Microsoft Dynamics Ax 2012 extended architecture

1. Ms Dynamics Ax 2012
By
Johnkrish

2. 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

3. Features of MSD AX
1 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. Extended Architecture
Several other components of MS Technologies are used in a typical deployment

7. Clients
MSD 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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 .

13. 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.
LAYERS
Benefits 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. Thank you