Dynamics CRM 2011 deployment/solutions best practice

Question

I am fairly new to dynamics and trying to get my head around the deployment process. Currently in my CRM2011 production instance, the previous developer have only one managed solution (eg test_1_0_0_0) installed. Now I want to make changes for a new version of that solution ie 'test_1_0_0_1'. What is considered best practice in terms of deployment? Currently the process is to delete the old one and import the new one.

I have a feeling that this process is bad since, previously the data was wiped out from the deletion of that managed solution.

Many thanks

Answer 1

You can read about solution management in MS Dynamics CRM here
In your case managed solution test_1_0_0_0 was imported to your CRM environment (let's call it environment (1) from some other CRM environment (2), where this solution is unmanaged and you are able to provide updates to the solution over there. After you complete your updates in environment (2), export the solution from environment (2) as managed and import in environment (1). It will be managed in environment (1). But you should not delete any previous versions of the solution. All necessary updates will be successfully applied, even version of the solution was not changed from 1_0_0_0 to 1_0_0_1.