Dynamics AX

Applies To: Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Feature Pack, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

If you are installing Microsoft Dynamics AX components for the first time, and cumulative updates, binary hotfixes, or service packs for Microsoft Dynamics AX are available, you can incorporate the updates into the installation by using a process that is known as slipstreaming.

When updates are slipstreamed, Setup automatically detects and applies them. In this way, the time that is required to install the whole Microsoft Dynamics AX solution is reduced.

Note

Components that were previously installed are not updated during a later slipstream installation. For example, an instance of Application Object Server (AOS) is installed on a server. Later, you add updates to the installation source, and you also install another Microsoft Dynamics AX component on the same server. In this scenario, the existing AOS instance is not updated.

You can slipstream the following kinds of updates:

Cumulative updates
Binary hotfixes
Help content updates
Service packs

Application (database) hotfixes cannot be included in the slipstreaming process. They must be installed by using AxUpdate.exe.

The Updates folder

Before you install Microsoft Dynamics AX, you copy the DVD to a network location. This lets you modify the installation media to create a slipstream installation. Incorporate updates into the installation process by copying files to the Updates folder in the shared network location.

Note

For more information about how to install Microsoft Dynamics AX from a shared network folder, see Create a shared directory for installation.

In the Updates folder, create a subfolder for each update package that you download. We recommend that you use the Knowledge Base article numbers of the updates as the names of the subfolders. For example, for the update that is associated with Knowledge Base article number 123456, create a subfolder that is named KB123456.

Extract each update into the appropriate subfolder. The following illustration shows an example of the recommended folder structure:

Any time that you apply a cumulative update package or a binary hotfix to your environment, we strongly recommend that you add the installation package to the Updates folder. This practice ensures that you can deploy new servers, clients, and other components of the correct version quickly. You should also make a copy of the updated installation media per your system recovery strategy.

The slipstreaming process

The following is a high-level overview of the slipstreaming process:

To find cumulative updates, visit the hotfix pages for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 or Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 on the CustomerSource web site. Logon is required.
Create a shared network location from which to install Microsoft Dynamics AX.
In the Updates folder, create a subfolder for each update package that you download. Then extract each update into the appropriate subfolder.
Run Setup and select the components that you want to install. Setup detects and installs the updates.

Follow the usual installation procedures to install Microsoft Dynamics AX components. For detailed installation instructions for each Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 component, see Install Microsoft Dynamics AX.

To install updates for Help content, you must select the Help Server component, and then select the updated content sets on the Language and content selection page.

Applies To: Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Feature Pack, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

If you understand the internal architecture of Microsoft Dynamics AX, you can more effectively make decisions when you plan, customize, and deploy a system. This topic provides a high-level overview of the system architecture of Microsoft Dynamics AX.

Microsoft Dynamics AX system architecture

The following diagram provides a high-level overview of the system architecture of Microsoft Dynamics AX. This diagram does not depict the system topology or physical infrastructure that are required for the deployment. Your infrastructure can consist of many Microsoft Dynamics AX components, and these components can be installed on either a single physical server or multiple physical servers. For factors that you must consider when you plan a deployment infrastructure, see Plan system topology. For detailed information about Microsoft Dynamics AX components, see Component architecture. For the current hardware and software requirements for Microsoft Dynamics AX, see the system requirements document that is available from the Microsoft Download Center.

System architecture

Authentication and authorization

Microsoft Dynamics AX uses integrated Windows authentication to authenticate Active Directory Domain Services users. If you configure Microsoft Dynamics AX to use a different authentication provider, users are authenticated by that provider. Authorization for access to data, business functionality, and presentation elements, such as forms, menus, fields, and reports, is governed by Microsoft Dynamics AX security. Anonymous web users can access Enterprise Portal for Microsoft Dynamics AX. However, only limited functionality is available to these users.

For more information, see Security architecture.

Presentation tier (clients and external applications)

A client provides an interface to Microsoft Dynamics AX data and functionality. An external application is integrated with Microsoft Dynamics AX to programmatically integrate functionality or exchange data.

