Intelligent Data Management Framework For Microsoft Dynamics AX

Last week, during all the sessions, a nice little update took place for the IDMF, or Intelligent Data Management Framework, for Microsoft Dynamics AX.

First off, a direct link (PartnerSource or CustomerSource Access Required), to the IDMF download area can be found here.: Intelligent Data Management Framework Download.

Now, let me say this.: Every Customer and Partner, with an AX instance from 3.0, 4.0 and 2009 should be downloading this and looking at it.

If you don't have a good partner, contact me and I can hook you up with a partner that understands the value this brings.

From the IDMF page.:
"The Intelligent Data Management Framework for Microsoft Dynamics® AX helps administrators optimize Dynamics AX database layout by providing functionality to manage key database layout techniques, by way of intuitive Archiving and Purging capabilities.

The framework provides the platform for reduction in database size by purging and archiving of transactions records from sets of relating entities, while maintaining the consistency and integrity of production data. The Intelligent Data Management Framework provides customers and partners the ability to identify and discover related entities based on the Microsoft Dynamics AX metadata and to determine the purging or archiving criteria for tables.

The Intelligent Data Management Framework also analyzes the Production database to determine usage patterns and assesses the health of the Microsoft Dynamics AX Application. This Framework is compatible with all supported versions of Dynamics AX. The Intelligent Datat Management Framework for Microsoft Dynamics AX is a benefit of staying enrolled in a Business Ready Enhancement plan."

This is meant to be a tool, that resides along side Dynamics AX, to offer a company the ability to archive inactive data, and also remove marked obsolete data. This can happen by Fiscal Year, and done via the options and Dashboard within the client of the IDMF.

This framwork using Microsoft technologies, that you could create yourself, is being offered to those customers that stay actively enrolled in a Business Ready Enhancement plan, from Microsoft itself.

This framework makes use of SSIS packages, DMV's for Performance, ability to mark and see inactive data and move that data to an archive location, move it back as needed or mark as obsolete for total removal.

The following is a direct link to a presentation put on by Tao Wang Principal Development Manager Dynamics AX performance, at the AXUG Summit this year: TEC01 - The New Intelligence Data Management (IDM) Tool

Tao does a great job of going over the fact that the IDMF is very much a scalable solution. In that all can be on a single mahince, or as needed parts of it spread and scaled correctly, based on need.

Up until the release of this tool, Partners and Customers did what this tool already does. Create SSIS packages, use DMV's manaually and understanding what DMV's exists, how to join them and read them. Now, with this tool, both DB health, and size related to indexes, and inactive data can be dealt with, in a nice dashboard fashion.

I highly recommend downloading this now, and reviewing it. Set it up to hit a test instance of AX, and run through all the options it offers. Archive inactive data, bring it back, look at the performance dashboards, etc. etc.

That's all for now, but thanks Microsoft for taking and release to the public this great tool!

Till next time!

"Visit the Dynamics AX Community Page today!"

Microsoft SharePoint 2010 now compatible with Dynamics AX

I just saw this today when checking around, but the Dynamics AX Sustained Engineering team on Thurs of last week did a blog post about how Microsoft SharePoint 2010 is now compatible with Dynamics AX 2009 SP1.



The direct link to that can be found here.:
Dynamics AX Sustained Engineering Team is pleased to announce the compatibility of Microsoft SharePoint 2010 with Dynamics AX 2009 Service Pack 1

From the post.:
"Please notice the following system requirements for SharePoint 2010:
- .NET 3.5 and only in 64 bits mode
- Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 Standard and Enterprise Edition
- SQL Server 2005 SP3 with latest cumulative Update or SQL Server 2008

For Upgrade from MOSS 2007 or WSS 3.0 please notice the *Service Pack 2* is required.
Also, the side by side installation of SharePoint 2010 against any previous version is *not* supported."

I personally have a few clients I am working with that are very interested in this. I have been waiting to hear when this was going to happen. Its good to see it take place.

This is great news, because now all the great features like PowerPivot, etc. can be taking advantage of, in a more native setting.

