Microsoft Dynamics AX version 3.

0 Hardware Guide for Deployments up to 250 Users

Microsoft Dynamics AX version

3.0 Hardware Guide for
Deployments up to 250 Users

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Microsoft Dynamics AX version 3.0 Hardware Guide for Deployments up to 250 Users

Legal Notice
The information contained in this document represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation on the
issues discussed as of the date of publication and is subject to change at any time without notice to you.
This document and its contents are provided AS IS without warranty of any kind, and should not be
interpreted as an offer or commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the
accuracy of any information presented. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, IN THIS DOCUMENT.
The descriptions of other companies products in this proposal, if any, are provided only as a
convenience to you. Any such references should not be considered an endorsement or support by
Microsoft. Microsoft cannot guarantee their accuracy, and the products may change over time. Also,
the descriptions are intended as brief highlights to aid understanding, rather than as thorough coverage.
For authoritative descriptions of these products, please consult their respective manufacturers.
All trademarks are the property of their respective companies.
Printed in the United States of America
2002 Microsoft Corporation
All rights reserved

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Microsoft Dynamics AX version 3.0 Hardware Guide for Deployments up to 250 Users

TABLE OF CONTENTS
LEGAL NOTICE ...................................................................................................2
PREFACE.............................................................................................................4
Purpose, Terms & Conditions ......................................................................................... 4
EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW .....................................................................................5
MICROSOFT DYNAMICS AX

ENVIRONMENT OVERVIEW ........................6

Microsoft Dynamics AX Environment........................................................................ 6

Microsoft Dynamics AX Database Server ......................................................6
Microsoft Dynamics AX Object Server ...........................................................6
Microsoft Dynamics AX Application Server....................................................6
Microsoft Dynamics AX Enterprise Portal Server...........................................6
Microsoft Dynamics AX Batch Server ............................................................6
MICROSOFT DYNAMICS AX DATABASE SERVER ......................................7
Microsoft SQL Server....................................................................................................... 7
SQL Server requirements by edition for concurrent users 100-175...................8
SQL Server requirements by edition for concurrent users 175-250...................8
Oracle Database Server....................................................................................9
MICROSOFT DYNAMICS AX OBJECT SERVER..........................................10
MICROSOFT DYNAMICS AX APPLICATION SERVER................................10
MICROSOFT DYNAMICS AX ENTERPRISE PORTAL SERVER..................11
MICROSOFT DYNAMICS AX BATCH SERVER............................................11
TERMINAL SERVER..........................................................................................12
STORAGE ..........................................................................................................13
ADDITIONAL SERVICES BUSINESS SYSTEMS ARCHITECTURE
SERVICES (NORTH AMERICA ONLY) .............................................................14

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Microsoft Dynamics AX version 3.0 Hardware Guide for Deployments up to 250 Users

Preface
Purpose, Terms & Conditions
The purpose of this document is to inform Customers and Partners of the appropriate
hardware sizing which will support Microsoft Dynamics AX for up to 250 users.
Please review and understand the following before using this document for deployment:

The information provided and the recommendations made are based on existing
Customer environments and lab-tested environmental designs. These designs do
contain margins of error that can be reduced with additional testing and research of the
specific customer environment.
Do not use this document when sizing environments that exceed 250 concurrent users or
10,000 transactions lines per hour per module in a single instance of Microsoft
Dynamics AX.
All implementations utilizing these guidelines should include a performance testing cycle
as well as a database settings and index tuning analysis prior to production
implementation.
If the prospect has a high level of transaction volume or other extraneous factors exist
which could hinder performance or introduce additional complexities, the
recommendations in this document may be inadequate and should not be followed.
As a result of this document, you are not authorized to make any warranties, guarantees
or representations on behalf of Microsoft and Microsoft cannot certify, warrant, guarantee
or otherwise validate that your customer deployment will be successful.
This document is not a minimum requirements document for Microsoft Dynamics AX.
Please utilize product documentations and contact your local Microsoft Technical
Support teams for assistance or questions on technical deployment issues. If a
Customer has already purchased Microsoft Dynamics AX and has the appropriate
services agreement in place, the local/regional Microsoft Technical Support team should
be leveraged for assistance on technical deployment issues.
Recommendations provided in this document assume the following:
o The prospective deal has been reviewed by the Technical Presales Advisory
Group (TPAG). For more information on TPAG, please see the following link
on the Microsoft Partner Program site:
https://partner.microsoft.com/global/40023009.
The general recommendations in this document are specific only to Microsoft
Dynamics AX version 3.0.

