Chapter 2: Planning Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.

0 Install

CHAPTER 2: PLANNING MICROSOFT DYNAMICS

AX 4.0 INSTALL
Objectives
The objectives are:

• Explain the core computer roles required for a Microsoft

Dynamics™ AX 4.0 installation
• Show the Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 topology
• Explain the hardware and software requirements for Microsoft
Dynamics AX 4.0 installation
• Explain the skills needed by staff members to successfully
implement Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0

Introduction
To successfully install Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0, the application infrastructure
must comply with Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 system requirements. These
requirements include the following:

• Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 network infrastructure requirements.

• The hardware and software requirements for various deployment
scenarios.
• The staff skills required to successfully install Microsoft Dynamics
AX 4.0

This training course focuses on a standard Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0

implementation in a Microsoft® Windows Server™ 2003 environment. However,
there is mention of other available scenarios.

NOTE: In the classroom-training environment, students will install Microsoft

Dynamics AX 4.0 on a virtual PC configured with Windows Server 2003.

IMPORTANT: The Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 Implementation Guide delves into

areas the organization might have to address depending on the deployment
requirements.
In addition to the standard system requirements presented in this manual, the
Implementation Guide contains a variety of additional installation tasks to consider
depending on the system configuration. Microsoft will also have a Web site that
contains the latest requirements and other information about Microsoft Dynamics AX
4.0. Refer to PartnerSource for more information.

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Scenario
Global Trade and Manufacturing (GTM) is a mid-sized manufacturer of various
light products. Although their customer base spans multiple countries, their target
is mainly North America. They plan to use Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 to take
advantage of the integration with their existing Microsoft products.

GTM uses many of the Microsoft products that will be required during the
Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 implementation. The company will hire consultants
to implement the system, but will use GTM in-house resources for ongoing
maintenance of the system.

Problem
GTM's in-house staff has experience using Microsoft Windows Server 2003,
Microsoft® Active Directory®, and Microsoft® SQL Server®, but they do not
have experience deploying a large-scale business system. The staff also has
networking experience, but has not had to troubleshoot issues with large-scale
data transfers with many users as expected with the new business system.

Goal
The goal for GTM is to have all the critical skills covered for the Microsoft
Dynamics AX 4.0 implementation. This includes Windows Server 2003,
deployment issues, Active Directory, SQL Server, and Networking. In addition,
it will help if users have proficiency in several other areas including Microsoft
Exchange, Domain Controllers, SQL Reporting Services, and Web Services.

Solution
To make sure all the critical skills are covered for the Microsoft Dynamics AX
4.0 implementation, GTM will have to find consultants with the required skills
that GTM does not have in-house. Because the GTM staff has Windows Server
2003, Active Directory and SQL Server skills, they will have to use
implementation consultants with deployment and networking skills.

The implementation consultant must follow these steps:

• Review each of the hardware and software requirement in the pre-

installation checklist
• Determine what hardware or software must be upgraded to support
the Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 deployment
• Perform any necessary hardware and software upgrades
• Determine whether any new servers or client computers must be
purchased, and schedule those purchases to coincide with the project
plan

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Core Computer Roles

Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 has separate roles, each with a specific function.
Part of the implementation process is to define which computer in the system will
perform each specific function or role. It is possible that a single computer can
host one or more roles.

A Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 system contains the following core computer

roles:

• Application Object Server (AOS)

• Database
• File Server
• Client

Application Object Server (AOS)

The Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 AOS is a Microsoft Windows service that:

• Controls communications among Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0

clients, databases, and applications.
• Allows implementers to install on a single computer, or on a cluster
that uses Windows Network Load Balancing.

Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 requires Windows-integrated authentication for all

servers in the system, which means that an Active Directory directory service
must exist in the system. For security reasons, it is required that the AOS be
installed on Windows Server 2003.

A system that is used for demonstrations, development, or test can be set up to

use more than one AOS instance.

Database
A database stores the Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 data as part of an existing
Microsoft SQL Server database server installation. When setting up the database
server, make sure to use Windows authentication.

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File server
The application file server contains the files in which the Microsoft Dynamics
AX 4.0 business logic is stored. Examples of the files in this directory include:

• Indexes
• Headers
• Labels for each layer

The directory must be accessed by all AOS computers.

