daxdilip: Review On Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 Administration Book

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Источник: http://daxdilip.blogspot.com/2011/03...s-ax-2009.html
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As promised, I have come up with my review on Dynamics AX 2009 Administration Book Sorry for the delay as was tied up here with project commitments.

Introduction

This book is an excellent resource for Dynamics AX Administrators to install/configure Dynamics AX 2009 components into a company's environment topology.

The best thing I like about this book is it has covered the complex topics of installation and configuration of AX Components in a simple and lucid manner with screenshots wherever applicable so that any layman who follows the steps with screenshots can do the installation/setup without much of a learning curve. Also, the chapters are arranged in a logical manner.

Highlights

a. Cover Image, It's really an eye catcher for me :-)

b. Hardware Sizing - Usually you don't across information on sizing so easily over the web. This is very critical part of the project when you plan an implementation. The author is aware of this aspect and has provided good information on the capacity planning and different topologies.

c. Installation of Dynamics AX Base Components. In this chapter, there's an interesting Section in Page 50 on granting the execute permissions on 2 stored procedures. I had stumbled on this issue sometimes back while manually restoring an AX Database and here's my experience on that
Object Server 01 Internal Error
Good to see the book covering this part.

d. Enterprise Portal Setup and covering in depth through Sharepoint Central Administration (With screenshots) showing the different steps for configuring the web application in Sharepoint. Also, the book covers Configuring and Deploying Enterprise Portal in Sharepoint NLB forms.

e. There's a dedicated section on configuring Kerberos authentication with respect to setup of Enterprise Portal, Role Centers, SSAS reports and SSRS. Usually one never comes across this information in any of Dynamics training materials which exists. The author has put his efforts in showing the configuration
involved in Kerberos Authentication. Good job here.

f. Setting up and Configuring Workflow and AIF Components (Bindings, Authentication, Security covered).


g. There's section on User Profiles and Security Permissions, Alerts and Notifications

h. Good to see the author put here screenshots of setting up Enterprise Portal in Sharepoint 2010

i. A separate topic for Backup of Application and Database is covered

j. Automatic Processing of SSAS Cubes



WishList - Things which I would have liked to see the book mention

i. AIF Load balancing (IIS) - How to Scale AIF

ii. Would have liked to see the book mention about Role Center Migration (maybe in appendix section or somewhere) Troubleshooting Dynamics AX Role Center Migration

iii. There's a chapter for Data Migration, It covers Excel migration, I would also have liked to see in the book more real time complex scenarios involving data migration from different data sources like ODBC and OLEDB Sources, Customizing SSIS Packages etc. Also, it would have been nice if the book had covered topics on Archiving and Data Purging

iv. There should have been a section or chapter detailing about Dynamics AX Build and Deployment using Team Foundation Server (More About TFS Administration, Adding Users, Providing permissions, Branching and Release Procedures)

v. Also, there should have been a chapter or section talking about SQL Performance Tuning - SQL Performance Tuning


Overall, I rate this book high (4/5) as this covers most of the day to day tasks undertaken by an AX Administrator and going further with AX 2012 (Which is the first leap of Dynamics AX moving towards Tier1 ERP Solutions competing with SAP and Oracle Apps), I see more specialized positions opening up in AX for Administrators and a book such as this will always be handy! Good work with this book overall and would be excited to see the next version of this book for 2012.

Источник: http://daxdilip.blogspot.com/2011/03...s-ax-2009.html

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Источник: http://dynamics-ax.blogspot.com/2011...latest-ax.html
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Well I hope everyone is off to a good week! I know it's a Monday, but lets put a good positive thought into being a new day, a gift, a day in which God has given us!

I must say that I am feeling much better myself, I was really down and out last week, but should get a lot more in this week.

To help kick this week off, I wanted to highlight Dilip's recently posted review of a new Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 Administration book.: Dilip's review of Dynamics AX 2009 Administration Book



From the review.:
"This book is an excellent resource for Dynamics AX Administrators to install/configure Dynamics AX 2009 components into a company's environment topology.

The best thing I like about this book is it has covered the complex topics of installation and configuration of AX Components in a simple and lucid manner with screenshots wherever applicable so that any layman who follows the steps with screenshots can do the installation/setup without much of a learning curve. Also, the chapters are arranged in a logical manner." - Dilip

I would like to thank Dilip for taking the time to give a good review, 4/5 for this new book. He makes some good points on his wish list for such a book as well, so make sure to check it out.

I was actually contact by the Author as well, and so plan on reading the book and giving my own review. Also, Dilip points out he loves the pic on the cover, and that's of downtown Singapore! Awesome building design that is as much art, as it is function.

Well that's all for now, here's to a good week and a lot more post! Till Next Time!

"Visit the Dynamics AX Community Page today!"


Источник: http://dynamics-ax.blogspot.com/2011...latest-ax.html

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Источник: http://palleagermark.blogspot.com/20...s-ax-2009.html
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This book is written for anyone engaged in planning, deploying, configuring and maintaining a Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 installation.

