Adopt the Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Feature Pack - a must have

Recently, in February of this year Microsoft released the Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 feature pack. You can access the latest Dynamics AX ISO, which includes the feature pack, from the following location on PartnerSource: Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Feature Pack Release.

From the release notes: "Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Feature Pack is the Microsoft ERP solution for enterprises that empowers your people to anticipate and embrace change so your business can thrive. It constitutes our biggest releases that target five key industries: Manufacturing, Distribution, Services Industries, Public Sector, and Retail. This release also incorporates Microsoft Dynamics ERP RapidStart Services.

All of the industry solutions, Process Industries, Public Sector, Retail, and Service Industries, are now incorporated into the product and are installed the same way as other Microsoft Dynamics AX modules. Customers can enable or disable features by using configuration keys and can use features from multiple industry solutions. For example, a Public Sector organization can use the Retail POS capabilities, a pharmaceutical company involved in drug discovery and trials can use Service Industries and Process Manufacturing capabilities, or a wholesale distributor can use the Retail merchandising features."

Further, Microsoft just recently as of three days ago posted the following link on PartnerSource stating: "We strongly recommend that all Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 implementations move to using the Feature Pack"

The Resource Page.: The Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Feature Pack—Why You Should Adopt it Moving Forward

There are several reasons to make sure that the feature pack is the focus now and moving forward from all the updates to specific industry solutions adding retail, if desired, as well as having now support for 25 Countries. Further, Microsoft points out that: "When Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 is released in H1 Calendar Year 2013 it will automatically install the remaining Microsoft provided country localizations (Asia, South America, Eastern Europe, etc.); so that we maintain the single consistent Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 code base."

This then suggest, that in order to go to R2 - with the least time needed for deployment, having what resides in the feature pack for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 is a critical step. Further, applying and using the feature pack as the target version for any and all current AX 2012 instances, gives you the same build as CU2. Bringing your Microsoft Dynamics AX investment to the latest and most stable build. Even if you have applied CU2, you should look towards the feature pack, as it's clear through the message it's a stepping stone towards R2 that will be release first half of 2013.

Well that's all for now, check back soon though as a whole lot more to come. Till Next Time!
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Updated: AX 2012 - Run Reports without hitting the Production DB

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. I did want to post that I plated my recent post about how to setup a reporting database, that would enable the execution of AX 2012 reports, without hitting the production database. AX 2012 - Run Reports without hitting the Production DB



To sum up, here is the update:
" a reader of this post pointed out that this would not work for the setup using log shipping. Using log shipping is for HA, and he is 100% correct. The log shipped db will remain in standby mode and therefore the .net bc would fail in connecting to it. So instead of using log shipping replace that concept either with replication, or mirroring. The other points that people have brought up, including the same reader, is the cost for the license for the SQL server as well as the extra AOS needed. This is true, however if the desire is to offload the processing of reporting resources from the production, transactional db, then the cost of the extra license would have to be used in order to weight the value in which such a setup could bring. With this, still it is possible to have a reporting database that is different than the production transactional db."

It's still a valid possible solution, but with any such solution, of course there is a cost weight associated with it. Thanks to everyone who shared with me their thoughts on this. The concept was meant to be something that was refined and could give the community a possible solution for enabling such a need.

That's all for now, check back soon as more to come. Till next time!

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AX 2012 - Slipstreaming a Cumulative update

Recently I wrote about the release of CU1 for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012.

This is the first cumulative update to be released, for AX 2012, that includes a number of fixes. Cumulative updates, are packaged hotfixes that are meant to fix a set of specific issues.

With the release of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, a new concept of "Slipstreaming" updates exists. I made brief mention to this new way of applying updates, in my previous article.

Now the Microsoft EMEA Support team blog was recently updated, with exactly how this can be done for CU1: How can I slipstream Cumulative Updates for AX 2012 as part of a new installation

The above link, will talk you directly through the process of taking the contents from the CU1 release, how to correctly create the sub-folder, under the new updates folder for AX 2012, and deploy the content of the update into that folder.

It's worth to note here, that things that Cumulative updates, as well as service packs are going to be released in such a way, that they can be slipstreamed and applied in such a fashion. However hotfixes will continue to have their own manual instructions for applying said updates, that will most likely not be able to be apart of this slipstream process.

Just to be clear, for everyone, on how this works.: Microsoft works the community, be that Customer or Partner and discovers a bug, or they discover it themselves. A hotfix for that specific bug is created. Then after a set amount of hotfixes are generated, a cumulative updates is created. Typically the cumulative updates contain the previous cumulative update hotfixes. This means, that CU2, when released will actually contain CU1 fixes. From here, after a certain time frame, based on product road map, and market feedback / demand, services packs are released, that bring together all previous cumulative updates, and sometimes also have new feature adds.