Permissions on this directory must be highly restrictive because stored data can
include sensitive customer data. Only the AOS Windows service and Microsoft
Dynamics AX 4.0 administrators can have write access to the directory. Client
computers do not require access to the file server directory, and for security
reasons, make sure that the clients are not granted access.
Client
The client is the user interface to Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 data and
functionality.

Test Your Knowledge − Core Computer Roles

Explain the primary functionalities of the four core computer roles.

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Plan System Topology

In order to ease the Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 installation, it is important to
carefully perform the implementation process in phases. Consider the following
factors during planning:

• Implementing a Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 system on a local area

network with multiple-user access requires careful consideration and
planning.
• A large business with multiple locations might experience different
challenges compared to a smaller business with one location and a
few users.
• Start the implementation process with an inventory of the
organization's current hardware and software.
• Determine the deployment scenario that best meets the business'
current needs and allows for anticipated future growth.

Steps in Planning System Topology

Before the actual installation takes place, implementers must gather information
about the customer's requirements to help prepare the correct topology.

1. Define and document these items with the customer:

– Number of transactions
– Number of users
– Uses of system (modules and features to be implemented)
– External user access required
– Web access required
– Required availability
– Projected growth rate
– Number of sites

2. Evaluate and document the existing infrastructure:

– Existing hardware
– Bandwidth
– Operating system
– Databases present
– Applications to integrate

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3. After gathering this information, start to determine how to structure

the system. Key decisions are:
– If there any computer roles that can be combined on a single
computer, and if they can, which to combine.
– If there are any network load-balanced clusters to host the AOS.
– What the best backup system for the Microsoft Dynamics AX
4.0 environment is.

Core Topologies
If there are no users outside the domain (external users) that must access data,
then use one of the following basic topologies, the minimal core installation or
the clustered core installation.

NOTE: Although it is possible to install Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 on a single

computer for development and trial purposes, in a production environment the single
computer install is not recommended.

Figure 2.1 shows a minimal installation topology using three computers.

FIGURE 2.1: MINIMAL CORE INSTALLATION

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Figure 2.2 shows a core system topology running on clustered servers.

FIGURE 2.2: CLUSTERED CORE INSTALLATION

NOTE: Installing the application file server on an AOS is acceptable. Because there can
only be one application file server in the environment it need only be installed on a single
AOS computer in the cluster.

Enterprise Portal Topologies

An Enterprise Portal server hosts and provides site definitions for a Microsoft®
SharePoint® site that can present live Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 data and
functionality to trusted users, and can present restricted functionality, such as
catalog information and questionnaires, to anonymous users.
Intranet-Only Enterprise Portal
Figure 2.3 shows a topology for a simple intranet-only Enterprise Portal.

FIGURE 2.3: SIMPLE INTRANET-ONLY ENTERPRISE PORTAL INSTALLATION

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Figure 2.4 shows a larger-scale intranet-only Enterprise Portal.

FIGURE 2.4: INTRANET-ONLY ENTERPRISE PORTAL INSTALLATION

Internet-Facing Enterprise Portal

There are two recommended topologies for Internet-facing Enterprise Portal, the
Standard Perimeter Network and the Traditional Perimeter Network.
Examination of the perimeter network configuration will decide which one to
use.

The primary difference between the two topologies is how access to Enterprise
Portal is managed for external users.

The topics titled Standard Perimeter Network and Traditional Perimeter Network
describe two options for configuring a perimeter network to support Microsoft
Dynamics AX 4.0.

Standard Perimeter Network

In this configuration, called a standard perimeter network, the Active Directory
domain contains:

• All internal users to be added to Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0.

• Special users required for Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 functionality.

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• An organizational unit that contains any users from outside the

organization that require Enterprise Portal access. These users' rights
must be restricted in that the users cannot:
– Log on locally
– Access network

NOTE: The organizational unit can contain other organizational units, as long as the
top node is associated with Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0.

The illustration in Figure 2.5 shows a standard perimeter network configuration:

FIGURE 2.5: STANDARD PERIMETER NETWORK CONFIGURATION

Traditional Perimeter Network

This configuration, called a traditional perimeter network, contains two Active
Directory domains: the internal domain and the external domain. The internal
domain contains:

• All internal users to be added to Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0.

• Special users required for Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 functionality.
• Group required for application integration server functionality.

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The perimeter network contains a second domain controller with a one-way trust
relationship to the first domain controller. The second domain controller contains
any users from outside the organization that require Enterprise Portal access.
These users cannot have any rights in the internal domain, and their rights must
be restricted in the perimeter network domain so that the users cannot:

• Log on locally
• Access network

NOTE: On the Enterprise Portal computer, the Group Policy must be overridden. Set the
policy to Cannot access network to allow access to that computer.

