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Separating Application Data from Business Data

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Business Central separates tables that describe the application from the tables that contain business data. Depending on your deployment scenario, you can choose to store all Business Central tables in one database, or you can export the application tables to a dedicated database. In multitenant deployments, the application must be stored in a dedicated database.

Application Database versus Business Data Databases

The application database contains tables that describe your application. This includes a description of the objects that your application consists of, and other data that is common to all tenants. The data that users enter in your application is stored in the business data database because this data is specific to their company. Optionally, you can create multiple business data databases, such as if you want to support your customers as tenants.

When you have exported the application tables to a separate database, you can no longer access the business database from the Dynamics NAV Development Environment. This is because the metadata for the tables in the business database is stored in the application database and modified in that database.

For example, if you want to modify a report, you modify the report object in the application database. Then, when you deploy the updated application to your production environment, when a user accesses the report, they see the modified report.

Business Central includes Windows PowerShell cmdlets that help you export application tables to a dedicated database, and other cmdlets to help you maintain a multitenant deployment. For more information, see Business Central Windows PowerShell Cmdlets.

Distribution of the System Tables in Each Database

The application tables are system tables that define the application. Other system tables remain in the business data database. For example, the following table lists some of the system tables that are moved to the application database when you run the Export-NAVApplication cmdlet and other tables that remain in the business data database. This is a partial list to give an idea of how tables are distributed:

Application database Business data database
Add-in Access Control
Application Dependency Active Session
Application Object Metadata API Webhook Notification
Application Resource API Webhook Notification Aggr
Chart API Webhook Subscription
Configuration Package File Company
Debugger Breakpoint Device
Debugger Watch Data Sensitivity
Entitlement Document Service
Entitlement Set Intelligent Cloud
Installed Application Intelligent Cloud Status
Media Isolated Storage
Media Resources Object Options
Media Set Object Metadata Snapshot
Membership Entitlement Object Translation
Object Integration Page
Object Metadata Object Metadata Snapshot
Object Tracking Object Translation
OData Edm Type Object Access Intent Override
Page Documentation Page Data Personalization
Power BI Blob Printer Selection
Power BI Selection Record Link
Permission Report List Translation
Permission Set Session Event
Profile Scheduled Task
Profile Metadata Tenant Media
Profile Page Metadata Tenant Permission
Published Application Tenant Profile
Report Layout Tenant Profile Extension
Send-To Program Tenant Web Service
Server Instance User
Style Sheet User Default Style Sheet
Upgrade Blob Storage Web Hook Notification
Web Service Web Hook Subscription

Exporting the Application Tables to a Dedicated Application Database

To export the application tables from an existing database to another database, Business Central provides a Windows PowerShell cmdlet as part of the Business Central Administration Shell.

The following procedure illustrates how you can separate the application tables in an existing database into two databases: an application database and a business data database. You can automate this process and combine it with the use of other cmdlets. For more information, see the samples in the Windows PowerShell scripts in the …\WindowsPowerShellScripts\Multitenancy\ folder on the Business Central product media.

Export the application tables to a dedicated database

  1. Stop all Business Central Server services that access the database that you are modifying. This includes the Business Central Server instance.

  2. Back up your databases.

  3. Run the Business Central Administration Shell as an administrator.

    Important

    You must run the program as administrator. Also, you must ensure that scripting is enabled on the computer.

    For more information, see Business Central Windows PowerShell Cmdlets.

  4. Uninstall the extensions.

    To uninstall an extension, you use the Uninstall-NAVApp cmdlet.

    Uninstall-NAVApp -ServerInstance <server instance name> -Tenant default -Name <extensions name> -Version <extension version>

    Replace <extension name> and <extension version> with the exact name and version the installed extension. Set <tenant ID> to default or omit the -Tenant parameter.

    For example, together with the Get-NAVApp cmdlet, you can uninstall all extensions with a single command:

    Get-NAVAppInfo -ServerInstance <server instance name> -Tenant default | % { Uninstall-NAVApp -ServerInstance <server instance name> -Tenant default -Name $_.Name -Version $_.Version -Force}

  5. To export the application tables, type the following command:

    Export-NAVApplication –DatabaseServer <server name> -DatabaseInstance <instance name> –DatabaseName <name of original database> –DestinationDatabaseName <name of new application database> -ServiceAccount <the account used by server instance if not NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE>

    For example, to run the cmdlet against the CRONUS International Ltd. demonstration database, type the following command:

    Export-NAVApplication –DatabaseServer 'MyServer' –DatabaseInstance 'BCDemo' –DatabaseName 'Demo Database BC' –DestinationDatabaseName 'Business Central App'

    In the example, the database server name is MyServer , and the SQL Server instance is BCDemo. The name of the new application database can be anything. You can specify a name that reflects your application.

    The application database is created on the same SQL Server instance as the original database. In the example, if you connect to the BCDemo instance using SQL Server Management Studio you will see two databases: the original database, Demo Database BC, and the new application database, Business Central.

    At this stage, the original database still contains the application tables, and you can still access it using the Dynamics NAV Development Environment. Next, you must remove the application tables from the original database to make it a tenant database.

    Tip

    Optionally, you can combine the Export-NAVApplication and Remove-NAVApplication cmdlets. For an example of how you can combine the two cmdlets, see the Example section.

