Dynamics AX TAP

Knowledge Transfer Wave 2

Dynamics™ AX Dynamics™ AX Business ConnectorBusiness Connector

Lachlan CashProgram ManagerMicrosoft Corporation

Karl TolguProgram ManagerMicrosoft Corporation

AgendaOverview and ArchitectureCommon Usage PatternsDemo – Exploring Business Connector ElementsDemo – Integration FrameworkDemo – InfoPath IntegrationExploring CLR InteropAuthentication Changes Usage GuidanceQ & A

.NET Business ConnectorOverview

A platform component that enables integration with AX

Provides an X++ runtime environment

AX interpreterAccess to AOD

Client/server execution

Single/multi-user mode

Built with .NET Framework 2.0

.NET Business Connector.NET Business Connector

.NET Business ConnectorArchitecture (1)

Managed ClassesManaged Classes

Transition Layer Transition Layer (.NET/X++ Type Marshalling)(.NET/X++ Type Marshalling)

Interpreter Layer Interpreter Layer (Dynamics™ AX X++)(Dynamics™ AX X++)

The .NET Business Connector is The .NET Business Connector is notnot a COM Connector wrapper! a COM Connector wrapper!

AX Database

RPC ODBC

AOSAX Interpreter

.NET Business ConnectorArchitecture (2)

.NET Business Connector Supported Topologies (1)Intranet

.NET application

AOS

AxaptaDatabase

Client.NET Business

ConnectorIntranet

.NET application

AOS.NET Business Connector

AxaptaDatabase

.NET Business Connector Supported Topologies (2)

Intranet

Domain Controller 1

AOS

AxaptaDatabase

ClientIIS

ASP.NETWindows Sharepoint Services

Enterprise Portal.NET Business Connector

SharepointDatabase

Common Usage PatternsBasic Object ManipulationAxaptaAxapta

AxaptaBufferAxaptaBuffer

AxaptaContainerAxaptaContainer

AxaptaObjectAxaptaObject

AxaptaRecordAxaptaRecord

Demo – Basic Object Demo – Basic Object ManipulationManipulation

Common Usage PatternsData Types (1)

AX Data Type .NET Data TypeString, RString, VarString

System.String

Integer System.Int32Real System.DecimalEnums System.Enum

(Business Connector uses Integers)

Common Usage PatternsData Types (2)

AX Data Type .NET Data TypeTime System.Int

(convert to Dynamics AX time format)

Date System.Date (only need to use the date portion)

Container System.Object[] (have to use the Container object)

Dimensions System.Object[] (use [] when inserting records)

Common Usage PatternsData Types (3)

AX Data Type .NET Data Type

Boolean (Enum) System.Boolean(use an integer to represent True/False)

Guid System.Guid

Int64 System.Int64NEWNEW

NEWNEW

Demo – Exploring Demo – Exploring Business Connector Business Connector ElementsElements

Integration FrameworkCode Reuse

How large is your integration project ?Envisage a framework that simplifies integration:

Base Classes data typesBase Application Class administrationBase Record Class record manipulationBase Objects Classes AX classes

Demo – Demo – Integration FrameworkIntegration Framework

Client IntegrationMicrosoft Office InfoPath

AOSAOS

AX AX DatabaseDatabase

Web ServerWeb Server

IISIIS .NET.NETBCBCWSWS

Demo – InfoPath Demo – InfoPath IntegrationIntegration

.NET Business ConnectorCLR Interop

CLR InteropCLR Interop

COM COM Business Business

ConnectorConnector

Application Application Object Object ServerServer

Windows Windows ClientClient

.NET .NET Business Business

ConnectorConnector

NEWNEW

NEWNEW

CLR InteropCLR InteropNEWNEW

CLR InteropCLR InteropNEWNEW

AX Database

COM InteropCOM Interop

.NET Business ConnectorCLR Interop

AOS.NETApplication

MyApp.exe

AOD

Reference: foo.dllClass: bar (client)

foo.dllCLRBridge.dllLoadLibrary

Server TierApplication Tier

CallStaticClassMethod(“bar”,…)

bar

Authentication ChangesWindows integrated authentication

AX User Domain User

Understand constraints (hops, etc.)

What impersonation mechanism should you use?LogonAs()LogonAs() – Business Connector API

RunAs()RunAs() - X++ API

RunasRunas – Microsoft Windows

Refactor applications to use Windows authentication

AIF

AX Integration Technologies

Document Processing

Web Services

CLR Interop

.NET Business Connector

AX Integration TechnologiesAIF – Document ProcessingXML/document oriented

Asynchronous (batch)

Support for multiple transports

Transformation support

Trusted intermediary

Extensible using X++

B2B, A2A, EAI

AX Integration TechnologiesAIF – Web ServicesXML/document oriented

Standards based

Web Services (request, submit)

Synchronous

Trusted intermediary

Extensible using X++

Uses .NET Business Connector

B2B, A2A, EAI

AX Integration Technologies.NET Business ConnectorClient/server applications

Single/multi-user support

Synchronous

Web-aware

Access to AX business logic (X++) & data

Tighter coupling (than AIF)

AX Integration TechnologiesCLR InteropIntegrated into the AX kernel

Client/server usage

Synchronous

Extend existing business logic in X++ with managed (.NET) components

Q & AQ & A