The illustration in Figure 2.6 shows a traditional perimeter network

configuration:

FIGURE 2.6: TRADITIONAL PERIMETER NETWORK CONFIGURATION

Reporting Server Topology

Reporting server is installed on an Internet Information Services (IIS) server that
is not Internet-facing.

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The illustration in Figure 2.7 shows a simple reporting server topology:

FIGURE 2.7: SIMPLE REPORTING SERVER INSTALLATION

Application Integration Server Topology

An application integration server is installed on an Internet Information Services
(IIS) server that is not Internet-facing.

The illustration in Figure 2.8 shows a simple application integration topology:

FIGURE 2.8: APPLICATION INTEGRATION SERVER INSTALLATION

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Test Your Knowledge − Plan System Topology

Please answer the following questions individually or as a class.

1. What information must be obtained before installing Microsoft

Dynamics AX 4.0?
2. What are the three servers required for a basic installation of
Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 without external users?
3. Compare and contrast the differences between the topologies for the
core roles and the topologies for the additional roles.

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Planning Hardware and Software

Choosing appropriate hardware for a Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 installation
depends on many factors, which Table 2.1 describes in detail.

Factor Description
Number of Transactions The total average number of the following
per Hour transactions processed per work hour is a key
indicator of the size of database system needed:
• Sales orders
• Purchase orders
• Accounts payable
• Accounts receivable
• Production orders
• CRM orders
• General ledger journal transactions
In Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 a transaction is
defined a single line item. For example, a sales
order with 1000 line items would be considered as
1000 transactions.
Number of Concurrent A key indicator of the size of the Application
Users Object Server system needed. It also affects the
appropriate bandwidth and latency for the network.
Number of Concurrent A key indicator of the size of the Windows
Enterprise Portal Users SharePoint Server system needed.
Number of Remote The number of remote connections affects the
Connections determination for bandwidth and latency
requirements for the network.
Number of locations The number of locations and how they must
interact also affects the infrastructure.
TABLE 2.1: HARDWARE FACTORS

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Hardware and Software Requirements

Before implementers install a Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 system, they must
make sure that the system meets or exceeds the minimum hardware and software
requirements.

Network Requirements
Table 2.2 lists the minimum network requirements for client/server connections
in a Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 system.

Value Application Object Database

Server (AOS)
Bandwidth (b) 100 MB per second 100 MB per second
Latency (l) Less than 5 milliseconds Less than 5 milliseconds
TABLE 2.2: NETWORK REQUIREMENTS

The following formula expresses the total response time for running a task in
Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0:

(Number of calls to and from the server * l) + number of bytes sent/b

Domain Requirements
The computers that are running Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 components must
have access to each other in the same Active Directory directory service domain
running Active Directory configured in native mode. If Active Directory in not
configured in native mode then Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 may not be able to
authenticate with other computers on the network.

Client Requirements
Table 2.3 lists hardware requirements for installing and running the Microsoft
Dynamics AX 4.0 client from a workstation. Table 2.4 lists the operating system
requirements for the client computer. Table 2.5 shows the software required for
installing and running the Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 client.

Client Hardware Minimum Requirements

This information was not available Check PartnerSource for latest
at the time of this writing information
TABLE 2.3: HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS

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Operating System Requirements

Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional, Service Pack 2 (SP2)
Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, Service Pack 2 (SP2)
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2, Standard Edition
Windows Server 2003 R2, Web Edition
Windows Server 2003 R2, Enterprise Edition
Windows Server 2003 R2, Datacenter Edition
Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack SP1 (SP1), Standard Edition
Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack SP1 (SP1), Web Edition
Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack SP1 (SP1), Enterprise Edition
Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack SP1 (SP1), Datacenter Edition
Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, Standard Edition
TABLE 2.4: OPERATING SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

NOTE: Microsoft supports installing Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 on the 64-bit versions
of the operating systems listed, but runs in 32-bit mode if installed.

Component Version State during install

Can be installed during Microsoft
Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0
Dynamics AX 4.0 installation
Microsoft Windows
3.0 Required
Installer
TABLE 2.5: SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

NOTE: The Setup Wizard installs the U.S. English version of the Microsoft .NET
Framework version 2.0. If an alternate language of the .NET Framework is needed, it
can either be downloaded and instaledl beforeinstalling Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0, or
reinstalled in the language of choice after installing Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0.