  6. To remove the application tables from the original database, run the Remove-NAVApplication cmdlet as follows:

    Remove-NAVApplication –DatabaseServer <server name> -DatabaseInstance <instance name> –DatabaseName <name of the original database>

    For example, to run the cmdlet against the CRONUS International Ltd. demonstration database where you have exported the application tables, type the following command:

    Remove-NAVApplication –DatabaseServer 'MyServer' –DatabaseInstance 'BCDEMO' –DatabaseName 'Demo Database BC'

    You will be asked to confirm that you want to remove the tables.

    Warning

    Running the Remove-NAVApplication cmdlet is not reversible. When you have removed the application tables from the database, you cannot import them again. Make sure that you have a full backup available.

    At the end of the process, you have two databases. In the example earlier in this topic, the databases are as follows.

    Database name Database type Description
    Demo Database BC Business data database Contains the data from the original database.
    Business Central App Application database Contains the tables that define the application.

  7. Clear the DatabaseName setting in the Business Central Server instance configuration file by using the Set-NAVServerConfiguration cmdlet:

    Set-NAVServerConfiguration –ServerInstance <server instance name> –element appSettings –KeyName 'DatabaseName' –KeyValue ''

  8. Start the Business Central Server instance by using the Start-NAVServerInstance cmdlet:

    Start-NAVServerInstance –ServerInstance <server instance name>

  9. Mount the application database on the Business Central Server instance by using the Mount-NAVApplication cmdlet:

    Mount-NAVApplication –ServerInstance <server instance name> –DatabaseServer <server name\instance name> –DatabaseName <application database name>

  10. Mount the business data database (tenant) on the server instance by using the Mount-NAVTenant cmdlet:

    Mount-NAVTenant –ServerInstance <server instance name> -Id <tenant name> –DatabaseServer <server name\instance name> -DatabaseName <business data database> -OverwriteTenantIdInDatabase

  11. Reinstall extensions.

    In this step, you reinstall the same extensions that were installed on the tenant before. To install an extension, you use the Install-NAVApp cmdlet.

    1. It can be helpful to get a list of the published extensions and their version. To get a list of all published extensions, use the Get-NAVAppInfo cmdlet:

      Get-NAVAppInfo -ServerInstance <server instance> | Repair-NAVApp

    2. If your solution uses the System Application, install this first.

      Install-NAVApp -ServerInstance <server instance> -Name "System Application" -Version <extension version>

      Replace <extension version> with the exact version of the published System Application.

    3. Install the Base Application.

      Install-NAVApp -ServerInstance <server instance> -Name "Base Application" -Version <extension version>

      Replace <extension version> with the exact version of the published Base Application.

    4. Install the Application extension. This extension is required to install Microsoft extensions.

      Install-NAVApp -ServerInstance <server instance> -Name "Application" -Version <extension version>

      Replace <extension version> with the exact version of the published Application extension.

    5. Install other extensions, including Microsoft and third-party extensions.

      Install-NAVApp -ServerInstance <server instance name> -Name <extension name> -Version <extension version>

For more information, see Business Central Windows PowerShell Cmdlets.

Example

The following code example illustrates how you can manually write commands in the Business Central administration shell. The commands create an application database based on an existing Business Central database.

The sample commands are assumed to run in the Business Central administration shell based on the CRONUS International Ltd. demonstration database on a local computer.

Stop-NAVServerInstance –ServerInstance 'businesscentral_server_instance' 
Export-NAVApplication –DatabaseServer 'MyServer' –DatabaseInstance 'BCDEMO' –DatabaseName 'Demo Database BC' –DestinationDatabaseName 'Business Central App'| Remove-NAVApplication –DatabaseName 'Demo Database BC' -Force
Set-NAVServerConfiguration –ServerInstance 'businesscentral_server_instance' –element appSettings –KeyName 'DatabaseName' –KeyValue ''
Start-NAVServerInstance –ServerInstance 'businesscentral_server_instance'
Mount-NAVApplication –ServerInstance 'businesscentral_server_instance' –DatabaseServer 'MyServer\BCDEMO' –DatabaseName 'Business Central App'
Mount-NAVTenant –ServerInstance 'businesscentral_server_instance' -Id tenant1 –DatabaseServer 'MyServer\BCDEMO' -DatabaseName 'Demo Database BC' -OverwriteTenantIdInDatabase

In the example, the commands stop the Business Central Server service, creates the application database, clears the default database name in the server configuration, and then restarts the service. Then, the application database and the tenant database are mounted, and the configuration is saved in the Tenants.config file on the server. As a result, you have an application database and a single-tenant deployment. When you try to open the Dynamics NAV Client connected to Business Central, an error displays because you have not specified a tenant. So in the Select Server window, in the Server Address field, add the tenant ID to the address. In this example, the address is localhost:7085/BC210/tenant1.

Tip

For an example of how you can automate the process of transferring user accounts from the original database to the new application database, see the HowTo-ExportNAVApplicationDatabase.ps1 sample script. This and other sample scripts are in the …\Windows PowerShell\Multitenancy\ folder on the Business Central product media. The ExportNAVApplicationDatabase.ps1 sample script can be run in the context of the NAVUpgradeSamples.psm1 script module file. When you call a script such as this, it will export the application tables to a new application database and copy all accounts and SQL Server user roles to the application database. To only transfer the account that the Business Central Server instance uses, use the –ServiceAccount parameter for the Export-NAVApplication cmdlet. In the examples in this topic, this parameter has not been specified. As a result, the default account, NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE, is set up with the required user roles.

Migrating to Multitenancy
Business Central Windows PowerShell Cmdlets