SQL Server Modeling - Coming to a Dynamics AX near you!

Last week, I ended my post with an interview with Microsoft DE, Mike Ehrenberg. A direct link to that post can be found here.: Interview with Microsoft Distinguished Engineer - Mike Ehrenberg

There was a lot covered in this interview, and I plan on diving deeper into each section with details, that help fill in the vision and path that was laid out by Mike during that interview.

So with this in mind, I wanted to jump right into the "Oslo", or now know as SQL Server Modeling. I wrote about this topic actually before I had the interview with Mike. I made an educated guess, after reading Mike org. executive insight blog post that SQL Server Modeling would have an impact on Dynamics AX vNext versions to come.

Just to back up a little bit, I first starting writing about, then, Olso in Feb. of 2009. In the following post, Dynamics AX, SOA and Oslo on the mind... , I wrote.:

"In the next release of Dynamics AX (based on current road map) Oslo + Dublin, along with the modeling language "M", yes a new language that we will explore here, will be used by normal super users to create, manage and maintain business work flows and processes, without the need of much coding in X++ or C#."

Now lets fast forward to my next post about Olso, now SQL Server Modelings, SQL Server Modeling - Formely Code name "Oslo"

In that post I list a good amount of helpful links, to help you dig into SQL Server Modeling (SSM), and also stated the following.:

"My educated guess, is that SQL Server Modeling will be a base technology, along with .Net 4.0 Workflow Engine, .Net 4.0, the .Net SQL Server Modeling Class Libraries, etc. Now a full own use of SQL Server Modeling within Dynamics AX might not exist in the next release, but it for sure will be in Dynamics AX 7.0. However 6.0 will have something of these technologies to enable what I was talking about... ...I am willing to bet we will hear about this at Convergence."

So the past post I have been doing for over a year, talking about Oslo / SQL Server Modeling, has been correct and verified, as seen in the recent interview with Mike.:

"Yes, definitely. Dynamics AX has always made a big bet on modeling. The metadata accessed through the AOT is a core part of what makes Dynamics AX development highly productive. Our evolution points to more and more done through declarative modeling instead of code – making it both more efficient and more resilient through upgrades over time. In Dynamics AX ‘6’, all of this metadata moves from the file system to the SQL Server database. This is a deployment simplification and one that moves towards the capabilities of SQL Server Modeling – our roadmap and the result of what was “Oslo”."

It makes sense now why one of the reason's MFP's post highlighting the move of the Application Files, to be stored in the database, is taking place.

Like I said, above, this helps verify my educated guesses, and also helps give us direction that SQL Server Modeling is on it's way to Dynamics AX.

So here we are, Convergence just around the cornor, deep into Dynamics AX 2009 and Dynamics AX 2011 set for Q1 release of next year. This means we have roughly 6-8 months to really start looking into what SQL Server Modeling will bring to the Dynamics AX table.

Microsoft's vision for this is it will allow for Domain Specific Languages to be created, and used by Functional Consultants and Business Users to create their processes with. Allowing for a Model Driven approach to the business system development, that would cut out 80-90% of the code that is currently created today.

Does this mean C# or even X++ is going away? No! It's and impossible task to have software, in which zero development takes place. However, with Model Driven development, the business process can be defined, in a Domain Specific Language, that shapes the process and workflows, where the remaining needs are filled in with code at given points in those processes and workflows.

Quote from Mike's responses.:
"Our evolution points to more and more done through declarative modeling instead of code"

To me that statement says a lot. Declarative Modeling instead, or in place of code. This is the direction, and if Dynamics AX is in your future, then Declarative Modeling is in your future with SQL Server Modeling.

I plan on doing a deep dive into all of this. Getting into Domain Specific Languages, M, what SQL Server Modeling will look like, along with the rest of the topics covered in the interview.

That's all for now, but check back soon!




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SQL Server Modeling - Book - June 10 2010 Release date

I wanted to do a quick post, and point out that recently a new book has been placed on Amazon for pre-order. This is the 'Beginning SQL Server Modeling: Model-Driven Application Development in SQL Server 2008 (Paperback)' book.

The author of this book is Bart Weller

His listed Bio is.:
Bart Weller is software developer and consultant specializing in object-oriented development. Over the years he has worked on a system simulation of a satellite command & control system, a laser remote sensing system for atmospheric pollutants, and scientific instrumentation systems for NASA's Apollo Skylab. Enterprise business applications he has worked on include an on-line commodities trading system, several enterprise insurance applications, and a telecommunications network. He occasionally works part-time at a small college, and has rebuilt a Jeep engine -- twice. He lives in western Colorado with his wife, dog Duffey (named in honor of the late John Duffey, former lead tenor and mandolin player with the Seldom Scene), two country cats, and eight feral llamas. He is a volunteer DJ at the local community radio station, and his hobbies are clearing deadfall and fixing things. Among the people he admires are Einstein, Lincoln, Alan Kay, Patch Adams, and J.J. Cale.

I have placed a pre-order for this book myself, and it goes along with the post I did yesterday on SQL Server Modeling, previously known as "Oslo".

