1. Install on a physically separate test server that contains an identical replication of the production SQL, Dynamics GP and live company database.
  2. Install on the same production SQL server, but in a test company that resides on the production SQL server and is a recent copy of the live company database.

A: We always suggest,  if possible, to install QES on a completely separate test server that is a mirror of the live production environment.  Because the QES upgrader creates a new database as well as users, tables and other objects on the SQL server it’s highly unlikely but possible that something might go wrong during the install.  Installing to a test environment removes any and all potential risk. That being said, installing QES in a test company on your production server is the second choice if a test environment is not available or not easily created.  Please make sure you have a functioning backup of all your databases residing on your SQL server and not just the company that you are installing QES into.  We would also suggest running the installation process at night after full backups have been taken.  This is so if you had to restore from a backup for any reason no user transactions would be lost.  i.e. accidentally installing QES tables to the wrong company database Don’t let us scare you by these suggestions,  these are mostly standard operating procedures.  Your data is very important and we want everything to go perfectly.  By following these standards we eliminate any and all risk to your production data and ERP system up time.