If you have ever had to redeploy Microsoft Dynamics CRM to another environment, you know that it can be a cumbersome process.  While Microsoft definitely improved the process from the 1.x days, you still have a lot of steps you need to accomplish to make this happen with 3.0:

• 1. Back up the MSCRM and METABASE Databases from the original source environment
• 2. Restore them to the destination environment
• 3. Install and run the redeployment wizard against the databases
• 4. Install CRM 3.0, any necessary updates (Rollup 2, etc)
• 5. Move reports to destination environment
• a. Customizations, workflows should all be contained in the MSCRM database - but it's good practice to export those from the source environment as well.

Now, if you are trying to refresh an existing CRM 3.0 Development environment with data from your Production CRM, you would have to first uninstall CRM - then go through the steps addressed above.  This is very time-consuming, and many clients have complained about this process.

Well, Microsoft has listened to your complaints.  With CRM 4.0, the process has become much easier.  You no longer have to uninstall CRM - that is huge!  All you have to do:

• 1. Back up the MSCRM database from the original source environment (There is no more METABASE database with 4.0 - and you don't need to move the MSCRM_CONFIG database from one environment to another
• 2. Restore them to the destination environment
• 3. Open Deployment Manager, choose "Organizations"
• 4. Choose "Import Organization"
  
• 5. Choose your database server - from there you should see any 4.0 MSCRM database that is not currently associated to this installation. Choose the database you restored in step two
• 6. The import process will run though steps very similar to the 3.0 Redeploy - where you specify your org name and report server, and map users to CRM
  
  Specify org name
  
  Specify Report Server URL
  
  Select method for mapping users (Select same method you used for CRM 3.0 redeploy process)
  
  

That's it - you've just "redeployed" your organization.   I know, "seems like more steps".   But that is because I glossed over the 3.0 process for you.  If you are not familiar with the CRM 3.0 process, you can read the guide found on the CRM 3.0 Server media.  The point is, you no longer have to go through the long tedious process of uninstalling and reinstalling the application any time you want to refresh your Production CRM data to Dev.

If you are using CRM 4.0 Enterprise, you can import virtually as many orgs as you want - so you could in theory have your Dev, Test, stage environments on one physical CRM installation.  If you have CRM 4.0 Professional, you can only have one active organization.  During the process, you will be prompted to disable your current organization, in order to import this new one. 

Kudos to Microsoft on improving this process!