When preparing for the PL-400 Microsoft Power Platform Developer exam, understanding the difference between unmanaged and managed solutions becomes pivotal. These are two critical concepts to discern to facilitate the seamless transition between different environments, devise updates, or distribute customizations across different Dynamics 365 instances. This article will delve into distinguishing between unmanaged and managed solutions.
Unmanaged Solutions
Unmanaged solutions are fundamentally the working area for developers. They are essentially the environment where you create your customizations and add or modify components. Unmanaged solutions are a flexible environment where you can freely delete, edit, and rename any component without impacting the system solution.
You can also easily export an unmanaged solution and import it into a different environment. On importation into the target environment, the components are merged with any existing ones.
However, there is a catch. If an unmanaged solution is deleted, all the components of that solution are lost. To expand, this doesn’t mean that the components will be deleted from the system, but rather, the affiliation of these components to the unmanaged solution will be sequestered.
Here is an example of an unmanaged solution:
java
Solution mySolution = new Solution
{
SolutionUniqueName = "sample unmanaged solution",
FriendlyName = "Sample Unmanaged Solution",
Description = "This is a sample unmanaged solution"
};
_unmanagedSolutionId = _serviceProxy.Create(mySolution);
Managed Solutions
On the flip side, managed solutions are essentially locked down versions of unmanaged solutions. They offer an avenue to package your customizations and components for distribution. This might be for a customer or simply to transport your development work from one environment to another.
Once an unmanaged solution has been exported in a managed state, the components become read-only. This means that in the target environment, you cannot add or remove components. However, you can, ostensibly, delete the whole solution if need be. On deletion, everything under that solution—components and customization—is also deleted. This offers clean removal capabilities, unlike unmanaged solutions.
Furthermore, managed solutions can be layered. This means that one managed solution can be installed on top of another and can alter the components of the underlying solution(s).
Here is an example of a managed solution:
java
// Create a solution
Solution solution = new Solution
{
SolutionUniqueName = "sampleManagedsolution",
FriendlyName = "Sample Managed Solution",
Description = "This is a sample managed solution",
Version = "1.0",
PublisherId = new EntityReference(Publisher.EntityLogicalName, _publisherId)};
_managedSolutionId = _serviceProxy.Create(solution);
Comparison
| Unmanaged Solutions | Managed Solutions | |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Customizations and modifications | Packaging and distribution |
| Flexibility | High (freedom to add, delete, modify components) | Low (components are read-only) |
| Deletion Impact | Removes affiliation of components to the solution | Deletes all components and customizations under the solution |
| Layering | Not possible | Possible |
Therefore, understanding the exact differences between these two types of solutions gives a developer the foresight to use and manipulate them in the appropriate instances. Both managed and unmanaged solutions are crucial for different stages within your development lifecycle.
Practice Test
True/False : Unmanaged solutions are intended to be the development environment, while managed solutions are used for the production environment.
Answer: True
Explanation: Unmanaged solutions are designed for development or customization work, while managed solutions are meant for code distribution or deployment into production.
Multiple Choice: Which of the following is not a characteristic of a managed solution?
- a) Can be exported
- b) Can be deleted
- c) Can be directly modified
- d) Keeps dependent components when deleted
Answer: c) Can be directly modified
Explanation: Managed solutions cannot be directly modified because they are intended to be distributed without modifications.
True/False: The primary purpose of unmanaged solutions is distribution.
Answer: False
Explanation: The primary objective of unmanaged solutions is development and customization. Managed solutions are used for distribution.
Multiple Choice: Which of the following is correct about all managed solutions?
- a) They can be edited directly
- b) They keep components when deleted
- c) They cannot be exported
- d) They overwrite customizations
Answer: d) They overwrite customizations
Explanation: Managed solutions overwrite any customization as they are used for distribution and deployment in a controlled manner.
True/False: Unmanaged solutions remove all components when deleted.
Answer: True
Explanation: Unmanaged solutions remove all the components when deleted as they don’t have dependencies like the managed solutions.
Multiple Choice: What is the primary use of a managed solution?
- a) Development
- b) Debugging
- c) Distribution
- d) Performance testing
Answer: c) Distribution
Explanation: Managed solutions are intended for the controlled distribution and deployment of customizations.
True/False: Deleting an unmanaged solution will delete all the associated components.
Answer: False
Explanation: Deleting an unmanaged solution does not delete the components included in it.
Multiple Choice: Which of the following describes an unmanaged solution?
- a) They are used for code distribution
- b) All components are deleted when the solution is deleted
- c) They can be directly edited
- d) They cannot be exported
Answer: c) They can be directly edited
Explanation: Unmanaged solutions can be directly edited as they are used in the development and customization environment.
True/False: Managed solutions cannot be exported from a system.
Answer: True
Explanation: Managed solutions are intended for distribution and cannot be exported once they are imported into a system.
Multiple Select: What are the main differences between a managed and an unmanaged solution in Power Platform? (Choose two)
- a) Modification ability
- b) Export capability
- c) Distribution purpose
- d) Debugging purpose
Answer: a) Modification ability, c) Distribution purpose
Explanation: Unmanaged solutions can be modified while managed solutions can’t be. Unmanaged solutions are meant for development and customization while managed solutions are intended for distribution.
Interview Questions
What is a Managed Solution in Microsoft Power Platform?
A Managed Solution in Microsoft Power Platform is a finalized package that is distributed and installed in the target system. It cannot be modified as all the components are hidden and locked.
What is an Unmanaged Solution in Microsoft Power Platform?
Unmanaged Solution in Microsoft Power Platform is a developmental package where the changes are done. It can be edited and modified as most of the components are visible and accessible.
What does the term “Solution” refer to in Microsoft Power Platform?
In Microsoft Power Platform, a Solution is a container that houses all the components of a certain application, including entities, workflows, plugins, and more.
Can you modify a Managed Solution in Microsoft Power Platform?
No, a Managed Solution in Microsoft Power Platform cannot be modified because it’s locked and its components are hidden.
Can you modify an Unmanaged Solution in Microsoft Power Platform?
Yes, Unmanaged Solutions are used during development and are modifiable, so changes can be made as per requirements.
What happens when you uninstall a Managed Solution?
Uninstalling a Managed Solution removes all the components contained in that solution. Any data that is associated with the components is also removed.
What happens when you uninstall an Unmanaged Solution?
When an Unmanaged Solution is uninstalled, the components of the solution remain in the system and only the solution record is removed.
How are Managed Solutions updated in Microsoft Power Platform?
Managed Solutions in Microsoft Power Platform are updated by importing an updated Managed Solution using the same unique name.
How are Unmanaged Solutions updated in Microsoft Power Platform?
Unmanaged Solutions are updated by directly making changes to the components or by importing the changes.
Can an Unmanaged Solution be converted into a Managed Solution?
Yes, an Unmanaged Solution can be packaged and exported as a Managed Solution.
Can a Managed Solution be converted back into an Unmanaged Solution?
No, once an Unmanaged Solution has been exported as a Managed Solution, it cannot be converted back.
What happens to customizations in a Managed Solution when it is updated?
When a Managed Solution is updated, customizations that were part of the previous solution will be overwritten.
What happens to customizations in an Unmanaged Solution when it is updated?
Any customizations in an Unmanaged Solution can continue to exist as the solution is updated, depending on the handling of the customizations.
Who typically uses Managed Solutions?
Managed Solutions are typically used by ISVs (Independent Software Vendors) and System Integrators who need to distribute solutions to various other organizations.
Who typically uses Unmanaged Solutions?
Unmanaged Solutions are typically used by developers or administrators while building and customizing applications within their organization.
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