IMECO

Recommended Infrastructure
Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2

Recommended Architecture
Design

1 PROPOSED INFRASTRUCTURE and SERVER SPECIFICATIONS_______3

1.1 Document References____________________________________________________3
1.2 Basic Requirements for Solution Design________________________________3
1.3 Recommended Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 PRODUCTION
Environment____________________________________________________________________5
1.4 Recommended Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 DEV & TEST
Environment____________________________________________________________________6
1.5 Windows Server Software requirements________________________________7
1.6 Network Requirements___________________________________________________7
1.7 Domain requirements____________________________________________________7
1.8 SSL Web Server Certificate Requirements______________________________7
1.9 AX 2012 Application Object Server Hardware requirements__________7
1.10

AX 2012 SQL Database Server Hardware requirements_____________8

1.11

SQL Server Reporting Services Hardware requirements_____________8

1.12

SharePoint / EP Server Hardware requirements______________________9

1.13

Terminal Server Hardware requirements______________________________9

1.14

Additional software requirements for all servers____________________9

PROPOSED INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVER SPECIFICATIONS

As such all specifications below are defined as virtual resources and do not necessarily map one to one to the actual
physical resources that the servers ultimately run on. Physical resources are dedicated to a virtual server only where
noted below.
Additionally, due to the virtual nature of the servers, it is relatively easy to increase (and in some cases decrease) the
allocated resources.

1.1

Document References

Document Name

Version

Author

Microsoft Dynamics TM AX 2012 R2 Installation Guide

April 2011

Microsoft Corporation

System Requirements for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=11094

Microsoft Corporation

Microsoft Dynamics TM AX 2012 R2 Security Architecture

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa496919.aspx

Microsoft Corporation

Dynamics AX Performance Team Blog (AX Database Configuration March 2008

Checklist Part 1):
http://blogs.msdn.com/axperf/archive/2008/03/10/welcomedatabase-configuration-checklist-part-1.aspx

David Reinhold
Microsoft Dynamics Ax Performance and
Scalability Engineer - Database

Dynamics AX Performance Team Blog (AX Database Configuration March 2008

Checklist Part 2):
http://blogs.msdn.com/axperf/archive/2008/03/13/ax-databaseconfiguration-checklist-part-2.aspx

David Reinhold
Microsoft Dynamics Ax Performance and
Scalability Engineer - Database

SQL Server Best Practices Article Pre-deployment I/O Best

June 2007
Practices
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sql/bestpractice/pdpl
iobp.mspx

Microsoft Corporation
Mike Ruthruff
Applies to: SQL Server 2005

Resources for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh272863.aspx

Microsoft

Planning database configuration for Microsoft Dynamics AX

1.2

March 2010

Microsoft

Basic Requirements for Solution Design

The basic requirements (for what will enable the project to start) for the project topology below. From a conceptual
level all the solution components could be co-hosted on one server, however there are a number of constraints and
best practices that dictate this approach is not in the best interests of the project.
Constrains:

Namely, the bare bones option of a consolidated server hosting all services for the solution SQL AX,
SharePoint, SSRS, SSAS

Hardware and licensing costs could be reduced by consolidation of services, however application
component complexities and supportability issues could outweigh and cost benefit saved up front.

The consolidation of services onto one server may also introduce issues with the strategic direction
addition of any services to this one platform in the future would cause compatibility, scalability, testability,
supportability and performance issues.

Basic infrastructure design for Dynamics AX 2012 R2

1.3

Recommended Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 PRODUCTION Environment

For IMECO requirements and number of concurrent users the following number of servers are recommended;
Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 AOS x 2
Microsoft SQL database Server 2012 x 2
Microsoft windows terminal server x 2
Microsoft SQL reporting server x 2
Microsoft Sharepoint server x1
Exchange server
Active Directory server

Both will be active and will create a AOS failover cluster

Both will be active and will create a cluster
will be used to connect multiple users with AX application and will be easy
to manage to the number of users in IMECO
Due to huge report customization requirement it is better to have this
separate server for performance impact
Enterprise portal will be deployed on this server
Email Server
Active directory server

1.4

Recommended Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 DEV & TEST Environment

There will also be a requirement for development and Test servers within IEMCO premises. These can be in a single
physical server or in different physical servers.
Development Server:
A virtual server with separate Application Tier and Database Tier servers as shown in above diagram. This will be
used for development or customization.
Test Server:
A virtual server with separate Application Tier and Database Tier servers as shown in above diagram. This will be
used to Test the application before deploying into Production or Live server.

1.5 Windows Server Software requirements

Windows Server 2012 x64 Standard Edition will be used as the operating system for all newly commissioned servers.
The latest hot fixes/service packs will be applied to all installations.

