Sunday, May 24, 2015

Microsoft Dynamics AX7 - Rainier

The next major version of Microsoft Dynamics AX (code named ‘Rainier’ or version ‘7’) should be released sooner. The general direction Microsoft is heading with all its products is ‘cloud first, mobile first’, with Dynamics AX 7 being no exception. This new philosophy espouses a vision of increasing the productivity of consumers and businesses through better delivery and usability of technology.

New Generation User Experience

Will be an attractive context-sensitive Windows 8 experience based on HTML5 technology. This represents a movement away from boring and bland ERP system interfaces towards a modern user experience that is light, web-oriented, and intuitive

Cloud First, Mobile First

Cloud first in Dynamics AX 7 translates to a new cloud optimized platform for both public and private deployments, but with an on-premises option too.

Mobile first means Microsoft believes that productivity is about empowering people and not simply enacting artificial technological walls that force people to work in predefined ways. Integrations between non-Microsoft products and devices will be such that there should be no difference in a user’s experience based on the mobile device they use, be it an iPhone, iPad, Android, or other type of device.

New browser-based interface

A browser-based interface will replace the current Windows Client making Dynamics AX capabilities available via new “work spaces,” promoting remote access across a variety of device platforms for enhanced collaboration.


SQL Azure for Cloud Deployments

Microsoft’s cloud platform, known as Azure, allows users to build, deploy, and manage different applications across global networks. Microsoft Dynamics AX 7 will use SQL Azure for cloud deployments.
Dynamics AX 7 will make available a single-tenant deployment model. Unlike the multi-tenant model, which promotes file and application sharing using the same software product, in the single-tenant model, each user gets a separate instance of software, which will run on an isolated piece of infrastructure. The single-tenant model uses Azure’s infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), which offers customers total control over virtual machines and network configurations.
On the other side, Microsoft Dynamics AX 7 deployed on SQL Azure will provide two major services: platform-as-a-service (PaaS) and database-as-a-service (DBaaS). Although the PaaS model doesn't allow you to control or manage the software and network servers, you’ll be able to customize the system and create new applications using the tools included in AX 7. In the DBaaS model, you can develop and manage applications without assuming the responsibility for database administration functions. Since Microsoft will manage the system and servers, you don’t need to hire IT personnel to maintain the database.
Dynamics AX 7 will also use Microsoft’s model-driven layered architecture (MDLA), which facilitates the development of individual application objects for each company. This means that you can develop your own tables, code units, reports, etc. according to your organization’s needs.

Visual Studio and .NET Framework:

The development environment will move to Visual Studio under the .NET framework, which will increase the consistency, experience, and availability of development tools.