This book will focus on the core technology itself, using it to create custom applications, DSL's, use of M, etc. Understanding this core, I believe, is an investment in the future of Dynamics AX itself. of course, time will tell if I am right or not.

Check back soon, more to come!




"Visit the Dynamics AX Community Page today!"

SQL Server Modeling - Formely Code name "Oslo"

Way back when, specifically about a year ago this month, I did a write up on Microsoft Project, code named "Oslo". A direct link to that post can be found here.:
Dynamics AX, SOA and Oslo on the mind...

From that post.:
"in the not to distant future Oslo (along with "Dublin") will be released from Microsoft as live products platforms / services, and they are already in the line up for Microsoft Dynamics AX roadmap.

The reason they are is that Oslo, Dublin and Dynamics AX with the help of SOA will become platforms that work together with the rest of the Microsoft stack, like office, to help deliver to business that make use of the Dynamics AX business platform, create and manage business workflows."

I went on to type.:
"Big deal huh? I mean this is already happenning right with the release of Dynamics AX 2009 and it's use of the .Net 3.5 workflow engine right? Technically the answer is yes. But... (and you knew there was a but) there is a lot of code that goes into these workflows, the designer is a tree down designer, and the flow of these workflows are not very flexible.

Enter WF in .Net 4.0. This will come into play, along with Visio like diagram ability to offer partners and customers to create workflows with greater ease soon, that are more flexible and less code."

Lets continue a little further.:
"A little later, enter Dublin + Oslo (along with the letter "M" [more in a bit about M.]) with WF 4.0 (and beyond) and you have the *desired* goal of creating business process workflows that are managed and created by users, with complex flows and use of logic, with 80%-90% estimated less code than currently exists with workflows in Dynamics AX 2009 and .Net 3.5."



Alright, now lets step back into the present. So a year ago, I was talking about Oslo, M, .Net 4.0 working together with Dynamics AX of the future, for doing basically Model Driven Development / Programming.

As defined by Microsoft's, SQL Server Modeling - Terminology page:

A software design approach that offers the same benefits of data-driven programming, but is generally a richer approach because it works not just from data values, but from model instances. Just as the term model implies more deliberate design than arbitrary data structures do, model-driven programming implies a more conscious use of models over mere data. In this usage, there is a strong implication that models are designed to be shared data structures, and do not result simply to provide an implementation.

So "Oslo" was turned into SQL Server Modeling in Nov. of this past year. Since then all the MSDN pages for Oslo now reference SQL Server Modeling. This is Microsoft's step into true Model Driven Application Design.

We have actually seen some of these basic principals applied with the MVC approach for ASP.Net and general .Net development. Which is: Model-View-Control. Well SQL Server Modeling, along with the technologies that help enable it, like the M language, will be a set of technologies and services that offer the ability for customers and partners to create Applications, Services and software through Model Driven Architectures, and programming.

This is a different way of thinking, than what most OO developers are use to. However, unlike a lot of people I have heard complain about MDA, or Model Driven Architecture. OO abilities, code, and principals can still be used when describing objects. Still the approach for how often, and when used changes when we basically take a step higher. Meaning we allow the code to be more generic and generated at runtime. Less compiling, less deploying, more flexibility, without having to code to gain it.

We have seen steps in this direction, and MDA is nothing new. However how it will be achieved with Microsoft SQL Server Modeling will be for Microsoft Customers, Partners and technologist alike.

So is this important for Dynamics AX? Now that's the question. Recently I had my 500th post, and in that I listed some of the upcoming technical based changes that are coming to Dynamics AX. That post can be found here.: Dynamics AX 6.0 (2011) and 500th Post!

In this post I talked about workflows, and functional consultants having the ability to create processes and process workflows without much code needed or developer help. How do you think this will be achieved?

My educated guess, is that SQL Server Modeling will be a base technology, along with .Net 4.0 Workflow Engine, .Net 4.0, the .Net SQL Server Modeling Class Libraries, etc. Now a full own use of SQL Server Modeling within Dynamics AX might not exist in the next release, but it for sure will be in Dynamics AX 7.0. However 6.0 will have something of these technologies to enable what I was talking about.

So the idea, is going to be that Dynamics AX Processes can be mapped, and modeled by business analysts, functional consultants. Cutting down on development by an estimate (last years blog post) 80-90% in some aspects.

This will offer ease of upgrading, and allow greater flexibility for a customer for his Dynamic business to be enabled and his Dynamics AX ERP will be flexible and dynamic enough to match his on-going business needs.

So for the cool technical stuff. Even if your not a Dynamics AX, or Dynamics Line ERP technical person. Knowing SQL Server Modeling, for custom, enterprise, ISV software development will be a key technology. That means you need to learn "M", and things like having the ability to create a Domain Specific Langauge (DSL).



I talked about this last year, and it's impact on Dynamics AX. Now here it is, and I am willing to bet we will hear about this at Convergence.

I will leave you with the following MSDN links, on SQL Server Modeling. I hope I have you thinking about this, and seeing how this can be used with Dynamics AX, and most likely will be.