So in short: Hotfixes -> Cumulative Updates -> Service Packs.

The idea, behind the slipstream process, is to cut down on the amount of setups one would have to run. In the past, if for example you want to deploy AX 2009, Service Pack 1, CU8. Well the process would be to run the RTM setup, then the SP1 setup and finally the CU8 setups.

With the slipstream process, you deploy the install contents from the ISO file for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 to a network share, add to the Updates folder as described in the above mentioned support post, and there is a single setup that has to be executed.

That's all for now, but check back soon as more to come. Till next time!



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Cumulative Update 1 for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

First off, many Thanks to Dilip and his blog for giving us this highlight. He is the first one, that I saw report this, of people I follow.

Now with that Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Cumulative Update 1 has been released. You will need PartnerSource access to get it. It can be downloaded from the following.: Cumulative Update 1 for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

I can't cover the details of what all this fixes, as it's released under: The information in this article is provided to you in accordance with your Confidentiality Agreement

I can however say, that after reviewing the list there is a lot of fixes around upgrades, with some functional area specific fixes. This CU1 is a must, and this brings a good time to point out in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, the new Update process.

In the past, you would have to take and, say wanted to install multiple updates. Well you would run the RTM Setup, and then perform any updates. That's not the case anymore! Now you can take updates, and place them within the Update folder of the network shared AX 2012 install location.

Next time you need to setup something, single setup process, and the CU1 will be applied as part of that install.

For already existing instances, or installs you will need to apply. One final note on this, the build before the CU1 being applied is: 6.0.947.00 and the build after the CU1 being applied will be: 6.0.947.61.

That's all for now, but check back soon and often as more to come! Till next time!



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Microsoft Azure - Cloud Platform Update and Article

I saw on twitter today, and nice linke to an Article from Forbes.com, talking about Microsoft's Cloud Computing platform Azure, and how it's hybrid ability to be hosted on-premise + in the cloud will enable it to be, along with other things, the dominate cloud platform.

I agree with this statement, so I thought it was a great article write up. You can see the full article here.: Why Microsoft's Hybrid Cloud Threatens Google

It's interesting actually, because Google recently has been feeling this threat, and therefore has changed it's "Intranet" cloud offering pricing and structure. I use "intranet" because it's still not on premise.

What I love about Microsoft's cloud approach, is the fact that I can develop a WCF service, and run that on-premise, or repackage, and run in the cloud. I can also use upcoming Windows Server AppFabric with Azure AppFabric to help scale out services, and control them like other Windows based technologies, through scripting and MMC snap in that is faimilar, IIS Management console.

Google, still in the cloud only.

I also have years of .Net and Microsoft technology skills that I have invested and built upon which makes it feel like a natural choice for using Azure for any cloud based development needs, as well as recommending doing so to my clients.

Getting back to the article, it points out that BizTalk is not in the cloud. And for now that is true, however BizTalk is very much a key to enabling ESB's, that include cloud based services. It plays a part of enabling Hyrbiid clouds, on the on-premise side of things.

Also, a nice little recap of the recent updates to the Azure platform can be found below here.:
"Recapping the Azure announcements: an updated version of Windows Azure Software Development Kit; support for .NET Framework 4; support for Visual Studio 2010's IntelliTrace feature; under SQL Azure, Microsoft now offers developers 50 GB (from 10 GB) of database storage; and Windows Azure Content Delivery Network is also now in production."

I have been talking about the cloud since 2007, and also how Hybrid clouds will be the norm. Now, here we are in 2010, and well into seeing these Hybrid clouds be formed, and more and more companies seeing the benefits of using the cloud for their needs.

That's all for now, check back soon as more to come!

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Back at it....

And now I am back from some good R&R. I tell you though, it never seems to last long. In getting back into the swing of things, I wanted to point out some good reads around the DAX world.

First up is DAXGuy's recent post of gathered up DAX 2009 documents. Thanks for putting these together DAXGuy: AX 2009 Documents

Next up is MSDynamicsWorld.com posts and articles:
-Which BI Tools Are Most Popular with Users of Microsoft Dynamics AX?
-SaaS, Hybrid, and On-Premise Models—Understanding the Distinctions for Microsoft Dynamics AX

That last one is by a new columnist over at MSDynamicsWorld.com, Bill Knap. (Click his name to read his profile)

Last, but not least, update, Sunrise Technologies, Inc. has yet another award. This time, the VAR I am apart of has been ranked one of the best places to work. Check it out here: Sunrise Technologies Named One of the Best Places to Work by the Triad Business Journal

So here we are, on the virtual road again. Look for more detailed information, articles, and fun things all that surrond Dynamics AX from here. As always, Check back soon!





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