Tips to optimize the performance of SQL Server in ERP - Dynamics AX 2012 R3

3. Value of Lifecycle Services for Key Personas

4. Microsoft Dynamics AX Architectural Review

5. Microsoft Dynamics AX Architectural Review
• Three-Tier Architecture
Data
• Microsoft Dynamics AX database, the model store, the Reporting
Services database, the Analysis Services database, and the Enterprise
Portal database.
Application
• Application Object Server (AOS), Enterprise Portal, Reporting and
Analytics, Workflow, Services and Application Integration Framework,
and Help Server
Presentation
• Microsoft Dynamics AX Rich Client and Enterprise Portal

6. Microsoft Dynamics AX Architectural Review
• Reporting Architecture
Menu
item
Parameters
form
Report
viewer
Report
(.rdl file)
Data
extension
Customizatio
n extension
Metadata
service
Query web
service
Query
1 2
3
45

7. Microsoft Dynamics AX Architectural Review
•Enterprise Portal Architecture

8. Sizing Questions
• What is the Maximum Transaction Volume expected in an Hour, during
Peak Season?
• What is the Record Count for Master Data?
• Which modules will be used in the Microsoft Dynamics AX application?
• Will any Add-on to Microsoft Dynamics AX be used?
• Will Microsoft Dynamics AX have to integrate to third-party systems?
• Are there any major customizations that must be created?
• How many users will access the Microsoft Dynamics AX system?

9. Database Sizing Guidelines
• CPU – The database server should have one core for every 4,000 to
12,000 transactions entered for every hour, with a minimum of four cores.
For example, an organization that enters 48,000 transactions for each hour
during peak hours should have 4 to 12 cores.
• Memory – For every core on the database server, 2 to 4 gigabytes (GB)
of memory should be allocated. For example, a database server that has 8
cores should have 16 to 32 GB of memory.
• Storage – Data, transaction logs, and tempdb should be stored in a raid
0+1 array. The data drive must be large enough to hold the production
database, and have the disk throughput to handle Microsoft Dynamics AX
transaction volumes.

10. Application Object Server Sizing Guidelines
• CPU – Each AOS should have one core for every 8,000 to 12,000
transactions entered for every hour. Additionally, one core
should exist for every 25 to 100 concurrent users who access the
Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 system.
• Memory – 4 GB to 8 GB of memory should be allocated to each
AOS instance.
• Batch Server – AOS servers designated to run batch jobs should
have one to four threads allocated for each CPU core.

11. Enterprise Portal Server Sizing Guidelines
• CPU – The Enterprise Portal web server should have 2 to 16
cores, depending on the user count and the transaction
volume/complexity. Generally, one core for every 40 to 120
concurrent users should be added.
• Memory – 1/2 GB to 2 GB of memory should be allocated for
every core.
• Network – Enterprise Portal web servers should be equipped
with Gigabit Ethernet Network Interface Cards and exist on a
Gigabit network.

12. Terminal Server Sizing Guidelines
• CPU – A minimum of two cores should be allocated for the base
Terminal Server.
• Memory – A minimum of 4 GB of memory should be installed in
the base Terminal Server. In addition, 100 Megabytes (MB) to
200 MB of memory should be allocated for every client
connection.
• Network – If latency on the Local Area Network is over 50
milliseconds or access to the Microsoft Dynamics AX Rich Client
is required over a Wide Area Network, Remote Desktop Services
should be used.

13. SQL Configuration
• Scenario:
Simon, the Systems Implementer, is helping Contoso to configure its SQL
Server to make sure that the SQL Server continues to run without
interruptions on AX.
• Configure the Operating System BIOS
Disable Hyper-Threading and power saving features.
• Operating System Settings
Select a high performance power plan, and set processor scheduling
prioritized for background services.

14. SQL Configuration
• SQL Server Service Account Configuration
• Lock pages in memory
• Perform Volume Maintenance Tasks

15. SQL Configuration
• Configuration of the Instance of the SQL Server
• Max Degree of Parallelism
• Maximum server memory
• Minimum server memory
• Default index fill factor

16. SQL Configuration
• Trace Flags
1224 - Disables lock escalation based on the number of locks.
4136 - Can significantly improve the performance of the Microsoft Dynamics AX
implementation if the structure of the Microsoft Dynamics AX data has
parameter sniffing issues.
4199 - Activates query optimizer fixes from several hotfixes.
1117 - Keep tempdb data files the same size in case tempdb must autogrow.
2371 - Changes the threshold to automatically update the statistics for the indexes on
a table from 20 percent to a formula that is based on both the percent change
and the number of rows in the table.

17. SQL Configuration
• Configure tempdb
• Move tempdb, log files, and data files to separate high performance disks
• Set the tempdb to 20 percent of the size of the database
• Create one tempdb data file for each processor core
• Configure Autogrow to between 250 and 500 MB for each file

18. SQL Configuration
• Configure the AX Database
Property Recommended setting
READ_COMMITTED_SNAPSHOT ON
AUTO_CREATE_STATISTICS ON
AUTO_UPDATE_STATISTICS ON
AUTO_UPDATE_STATISTICS_ASYNC OFF
AUTO_SHRINK OFF
AUTO_CLOSE OFF
• Physical Storage Configuration
ALTER DATABASE <ax database name>
SET READ_COMMITTED_SNAPSHOT ON
GO

19. Microsoft Dynamics AX Settings
• Microsoft Dynamics AX Server Configuration
Enable breakpoints to debug X++ code running on this server
Enable clients to trace their interactions with the AOS instance.
Enable global breakpoints
Enable the debugging X++ code that is invoked by using Query Services

20. Microsoft Dynamics AX Settings
• Microsoft Dynamics AX Server Configuration

21. Microsoft Dynamics AX Settings
• Microsoft Dynamics AX Server Configuration
Statement cache
Determines how many statements the AOS caches.
Maximum buffer size (KB)
The maximum size of the buffer the kernel allocates for holding input/output data to and from
the SQL server.

22. Microsoft Dynamics AX Settings
• Microsoft Dynamics AX Server Configuration

23. Microsoft Dynamics AX Settings
• Server Configuration
• Error on invalid field access
• Error on exceeding maximum number of tables in join
• Maximum number of tables in join
• Client record cache factor
• Entire table cache size
• Global Object Cache elements
• Record cache elements for <Table group> table group

24. Microsoft Dynamics AX Settings
• AOS Load Balancing
• Data Cleanup
• Client Performance Options
• Additional areas affecting performance
• Database log
• Number sequences
• Credit limit check
• Complex Company structure
• In Virtual company setup and views

25. Batch Configuration
• Batch Configuration
• Maximum batch threads
• Batch server groups

26. Design Effective SQL Server Maintanence Plans
Maintenance
plans
Index
fragmentation
Statistics
Maintenance
Frequency