive, consultative support beyond break-fix product maintenance needs. This includes working with the same technician for assistance with issues like product migration, code review, or new program development and is a remote, phone-based support option. This service is typically used for shorter engagements, and is designed for developers and IT professionals who do not require the traditional onsite consulting or sustained account management services that are available from other Microsoft support options.

For additional information on Microsoft Advisory Services, including on how to engage, refer to this Microsoft web page:

http://support.microsoft.com/gp/AdvisoryService

This Advisory Services scenario is designed to assist customers who have issues regarding Commerce Server Installation-Configuration-Deployment-Migration.

The following is a general list of items and information which should be discussed and gathered as part of the scoping analysis:

Common Questions

1. Operating system(s) & Service Pack?
2. Commerce version (2002/2007/2009) Edition (Dev, Std, Ent) & Service Pack?
3. Single server or load balanced?
4. SQL version & Service Pack?
5. SQL on remote server or local?
6. User operating Commerce Server has admin rights to both Commerce & SQL server?
7. Is this a new install of Commerce or upgrade from previous version? If so, which?
8. Does the issue happen only on this machine or all Commerce server machines in their environment?
9. Has there been any customization done to OOB Commerce functionality?
10. Is Windows Integrated or SQL authentication used to connect from Commerce to SQL?

Questions Specific to Installation

1. What exact error do you get in the installation process? A screenshot of the complete error will help.
2. Which installation guide has been followed? Get the link because its possible customer may be referencing the RTM install guide which had had a lot of updates.
3. What exact series of steps have been followed from the install guide?
4. Have any of the install steps been skipped? If so, for what reason?
5. Have all the pre-requisites listed in the install guide been met?
6. If this is an unattended/silent install, then please review page 67 in the following document:
   http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/B/E/5BE19F83-EC42-41EE-8A21-B70222247DB8/CS2009Installationv2.doc
   For more details. Also check:
   http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd464598(CS.90).aspx
7. Get the Commerce Server install log file. Location is< >
8. Is the issue happening with the install of the product CS2009 or with the sample sites like starter site or contemporary site?

References:

Microsoft Commerce Server 2009 Installation Guide and ReadmeQuestions Specific to Configuration

1. What exact error do you get? A screenshot of the complete error will help.
2. Since when did this error begin? Just recently or since this Commerce installation has been deployed?
3. If recently, what has been changed on the machine or in the environment? Code change, ACL change, any hotfix installed etc?
4. Does the issue go away if the changes are rolled back?
5. Is the issue always reproducible? If so, what are the steps?
6. Does the issue happen for all users? Or only 1
7. Does it happen from all machines? Have you tried it from the Commerce server itself?

References:

Configuring the Network and Servers for CS2009
Questions Specific to Deployment

1. Verify if it is a single server, multi server deployment. Check if it�s a base or an enterprise level deployment. Based on the answer, review the link for Deployment Roadmap:
   http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd451655(CS.90).aspx
   References:
   
   MSDN documentation for Deployment
   http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd464584(CS.90).aspx

Questions Specific to Migration

1. From what version of Commerce is customer migrating from? Note: You can only migrate a Commerce Server 2007 site to Commerce Server 2009
2. Has the schema been modified from Out of the Box Commerce installation?

References:

Commerce Server 2009 Migration