It takes you through topics like system planning, installation, configuration of Enterprise Portal and Role Centers, configuration of Workflow, configuration of Application Integration Framework (AIF), data migration, Security and User Administration, Setup of Kerberos Authentication, setup and maintenance of alerts and general maintenance and backup.

Every topic is described in a way so the reader gets a good overview and lots of details for each task covered by the topic. A lot of screen clippings accompanies the tasks described in each chapter, making it easy to follow the necessary steps. The publisher could however have done a better job implementing the screen clippings. The quality varies a lot, and some of the clippings are barely readable.

The only chapter where I find a bit weak information, is the System Planning and Hardware Sizing chapter. The sizing part has some generic information about what you need to consider for your sizing, but not much in actual numbers to work with. I’ll give the author that Microsoft is equally reluctant to disclose actual numbers in their sizing guides. So just don’t expect this chapter to be a “next-next-finish” guide to get your right sizing.

Other chapters have excellent tips, some can save you money directly on licenses, others can save you money in shorter implementation cycles. A good hint is the description on what you need to do if you want to deploy Enterprise Portal and don’t have the AX language license for “EN-US”. This tip alone more than pays for the book.

It pleases me to see a few pages about automated batch jobs. Given the very technical design of this feature it often ends up in a gray area between developers and application consultants. Application consultants would surely benefit from reading this chapter.

I’m also very happy to see the pages about Consistency Check. Not what you’d consider as a very sexy topic, but a lot of issues with data not being correctly migrated to Microsoft Dynamics AX could be caught in an early stage, just by running the consistency checks.

Given the book title, I would have expected more information about regular Application Life Cycle management, for example something about how to deploy new versions of modifications. I feel the book, for most parts, stops when the initial system is installed and configured.

Also it would have been great to see more Troubleshooting information for each topic, especially for Workflow and Enterprise Portal. And it would have been nice with a few pages about the Intelligent Data Management Framework (IDMF), even though it’s not yet part of the standard Microsoft Dynamics AX package.

So should you buy this book?
Yes - This book is ensured a prominent place in my bookshelf and it’ll be an important tool in my toolbox. It gives you much value for your money.


More information about the book here: Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 Administration



Источник: http://palleagermark.blogspot.com/20...s-ax-2009.html

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Источник: http://kamalblogs.wordpress.com/2011...n-book-review/
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Ax 30 was then fresh in the hands of Microsoft, I had just begun my professional career with Dynamics Ax. There was one frustration that was common among our entire team and that was lack of materials and books. It was Steen anderson’s Morphx It that came as savior in those days and more like Inside Microsoft Dynamics Ax, Supply chain management with Ax followed. As Steen had kicked off development series, today Marco has done it for administration. I think this is the first book dedicated to the installation and administration of Dynamics Ax. Thanks to Marco for the great move which could be followed by more in the days to come.

Target Audience: VAR’s and IT admin’s

Dynamics Ax has transformed itself from a single piece software to multitude of systems working together to deliver a complete enterprise solution. This technically dilutes to different set of softwares like Sharepoint, SSRS, Dynamics Ax, Office working in tandem. Integrating different systems in practical situations throw up wide challenges.  Microsoft Dynamics Ax 2009 Administration comes in handy to help overcome these challenges.This book on administration will be a good beginner guide for novice users and help to broader insights for the experienced users.

What is so good about it ???

The book basically starts with choice of hardware, topologies, installation of Ax, EP, SSRS and moves on to discuss in detail about configuration of  Security, Workflow and AIF. Towards the final part the book talks about data migration, backup and performance tunning. This is a right mix of detail required for anybody doing administration.

The content on kerberos authentication in the context of Ax is unique and sparingly discussed on the web. Chapter on security cover setting up security on EP, Cubes, SSRS, RLS security setup apart from the dynamics Ax security setup. Configuration related chapters also have content to run basic steps to ensure proper configuration.

Apart from the essential chapters the appendix also includes good information related to peculiar but blocking issues like AOS Common trouble shooting guidelines,  installing multiple EP portal in a web server and most  steps to enable Ax 2009 to work along with Sharepoint 2010[Ax 2009 was basically designed to work for SP2007]

Good efforts have been made to include many screenshots that would guide through installation and configuration steps.

What would be good to be included in next version ?

- More troubleshooting guidelines along with the ideal setup explanations for installations.

- Chapter on handling upgrades and roll-ups in production environments

- Short examples of topology decisions relating to real world experiences

few points that would make this book interesting read for ISV’s too is

- Detail on development topologies

- Detail on building on top of Dynamics Ax like Layers, Patches and version maintenance

Overall: Good book to understand and start with planning, installing and configuring Dynamics Ax

Rating: 3.5/5 Click here to buy it now

A special Thanks to Marco for sharing the copy of book through PACKT Publisher to review and present it before you. An interesting co-incidence is that I wrote this review straight  back after visiting the Marina Bay Sands hotel adoring the cover page in this book




Источник: http://kamalblogs.wordpress.com/2011...n-book-review/