EXTENDED ARCHITECTURE

Ms Dynamics Ax 2012

By

Johnkrish

MSD Ax is a

Customizable, Multi-language, Multi-Currency ERP Solution.

Completely integrated & Web-enabled

Supports MS Sql Server

It Excels in

Manufacturing, E-Business, Wholesale and

Service industry

Features of MSD AX1 Functional

• Multicurrency Multilanguage

• Centralized Single Database is used for all companies in an organization

• Highly integrated between functional areas like Resource planning, Sales, Manufacturing

• Dimension based system for all Modules

• Forecasting & Master Planning

2 Development Environment

• Ax MorphX IDE

• Visual Studio IDE for Web, Report

• Application Object Tree

• Drag & Drop functionality

Client Workspace

• Navigation Pane – It shows all modules of a current user

• Content Pane – It shows Role centers, List pages & Area pages

• Role Centers – It display specific data, reports, alerts and common tasks associated with a user’s role in an organization

• List Pages – It display list of data. So you can view & search through a list of records

• Area pages – It displays all Menu items relevant to the module selected in the Navigation Pane.

• Action Pane – Contains basic action buttons

• Fact box – It shows data related to the selected customer

• Filter Pane – Used to filter the records

• Grid – Displays a list of records

Architecture

MSD Ax has 3 tier architecture

• Database stores the data• Server runs the application business logics• Client application allows users to connect to the server

Extended ArchitectureSeveral other components of MS Technologies are used in a typical deployment

ClientsMSD Ax Rich Client

• Is the primary client to access MSD Ax Functionality• Most of the Rich Client forms are designed by MorphX• Role Center pages are displayed within the rich client form• SQL Reports are called from rich client by using Report Viewer Control

MorphX IDE

• It is accessed through the Developer workspace• Workspace provides access to the AOT & other Development tools• Building or modifying tables, forms & menus can be done by using drag-n-drop

with little coding or no coding• X++ is the programming language used in MorphX IDE

Visual Studio

• It is integrated through Visual Studio Tools from MSD Ax & it supports managed code.

• Creating & Customizing SSRS reports and most enterprise portal web development must take place in Visual Studio

Enterprise Portal

• Is a web-based application framework that allows for users to interact with data in MSD Ax through a web browser.

• EP Pages are displayed through web browser• A subset of functionality & Reports are available on the portal

Microsoft Office

• It can be used as a client to access MSD Ax application & Data• Office add-ins are available for MS Excel & MS Word

Other Applications

• Some mobile application & specialized application written in .Net can be used as a client

• These applications can be integrated using Web Services or .Net Business Connector

Other Components

IIS ( Internet Information Server)

• IIS is a web server that delivers content such as web pages.• Enterprise Portal & Sharepoint• IIS is required to host the Enterprise Portal framework within SharePoint.• Role Centers require the Enterprise Portal

Help Server

• MSD Ax Help files are hosted through IIS.• within the rich client, the AOS generates a call to the Help server to display the

Help pages.

Web Services

• Web Services are hosted within IIS.• AOS is the web service endpoint that provides the data that is served to other

applications by IIS

Application Object Server (AOS)

• Is the MSD Ax Server. Most of the business logics are executed here.• AOS Performs many tasks. Some importants are

Session Management• Session management is the process of keeping track of a user's activity across

sessions of interaction with the web pages. AOS manages client sessions.

Web service adaptor• It is the web service endpoint

Security• It enforces security to manage access to data and functionality.

X++ Runtime• It runs the X++ code which provides most of the business logic in Microsoft

Dynamics AX.

• For larger implementations Multiple AOS’s can be installed to spread the processing overload

SQL Server Databases

• Reports are delivered by SQL Reporting Services (SSRS)

• Business Intelligence (BI) use OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) cubes which are delivered by SQL Analysis Services (SSAS)

• SSRS & SSAS is a component included in SQL Server

SSAS Database

• Is an Online Analytical Processing, Data mining & Reporting tool in SQL Server. It is used to Analyse and make sense of information possibly spread across multiple Databases or Different tables.

SSRS Database

• Is a server based reporting platform that allows us to create & manage wide variety of different types of reports and deliver them in a range of formats.

OLTP Database

• Ax Model and Ax data are stored in this database

Business Intelligence

• Is a set of techniques and tools for the transformation of raw data in to meaningful and useful information for business analysis purpose .

Model Driven Architecture

• MSD Ax is designed with a unique layer & model structure that separates and controls the Updates and modifications in the Application.

• The key benefit of the layer & model is that it lets developers change & extends the functionality to new versions.

LAYERSBenefits of Layers

Source Code Protection

• The elements in the SYS, GLS, FPK layers can only be changed or deleted by the Microsoft Dynamics AX Development team.

Faster and Easier Upgrades

• Upgrades and service packs contain changes in the lower layers where the base code resides.

Application Object Layers hold all elements that are displayed in the AOT. Totally eight layers available with corresponding eight patch layer

SYS – SYP

• It is a core layer. The standard application is developed and implemented in this base layer.

GLS – GLP

• It is region specific layer. When the application is modified to match country/region specific legal demands, these modifications are saved here.

FPK – FPP

• It is an application object patch layer reserved by Microsoft for future patching or other Updates.

SLN – SLP

• It is used by distributors to implement vertical partner solutions which are developed in the next ISV layer.

ISV – ISP

• When an independent software vendors creates their own solution. Their modifications are saved in this layer.

VAR – VAP

• It is a Customer specific/Industry Specific. Value added resellers can make modifications or new development to the VAR layer as specified by the customer or as a strategy of creating an industry specific solutions.

CUS – CUP

• It is specific to company/generic to company. The supervisor/administrator of an end user installation might want to make modifications that are generic to company.

USR – USP

• End user might want to make modifications, such as in their reports, forms and tables.

Thank you