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Hello Everyone.
I wanted to know about environments in Power Platform.
I want to make 3 environments. One for developing, one for testing and one for production.
So for development what environment should I prefer Developer or Sandbox or Default? [Also give explanation please]
So what exactly is the difference between the above three??
I have heard that Sandbox has copy and reset feature. So, with copy feature can I copy all the apps, flows etc from Developing environment to Testing environment without adding the apps, flows to solutions?? So should I prefer Sandbox for developing as well as I will have to transfer them to testing environment??? Also why we use Reset feature??
And I also read Sandbox environment can be converted from sandbox to production and vice versa. Is it a good technique???
According to me, I should keep them separate only.
And at end I want to ask about environment variables. How important they are? Can we make solutions and transfer it another solution without environment variables? Is it necessary to have environment variables or we can ignore them? What is the actual theory behind making environment variables and using them??
Please dont provide any links of blogs, posts etc or a you tube video. I have seen many.
I need real experience here. The limitations of using some of the environments mentioned above. The limitation of copy feature in a sandbox environment and can I prefer it over making solutions.
Thanks. 🙂
The internet is chocked full of where to find the convert to sandbox button. There seems to be little info regarding the state of solutions and components afterwards.
Do you know if solutions and the components in the Sandbox are managed or unmanaged after converting Production to Sandbox??
Anyone?
Good morning @Unknown123, Check this video for Daniel Christian and you have a clear understanding about the Environment variables and how to use them and why they are important: https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Webinars-and-Video-Gallery/How-to-use-Environment-Variables/td-p/797185
As for the ALM and why you need it, check these resources:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform/alm/basics-alm
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform/guidance/coe/almacceleratorpowerplatform-components
Also, note that a new feature will be available sometime early next year where citizen developers will be able to setup and implement ALM without any code:
Thanks for the great explanation. That answered most of my questions.
Can you give a good link for ALM, I will read about it more. And also can you explain the part of Developing Environment configuration settings. Really didnt get it. How important it is? And whats the effect of it on the overall development? Or if a good link is there for it, it would be really helpful.
Thanks.
Hello, @Unknown123,
"So for development what environment should I prefer Developer or Sandbox or Default? [Also give explanation please]"
"with copy feature can I copy all the apps, flows etc from Developing environment to Testing environment without adding the apps, flows to solutions??" That is correct
And I also read Sandbox environment can be converted from sandbox to production and vice versa. Is it a good technique??? If you only have Production Environment and you want to Reset the environment, you will have to convert the Production to SandBox to reset. Using ALM, you want need to convert Production to Sandbox because you already have Sandbox.
According to me, I should keep them separate only. YES
And at end I want to ask about environment variables. How important they are? Can we make solutions and transfer it another solution without environment variables? Is it necessary to have environment variables or we can ignore them? What is the actual theory behind making environment variables and using them??
By Using Environment variables, you can transferee your Developing Environment configuration settings or input parameters when deployed to different environments. The alternative is leaving hard-coded parameter values within the components that use them. This is often problematic; especially when the values need to be changed during application lifecycle management (ALM) operations. Because environment variables are solution components, you can transport the references (keys) and change the values when solutions are migrated to other environments.
So, it is good practice to use Environment variables.
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