1.6 Network Requirements

Client to AOS: 100mb LAN connection with less than 5 milliseconds latency

AOS to Database: 1000mb LAN connection with less than 1 milliseconds latency

Integration Server to AOS: 1000mb LAN connection with less than 5 milliseconds latency

SharePoint to AOS: 1000mb LAN connection with less than 5 milliseconds latency

Microsoft Dynamics AX can operate on networks that use Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4) or Internet Protocol
Version 6 (IPv6)

1.7

Domain requirements

Computers running Microsoft Dynamics AX components must have access to other computers in the same
Active Directory service domain, with Active Directory configured in native mode.

To support e-mail alerts in Microsoft Dynamics AX, an SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) server must be
present in the environment.

1.8

SSL Web Server Certificate Requirements

There is currently no requirement for an Web Server certificate

Not Covered any further - Requirements to be identified if needed

1.9

AX 2012 Application Object Server Hardware requirements

The AX 2012 Application Object Server will be used to host a single Production instance of the Dynamics AX 2012
AOS R2 Service.
All Dynamics AX transaction processing will be performed by the AOS, so it is pertinent that this server is sized
adequately to handle the following user load:

28 x Enterprise User CALs

26 x Functional User CALs

CPU Count:

4+ (Dual/Quad Core Intel Xeon or AMD Processor (x64)) Clock Speed -- add

Memory:
OS:
LAN:
Disk:

32 GB
Windows Server 2012 Standard Edition (x64)
Gigabit Ethernet Connection
C: 50GB RAID 1 (OS only)
D: 60GB RAID 1 (Applications)
Dynamics AX 2012 R2 Cumulative Update 7

Application Object Server (AOS) Role

Software:

1.10 AX 2012 SQL Database Server Hardware requirements

The SQL database server will be used to host the Dynamics AX 2012 R2 Application database and associated model
database.
The specification below is an indication and we have not gone through any capacity planning exercises to base the
below specification on it is an indication based on our anticipated load on the server e.g. one of the items
considered was the future (near real-time) integration with the Manufacturing System.

CPU Count:
Memory:
OS:
SQL:

4+ (Dual/Quad Core Intel Xeon or AMD Processor (x64))

64GB
Windows Server 2012 Standard Edition (x64)
SQL Server 2008 R2 Standard Edition (x64)

SQL 2008 R2 x64 Database services

LAN:
Disk:

Gigabit Ethernet Connection

C: 50+GB (OS Only)
60GB (TempDB databases) RAID 1 (or RAID 10)
300 GB (Data Files) RAID 10 Dedicated SAN LUN separate to other data drives
300 GB (Log Files) RAID 10 Dedicated SAN LUN separate to other data drives

Note
When running on a virtualized environment it is pertinent to ensure that the virtual hard drives are deployed on the
underlying physical drives as to reduce/eliminate any contention on the physical drives IO capabilities.

1.11

SQL Server Reporting Services Hardware requirements

The purpose of this server is to host the SQL Server reporting services extensions used by Dynamics AX to render
the system reports.
CPU Count:
Memory:
OS:
SQL:

4+
64GB
Windows Server 2012 Enterprise Edition (x64)
SQL Server 2008 R2 Standard Edition CU3 or later required (x64)

SQL 2008 R2 x64 Reporting services

Dynamics AX 2012 Cumulative Update 2

SQL Server Reporting Services Extensions

LAN:
Disk:

Gigabit Ethernet Connection

C: 40GB (OS only)
D: 40GB (Indexing)

1.12 SharePoint / EP Server Hardware requirements

The purpose of this server is to host the Dynamics AX 2012 R2 Enterprise Portal and Enterprise Search roles.
CPU Count:
Memory:
OS:
Software:

4+
32 GB
Windows Server 2012 Enterprise Edition (x64)
Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Enterprise SP1
Microsoft SharePoint Office Web Applications 2010
Dynamics AX 2012 R2

Enterprise Portal Role

Disk:

Enterprise Search

C: 60GB (OS only)

D: 40GB (Indexing Only)

1.13 Terminal Server Hardware requirements

The purpose of this server is to host the Windows terminal server and terminal services roles.
CPU Count:
Memory:
OS:
Software:
Disk:

4+
32 GB
Windows Server 2012 Enterprise Edition (x64)
Windows terminal services
C: 75GB (OS only)
D: 60GB

1.14 Additional software requirements for all servers

The following software must be present on a computer before any Microsoft Dynamics AX components can be
installed:

Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 (Certain AX components require .NET 4.0. These are highlighted in the AX
2012 R2 System Requirements document)

Microsoft Windows Installer 3.1 or Windows Installer 4.0