The Windows client for Microsoft Dynamics AX is a native 32-bit program that provides a rich user interface.
Supported web browsers provide access to Microsoft Dynamics AX functionality and data through Enterprise Portal.
External applications interact with Microsoft Dynamics AX via services and Application Integration Framework (AIF). Services and AIF provide an extensible framework for XML-based scenarios for enterprise application integration (EAI), business-to-business (B2B), and service-oriented architecture (SOA).

Note Note

Use services and AIF to interact with the Microsoft Dynamics AX application. We recommend that you not use .NET Business Connector for integration with the Microsoft Dynamics AX application.

For more information about the architecture of the presentation tier, see the following topics:

Application tier

The application tier consists of one or more of the following Microsoft Dynamics AX components or computer roles.

Active Directory domain controller

A domain controller for AD DS is a prerequisite for installing Microsoft Dynamics AX.

For more information, see Security architecture.

Application Object Server

Application Object Server (AOS) controls communication among Microsoft Dynamics AX clients, databases, and applications. AOS also hosts Microsoft Dynamics AX services and the workflow system. You can deploy AOS on a single computer or create a load-balanced cluster of multiple AOS instances. AOS is a Windows service that requires a Windows Server operating system. For the current hardware and software requirements for Microsoft Dynamics AX, see the system requirements document that is available from the Microsoft Download Center.

AOS uses libraries from the Microsoft .NET Framework version 4, such as Windows Communication Foundation and Windows Workflow Foundation.

For more information, see AOS architecture.

Enterprise Portal

Microsoft Dynamics AX provides a set of websites that give you access to data. On these sites, you can also participate in business processes by using web-based forms. These sites are collectively called Enterprise Portal.

For more information, see Enterprise Portal architecture.

Reporting

Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services is the primary reporting platform for Microsoft Dynamics AX.

For more information, see Reporting architecture.

Analytics

Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services is a server-based solution that provides functionality for online analytical processing (OLAP). OLAP reports help users analyze business data and identify trends that they might not discover if they view the data in traditional reports.

For more information, see Analytics architecture.

Workflow

Workflow is a system that is installed together with Microsoft Dynamics AX, and that runs on AOS. The workflow system provides functionality that you can use to create individual workflows, or business processes.

For more information, see Workflow system architecture.

Services and Application Integration Framework (AIF)

The capability to integrate Microsoft Dynamics AX with other systems inside and outside the enterprise is a common requirement. Services and AIF provide this capability by enabling the exchange of data through formatted XML.

For more information, see Services and AIF architecture.

Help server

The Help system uses a client/server architecture. Help content is hosted on a dedicated server component, the Help server, which manages the storage and display of product documentation. The Help viewer, which is a component of the Microsoft Dynamics AX client, provides access to Help content from individual workstations.

For more information, see Help system architecture.

Microsoft Project Server integration

The integration of Microsoft Dynamics AX with Microsoft Project Server requires two integration components, the synchronization service for Project Server and synchronization proxy for Project Server. To use the Project Server functionality, you must install both components.

For more information, see Project Server integration architecture.

Data tier

Microsoft Dynamics AX requires several database components.

The Microsoft Dynamics AX database

The database is a Microsoft SQL Server database that stores transaction and reference data. This database is functionally equivalent to the principal database in Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 and Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009.

For more information, see Database components.

The model store

The model store is a SQL Server database that stores all application elements for Microsoft Dynamics AX. These elements include customizations. Information about layers and models is an integral part of the store. AOS has access to the model store, handles layer flattening, and provides model data to all the Microsoft Dynamics AX subsystems. These subsystems include the subsystems for form rendering, report rendering, and X++ code. The model store replaces the Microsoft Dynamics AX Object Data (AOD) files that were used in earlier versions of Microsoft Dynamics AX.

For more information, see Model store architecture.

Other databases

Enterprise Portal requires content and configuration databases for SharePoint 2010 products. Reporting Services requires a Reporting Services database. Support for OLAP cubes requires a Analysis Services database.