Application Object Server Requirements

Table 2.6 lists hardware requirements for installing and running the Microsoft
Dynamics AX 4.0 AOS. Table 2.7 lists the operating system requirements for the
AOS computer. Table 2.8 show the software required for running for installing
and running the Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 AOS.

AOS Hardware Minimum Requirements

This information was not available Check PartnerSource for latest
at the time of this writing information
TABLE 2.6: HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS

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Operating System Requirements

Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2, Standard Edition
Windows Server 2003 R2, Web Edition
Windows Server 2003 R2, Enterprise Edition
Windows Server 2003 R2, Datacenter Edition
Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack SP1 (SP1), Standard Edition
Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack SP1 (SP1), Web Edition
Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack SP1 (SP1), Enterprise Edition
Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack SP1 (SP1), Datacenter Edition
Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, Standard Edition
TABLE 2.7: OPERATING SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

NOTE: Microsoft supports installing Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 on the 64-bit versions
of the operating systems listed, but runs in 32-bit mode if installed.

Component Version State during install

Microsoft Data Access
2.8.1022.3 Must be present before installation
Components (MDAC)
Microsoft® Internet
6.0 SP2 Must be present before installation
Explorer
Can be installed during Microsoft
Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0
Dynamics AX 4.0 installation
Microsoft Windows
3.0 Required
Installer
TABLE 2.8: SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

The computer that is running the AOS must also have access to computers in the
same domain running only one of the following:

• SQL Server 2005, Standard or Enterprise editions

• SQL Server 2000, Enterprise edition with SP4

To support alerts in Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0, the system must have access to
an SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) server.

Database Server Requirements

Every Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 installation requires a database server where
all the system and application data is stored. There may be multiple AOS
computers and multiple clients, but they all rely on the resources provided by the
database server. Because of such high database server usage, and for optimal
performance, Microsoft Dynamics recommends dedicating a computer
specifically for the database server. Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 uses Microsoft
SQL Server as its database system.

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The following tables list the database server. Table 2.9 lists software
requirements for installing and running the SQL Server on Microsoft Dynamics
AX 4.0. Table 2.10 lists the supported SQL Server versions.

Component Version State during install

Microsoft Data Access
2.8.1022.3 Must be present before installation
Components (MDAC)
TABLE 2.9: SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

Microsoft SQL Server Versions Supported

Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 supports the following versions of SQL Server. Use
the Database version chart to determine which versions support reporting
functionality by default.

Implementers can find the minimum hardware and operating system

requirements for the choosen version on the SQL Server website.

Database version
Microsoft SQL Server 2005, Enterprise Edition, SP1 or later
Microsoft SQL Server 2005, Standard Edition, SP1 or later
Microsoft SQL Server 2000, Enterprise Edition, SP4 or later
Microsoft SQL Server 2000, Standard Edition, SP4 or later (Demo only,
no reporting support)
TABLE 2.10: SUPPORTED SQL SERVER VERSIONS

NOTE: Microsoft supports installing Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 on the 64-bit versions
of the operating systems listed, but runs in 32-bit mode if installed.

Supported Collations
Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 supports Unicode collations. The requirements for
the Unicode collation are that the collation must:

• Be case-insensitive
• Match the Microsoft Windows locale of the computers running
instances of Application Object Server (AOS).

The recommendation is that if implementers set up a new Microsoft Dynamics

AX 4.0 installation, they choose a Windows collation, rather than an SQL
collation. Choosing a case-sensitive collation will cause errors in Microsoft
Dynamics AX 4.0. For more information about choosing a collation for an SQL
Server database, refer to the SQL Server documentation.

Oracle Database versions supported

Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 supports Oracle Database 10g.

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Authentication requirements

• Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 requires that the database use Windows

Authentication to authenticate users.
• For Oracle, the Windows native authentication adapter must be
installed and configured. See the Oracle 10g documentation for
details.

Other Requirements
The computer running the Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 database server must
have access to computers in the same domain that are running:

• Active Directory configured in native mode.

• SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services, to support reporting
functionality.
• SQL Server 2000 Analysis Services, SP4 or later, or SQL Server
2005 Analysis Services, to support analysis functionality.

