Provision and manage environments

• 8 minutes

The table of cloud-hosted environments on the Cloud-hosted environments page of a project has an Add button that you can select to deploy new environments.

When you select the name, application version, platform version, and purpose of the environment that you want to deploy, you should consider changing a few key settings:

• VM type - Depends on your client's needs.

• Machine name - Makes your RDP window headers more human-readable than a GUID.

• Data - If you don't want demo data, make sure that None is selected.

You can create, maintain, and delete cloud-hosted environments by using Lifecycle Services tools and components. Typically, you create a Lifecycle Service implementation project to host all cloud-hosted environments for a project. You can create cloud-hosted environments in Microsoft Azure with the Azure connector settings.

Configure the Azure connector

To create cloud-hosted environments in Azure, use the configuration from Azure connector in Lifecycle Services. The first time that you configure settings for cloud-hosted environments, the system prompts you to configure the Azure connector. Then, it guides you to the Lifecycle Services project settings for Azure connectors.

A requirement for Azure connectors is that you must use an Azure subscription that’s a contributor for Dynamics Deployment Services. Then, you need to allow Lifecycle Services to use the Azure subscription. You can assign the contributor role for Dynamics Deployment Services by using Azure identity and access management (IAM) for the subscription in the Azure portal.

To configure the Azure connector, follow these steps:

1. Select Add in project settings for Azure connectors to configure the requirement that allows you to create a new Azure connector in Lifecycle Services. A prompt for Microsoft Azure setup appears in Lifecycle Services.
2. Complete the Name, Azure subscription ID, and Azure subscription Microsoft Entra ID Tenant Domain (or ID) fields.
3. Lifecycle Services attempts to validate the Dynamics Deployment Services role and authorization. If validation is successful, you must select an Azure region that you plan to use for creating the cloud-hosted environment. If you select Connect, the system creates the new Azure connector.

You can have more Azure connectors in Lifecycle Services, but one is always the default.

Configure Azure DevOps

You can configure Microsoft Azure DevOps in the project settings in your Lifecycle Services project. You must configure this feature so that you can create a build pipeline when deploying a build and test environment.

Configuring Azure DevOps requires that you enter a URL for your organization in Azure DevOps and then select a DevOps project.

Create a cloud-hosted environment

When you configure an Azure connector as a requirement for cloud-hosted environments, you can create environments. To do so, follow these steps:

1. In the Cloud-hosted environments menu, select Add.
2. Select the application version and platform for the cloud-hosted environment. Then, select your environment topology:
   • DEMO - The system deploys an environment for demo purposes.
   • DEVTEST - Two options are available:
     • Build and test - The system deploys an environment for build and test. If your Azure DevOps is configurated for your Lifecycle Services project, the system creates a build pipeline in Azure DevOps by using this environment.
     • Development - The system deploys an environment for development.
3. Configure an environment name, the size of your environment, and various Advanced settings:
   • Environment name - Enter a logical name, depending on your company’s naming standard.
   • Size - Virtual machine sizes vary in price and performance. Select the option based on your specific requirements.
   • Advanced settings - Configure these settings as needed according to your project requirements:
     • Customize SQL Database Configuration - Specify that a database with demo data deploys in your environment.
     • Disk - Select disk space, premium storage, and type of storage. Costs vary depending on your selection.
     • Customize virtual machine names - Specify name preferences.
     • Power Platform Integration - Configure Microsoft Power Platform integration.

       Note

       With tier 1 environments, you must complete this configuration during deployment, and you can’t change it after creation.

     • Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations - Select whether to publish the home page.
     • Customize virtual network - Select whether to use a new or existing virtual network.
4. Select Next when you complete all configurations. The system should create your new environment. The environment creation can take a while (four to six hours). Your new cloud-hosted environment should have a status of Queued in the cloud-hosted environment list until it deploys. The Deployment status changes to Deploying during creation.

Update a cloud-hosted environment

You can update cloud-hosted environments to a new application and platform version by configuring details for the environment. To do so, follow these steps:

1. View available updates from the Full details in the cloud hosted environment list.
2. Maintain your current environment configuration by selecting Maintain and Apply update options for the selected cloud-hosted environment. The Apply updates option lists all updates in the Lifecycle Services project Asset library.
3. Import updates from the global Asset library to your project’s Asset library by selecting Import, selecting the update, and then selecting Pick.
4. Select and confirm the software deployable package that you want to apply. The deployment status should change to Queued and then change to Servicing as the update proceeds.

After your environment updates, the deployment status changes from Servicing to Deployed.

Start and stop a cloud-hosted environment

From the cloud-hosted environment list, you can start or stop an environment by following these processes:

• Start an environment by selecting it and then selecting Start. The deployment status changes to Starting and then changes to Deployed. Then, your environment is accessible.
• If an environment’s deployment status is Deployed, you can stop it by selecting the environment in the cloud-hosted environment list and then selecting Stop. The deployment status changes to Stopping and then Stopped.
• Delete a stopped environment by selecting it and then select Deallocate. Deallocation prepares the environment for deletion, and then you can delete it.