That's all for now, check back soon!

"Visit the Dynamics AX Community Page today!"

Visual Studio 2010 and .Net 4.0 Passed Compatibility Testing with Dynamics AX

Recently, over at the Dynamics AX Sustained Engineering blog, a new post was done about recent compatibility testing that the sustained engineering team has been doing.

The link to that information can be found here.: New Compatibility Testing Results - March 2010

"Dynamics AX Sustained Engineering Team has completed the following compatibility tests for the new releases of the following external stack components... .NET 4 and Visual Studio 2010... Dynamics AX 4.0 SP2 and Dynamics AX 2009 Both 32 and 64 bits mode Clean install and side by side."



Now there are some other good test that were done, but I wanted to end the week with a post about Visual Studio 2010 and .Net 4.0. I am really impressed! I have been working with Visual Studio 2010 RC Ultimate Edt., and I love it!

I am running it on a Windows 7 64-bit machine. I am doing Cloud Development work, and also some targeted .Net 3.5 Framework work. I am really impressed with Visual Studio 2010.

It loads really fast, the sleek design is very appealing, and I have found easier to look at actually --- at least for my eyes --- than the older design and UI. I have also found the dubbger and IntelliTrace to be VERY handy.

So I am glad to see that the Sustained Engineering teams have giving Visual Studio 2010 and .Net 4.0 a go on compatibility testing. I will start to target future .Net assemblies to be referenced in Dynamics AX 4.0 SP2 and Above, with the .Net 4.0 framework, and try to take advantage of some of the newer features, like those offered with the Parrellel Computing Platform that's part of .Net 4.0 framework.

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




"Visit the Dynamics AX Community Page today!"

Dynamics AX 2009 Impact Analysis Tool (IAT)

The Dynamics AX Sustained Engineering blog, has a new entry as of Friday, which is highlights the new release of a Dynamics AX 2009 Impact Analysis Tool (IAT).

The direct blog post can be found here.: Release of Dynamics AX 2009 Impact Analysis Tool

From the blog post.:
"The Dynamics AX 2009 Impact Analysis Tool (IAT), is a one stop tool for analyzing the impact patches before they are applied to a Dynamics AX system. The IAT will analyze, code compare and cross-reference, the impact of patch across all layers. Previously, this functionality did not exist in a combined tool in Microsoft Dynamics AX, this made it more time consuming to assess the full impact of a patch, before it was applied to a system."

The following is a direct link to the white paper and X++ framework download.:
IAT pre-requisite framework (KB974255) and whitepaper

PartnerSource or CustomerSource is required to gain access to this new release.

This tool will be very handy for patch and upgrade help. A compare will take place, and is used to generate Impact Object Analysis, to help you identify better what will be affected, how it will affect your given instance, help you create a plan for doing a correct patch upgrade.

Highly recommended that your VAR helps you with this, for already existing customers of Dynamics AX.




"Visit the Dynamics AX Community Page today!"

Dynamics AX Sustained Engineering

Well I have a new Dynamics AX blog to tell you about. It's the Dynamics AX Sustained Engineering Team blog.

From the blog:
"Welcome to the Dynamics AX Sustained Engineering Team’s blog. Our goal is to use this blog to interact with customers regarding patching and servicing of released product. The posts to this blog are intended to address and discuss issues pertaining to Dynamics AX Servicing with customers and partners who work with Dynamics AX. We plan to share information regarding the methods in which the Dynamics AX product is serviced as well as helpful hints or recommendations for some common issues we see. We will post periodically regarding different topics\challenges people are facing and hope to have some good discussion regarding these items. Our goal is to post topics on at least a monthly basis but you may find that posts may occur more or less frequently based on our availability."

You can find a link to there blog here: Dynamics AX Sustained Engineering - Team Blog

They have an already interesting post: Dynamics AX 2009 Patching

Thanks to the team, and lest wish them luck and encourage them to post! As always check back soon!




"Visit the Dynamics AX Community Page today!"