File Server Requirements

Implementers may place the Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 application files on any
Windows-based computer. There are no minimum requirements identified for
this computer, but it must be equipped with a fast network connection and fast
hard drives for optimal performance. The computer must also be part of a domain
with access to computers in the same Active Directory domain running Active
Directory configured in native mode.

NOTE: The share where the application files are installed cannot be configured as a
Distributed File System (DFS).

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RAID Subsystems
With an ERP system like Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0, the database server
generally stores a very large amount of important data for the business. If this
data is unavailable for any length of time, the business could suffer significant
financial losses. One of the most important aspects of fine tuning a database
server for optimal performance is driving subsystem performance. To accomplish
this goal we use Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID). Briefly, this
refers to a group of two or more disks managed as a single unit to store the data
along with additional, or redundant, information to provide recovery in the event
of a disk failure. Usually a failed disk in a RAID system can be replaced while
the server is still running. This is a benefit of RAID.

NOTE: Further information on RAID can be found by searching the Web.

Read/Write Performance − Hardware RAID controllers divide read/writes of

all data from Windows and applications such as Microsoft SQL Server into slices
(usually 16 KB − 128 KB) that are spread across all disks participating in the
RAID array. Splitting data across physical drives distributes the read/write I/O
workload evenly across all physical hard disk drives participating in the RAID
array. This increases disk I/O performance because the disks participating in the
RAID array are all kept equally busy, instead of some disks becoming a
bottleneck due to uneven distribution of I/O requests.

Fault Tolerance − RAID provides protection from hard disk failure and
accompanying data loss with two methods: mirroring and parity.
There are many types of RAID configurations; each is called a RAID Level.
Fortunately for us, there are only a few RAID levels commonly used with
Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0. We are now going to look at those that might be
choosen for a Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 installation.

RAID 0 (not recommended) is typically defined as a group of striped disk drives,

without parity or data redundancy. RAID 0 arrays deliver the best data storage
efficiency and performance of any array type.

FIGURE 2.9: RAID 0

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RAID 1 is also known as disk mirroring, which is simply a pair of disk drives
that store duplicate data, but appear to the computer as a single drive. All writes
go to both drives of a mirrored pair, so that the information on the drives is kept
identical. However, each individual drive can perform simultaneous, independent
read operations. Mirroring thus doubles the read performance of a single non-
mirrored drive, while the write performance is unchanged. RAID 1 delivers the
best performance of any redundant array type.

FIGURE 2.10: RAID 1

RAID 5 is sometimes called a Rotating Parity Array. RAID 5 works by striping

data and parity across all the drives. Typically RAID 5 arrays offer similar read
performance as pure striping, though writes are slower since the parity
information is updated every time. If one hard drive fails, it just needs to be
replaced with a new one of equal or larger size and it rebuilds from the parity on
the remaining drives.

FIGURE 2.11: RAID 5

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RAID 0+1 is a dual-level RAID and achieves a balance between the increased
data availability of RAID 1, mirroring, and the increased read performance of
RAID 0, striping.

FIGURE 2.12: RAID 0+1

RAID systems may be software-based or hardware-based. Software- based

RAIDs use the main CPU and Memory resources.

NOTE: In all cases hardware-based RAID system should be used.

For maximum performance, configure the database server with a RAID 1 with 2
disks for the operating system and database software, a small RAID 0+1, with 4
disks or RAID 1 with 2 disks for database logs, and a larger RAID 0+1 for the
main database files. To reduce cost, swap out the RAID 0+1 for a RAID 5 for the
database files, but this results in slower performance.

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Naming Convention
Since it is possible to have multiple applications, the naming convention is a very
important aspect of any installation. A good practice is to use a name that clearly
identifies the customer, version, and type of installation. The recommended name
includes a short form of the customer name, the Microsoft Dynamics™ AX
version, the service pack version, if used, and a code for the installation type,
such as Live, Test, or Dev.

Example
The GTM_AX40_Live name signifies that this is a live, or production
installation of Microsoft Axapta 4.0 without any service packs for the Global
Trade & Manufacturing customer. If there are service packs installed, then
change the name to GTM_AX40_SPxx_Live.

One of the reasons for a good naming convention is that the Microsoft Dynamics
AX client or AOS configuration links the application object with the database. If
the names are not clear, it is easy to accidentally set up a client to use
development application objects and connect to a production database, which
could result in lost or corrupted data.

NOTE: Always use alphanumeric characters meaning a-z and 1-0. Do not use special
characters like # & ( ) and so on. Do not use blank spaces in names or directories, use
− (dash) or _ (underscore) instead.