• SQL Server Modeling "Oslo" - Wiki page


• SQL Server Modeling CTP - Samples


• SQL Server Modeling - Service Arch.


• SQL Server Modeling CTP - Download Page


• Data and Modeling Customer Advisory Team - MSDN Blog

Look for more coverage in the very near future on SQL Server Modeling, and check back soon!




"Visit the Dynamics AX Community Page today!"

Dynamics AX, SOA and Oslo on the mind...

Alright, so I have been doing a lot of degrees of seperation lately, or thinking in such terms. The area's of topic, by choice, are Dynamics AX, SOA and Oslo. I started thinking about these 3, two products and one an arch. that is used to bridge systems, interconnecting products.

Then, even as I was typing that, about being products, in turn I realized that Dynamics AX and Oslo are not products really, not anymore, well not anymore for Dynamics AX.

When Dynamics AX was called Axapta, and back before Microsoft bought it, you could consider Axapta a product on the verge of becoming a platform.

With the release of Dynamics AX 4.0, this product grew up and became a real platform for the first time. It integrated and fit, nicely sometimes and not so nicely on others, into the Microsft stack. And why not right?

Microsoft is a platform company, that is what they are. They provide the platform that partners and customers use to provide and create solutions with.

Alright so Dynamics AX and Oslo are platforms, and SOA is an Arch. Well recently, Microsoft hosted their SOA conference. The home page can be found here: Real World SOA: 2009 Microsoft SOA & Business Process Conference

At the conference there was a lot of different topics covered, and I plan on getting into some of the details in a later post (hopefully) about in specific session. For now though I wanted to talk about these two platforms and the one arch. The reason is, in the not to distant future Oslo (along with "Dublin") will be released from Microsoft as live products platforms / services, and they are already in the line up for Microsoft Dynamics AX roadmap.

The reason they are is that Oslo, Dublin and Dynamics AX with the help of SOA will become platforms that work together with the rest of the Microsoft stack, like office, to help deliver to business that make use of the Dynamics AX business platform, create and manage business workflows.

Big deal huh? I mean this is already happenning right with the release of Dynamics AX 2009 and it's use of the .Net 3.5 workflow engine right? Technically the answer is yes. But... (and you knew there was a but) there is a lot of code that goes into these workflows, the designer is a tree down designer, and the flow of these workflows are not very flexible.

Enter WF in .Net 4.0. This will come into play, along with Visio like diagram ability to offer partners and customers to create workflows with greater ease soon, that are more flexible and less code.

A little later, enter Dublin + Oslo (along with the letter "M" [more in a bit about M.]) with WF 4.0 (and beyond) and you have the *desired* goal of creating business process workflows that are managed and created by users, with complex flows and use of logic, with 80%-90% estimated less code than currently exists with workflows in Dynamics AX 2009 and .Net 3.5.

So with all this said, what's the point?

1.) You can create workflows now in Dynamics AX 2009, that will help manage your business processes, out of the box.

2.) In the very near future, this will be improved with .Net 4.0 and WF, along with a new designer for the workflow that will be Visio like. The workflows will be easier to manage and offer more flexibility, with less code.

3.) In the next release of Dynamics AX (based on current road map) Oslo + Dublin, along with the modeling language "M", yes a new language that we will explore here, will be used by normal super users to create, manage and maintain business work flows and processes, without the need of much coding in X++ or C#. (Based on information from Microsoft)


So we have some exciting new things to look at with this. Look for more on this, later this week, as we look back in time at the PDC 2008 that happended last October to talk about this in greater detail and to get some direction on the who, what, when, how... and why of this topic.

Check back soon...






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Some Highlights & Thank Yous

First let me say I hope everyone is enjoying TechEd conference. A lot of great information was blogged yesterday from TechEd. I am really excited about, espcailly Oslo, the modelling concept from Microsoft for speeding up development.

With that said, I have some highlights and thanks yous of my own to post about here. First Mary Jo Foley from Her Blog 'All About Microsoft' from ZDNet, picked up my Q&A interview with Klaus and Doug from Microsoft. This was picked up in here blog post on the release of Dynamics AX 2009:

Dynamics AX 2009: The ‘Halo’ for Microsoft’s app platform

I was picked up as being quoted on this post, and a direct link to my interview as seen at the bottom of here post:



I wanted to take the time and thank Mary Jo for not only the honor of being picked up on her blog, but also for all the hard work she does in covering Microsoft.

Next, and more related back to TechEd this week, I am currently being spotlighted on TechEd Bloggers(.net) home page. TechEd editors choose a few bloggers to spotlight, that they pick up post from, and I happened to be one of the lucky ones. So I wanted to say thank you to the TechEd editoral staff, including Kathy!

You can see my spotlight on there home page, and also I have captured in a screen shot below here:



So a lot of cool and great stuff going on this week with information, TechEd, and last but for sure not least the release of Dynamics AX 2009. I plan on doing a lot of post about DAX 2009 continued at MSDynamicsWorld.com as well as expanding on those from this blog.

Check back soon!



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