Follow good naming conventions for the database, application, client, and
instance names, as follows:

Install Type Core Roles Good naming convention

Live Database Name GPM_AX40_DB_Live
Environment Application Name GPM_AX40_APP_Live
AOS Name GPM_AX40_AOS_Live
Client Name GPM_AX40_Client_Live
Test Database Name GPM_AX40_DB_Test
Environment Application Name GPM_AX40_APP_Test
AOS Name GPM_AX40_AOS_Test
Client Name GPM_AX40_Client_Test
Development Database Name GPM_AX40_DB_Dev
Environment Application Name GPM_AX40_APP_Dev
AOS Name GPM_AX40_AOS_Dev
Client Name GPM_AX40_Client_Dev
TABLE 2.11: NAMING CONVENTIONS

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NOTE: Be aware of possible customer sensitivity in regard to using the company name
as part of the naming convention. Be certain that the naming convention is decided upon
in conjunction with company executives.

Staff Skills Review

While a successful implementation requires specific hardware and software
components, it also requires a skilled staff to plan and implement the project.
Whether in-house personnel or hired consultants, the staff must possess expertise
across various software areas. Some areas require greater proficiency and skill,
while others require a general level of understanding.

Areas of Proficiency
The areas in which the implementer must be proficient include the following:

• Windows 2003 Server

• Microsoft Exchange 2000 or 2003
• Active Directory
• Domain Controllers
• Domain Name Services
• Networking
• SQL Server 2000 or 2005
• SQL Reporting Services
• Visual Studio
• Internet Information Services
• SharePoint Services
• .NET
• Web Services

Critical Areas of Knowledge

While it is difficult to know everything about all of the areas, there are a few
areas of knowledge the implementer must possess to successfully install
Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0. These are areas where implementers must have
greater proficiency and skill.

The following is a summarized list of the topic areas:

• Windows 2003 Server

• Windows XP Professional
• Deployment Issues
• Active Directory

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• SQL Server 2000 or 2005

• Networking
• IIS
• WSS (Enterprise Portal)

Windows 2003 Server

At minimum, implementers must be proficient in the following Windows 2003
Server areas:

• Security features and requirements

• Availability and scalability features

Deployment Issues
At minimum, implementers must be proficient in the following deployment
areas:

• The different variations of domain topology and placement of servers

and users supported with Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0.
• The customer's hardware requirements based on:
– Number of Users
– Number of concurrent users
– Amount of downtime the customer will tolerate
– Response time required from the servers
– Amount of data expected to be created
– Customer's budget

Active Directory
At minimum, implementers must be proficient in the following Active Directory
areas:

• Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 components must be installed within

the same domain.
• Active Directory system administration functions including user
creation and group membership. During installation, the implementer
must set up user accounts and apply the correct permissions.

SQL Server
At minimum, implementers must be proficient in the following SQL Server
areas:

• Install SQL server, set up a database maintenance plan, create

indexes, and create jobs.

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 Chapter 2: Planning Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 Install

• Move SQL Logs to a different drive.

• Select an appropriate RAID configuration.
• Recommend a backup strategy to protect the customer's data.

Networking
At minimum, implementers must be proficient in the following Network areas:

• Troubleshoot networking issues related to latency and bandwidth.

• Troubleshoot network connectivity issues.
• Identify networking hardware and how they interrelate with each
other and Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0.

Test Your Knowledge − Staff Skills Review

What are the critical topic areas for installing Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0?

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Installation & Configuration for Microsoft Dynamics™ AX 4.0

Conclusion
A successful implementation of Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 depends on proper
preparation. When a company ensures its readiness for the Microsoft Dynamics
AX 4.0 installation, it allows the rest of the implementation to be a more
straightforward process.

To prepare for a successful implementation, companies must ensure that:

The network infrastructure will handle the increased network traffic and deliver
reliable network connections for the Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 components.
The company's hardware and software is compatible with Microsoft Dynamics
AX 4.0 components for the best interaction and least trouble.

The staff's skills are appropriate to use and manage Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0
components and modules.

After the preparation steps are complete, the implementer can move on to
installing Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0. The section titled "Installing a Core
System," takes a step-by-step approach to installing the core Microsoft Dynamics
AX 4.0 components.

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Quick Interaction: Lessons Learned

Take a moment and write down three Key Points you have learned from this
chapter:

1.

2.

3.

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