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Executive Overview
The purpose of this document is to provide customers and partners with the proper
information to understand the infrastructure and hardware which supports the Microsoft
Dynamics AX solution.
This includes several different technologies which include:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Microsoft Dynamics AX 3.0 Client

Microsoft Dynamics AX 3.0 Object Server (AOS)
Microsoft Dynamics AX 3.0 Application Server
Microsoft Dynamics AX 3.0 Enterprise Portal Server
Microsoft Dynamics AX 3.0 Batch Server
Microsoft Windows 2003 Server
Microsoft Windows 2003 x64 Server
Microsoft SQL Server 2000
Microsoft SQL Server 2005
Microsoft Terminal Server 2003

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Microsoft Dynamics AX
Environment Overview
Microsoft Dynamics AX Environment
The Microsoft Dynamics AX environment is divided into five (5) parts, as follows:

Microsoft Dynamics AX Database Server

Microsoft Dynamics AX Object Server (AOS)
Microsoft Dynamics AX Application Server
Microsoft Dynamics AX Enterprise Portal Server
Microsoft Dynamics AX Batch Server

Microsoft Dynamics AX Database Server

The Microsoft Dynamics AX Database Server is primarily used for storing and processing
data. This server is typically utilizing either Microsoft SQL Server or Oracle database
software.

Microsoft Dynamics AX Object Server

The AOS is a middle layer server that is primarily used for business logic processing.

Microsoft Dynamics AX Application Server

The Microsoft Dynamics AX Application Server is primarily used for storing forms and
objects. These forms and objects can be called from either the Microsoft Dynamics AX
Object Server or the Microsoft Dynamics AX Client.

Microsoft Dynamics AX Enterprise Portal Server

The Microsoft Dynamics AX Enterprise Portal server is primarily used for web functionality.

Microsoft Dynamics AX Batch Server

The Microsoft Dynamics AX Batch Server is primarily used for offloading the processing of
business logic from either the Microsoft Dynamics AX Object Server or the Microsoft
Dynamics AX Client.

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Microsoft Dynamics AX Database

Server
The Microsoft Dynamics AX Database Server can utilize either the Microsoft SQL Server
database software or Oracle Database software.

Microsoft SQL Server

Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition and Microsoft SQL Server 2005
Standard/Enterprise are the typical versions of SQL Server that are recommended for
customers between 100 and 250 concurrent users with transaction volumes that do not
exceed 10,000 lines per hour per module.
The Microsoft Dynamics AX Database can utilize different versions of the Microsoft SQL
Server product suite. The following versions are recommended for the Microsoft Dynamics
AX product line.

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Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition 32bit
Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition 32bit
Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition x64
Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition x64

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SQL Server requirements by edition for concurrent users 100-175

AMDOpteronorIntelXeonEM64T(>4MB
Cache)
WindowsEdition

Windows2003
Enterprise32bit

Windows2003
Standardx64;
Windows2003
Enterprisex64

SQLServerEdition
SQLServer2000
Enterprise32bit;
SQLServer2005
Standard32bit;
SQLServer2005
Enterprise32bit
SQLServer2000
Enterprise32bit;
SQLServer2005
Standardx64;
SQLServer2005
Enterprisex64

Concurrent
NumberofUsers

SingleCore
Processors

DualCore
Processors

RAM
(GB)

Network(GB)

100175

24

12

48

100175

24

12

48

SQL Server requirements by edition for concurrent users 175-250

AMDOpteronorIntelXeonEM64T
(>4MBCache)

WindowsEdition

Concurrent
NumberofUsers

SingleCore
Processors

DualCore
Processors

RAM(GB)

Network(GB)

175250

48

24

816

12

175250

48

24

816

12

Windows2003
Enterprise32bit

Windows2003
Standardx64;
Windows2003
Enterprisex64

SQLServerEdition
SQLServer2000
Enterprise32bit;
SQLServer2005
Standard32bit;
SQLServer2005
Enterprise32bit
SQLServer2000
Enterprise32bit;
SQLServer2005
Standardx64;
SQLServer2005
Enterprisex64

For AMD chip information go to

http://www.amdcompare.com/us%2Den/opteron/
For Intel chip information go to
http://www.intel.com/products/processor/index.htm

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Oracle Database Server

Microsoft does not design server architecture for the Oracle Database Server.
Please request this information from either your partner or hardware vendor.

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Microsoft Dynamics AX version 3.0 Hardware Guide for Deployments up to 250 Users

Microsoft Dynamics AX Object

Server
A typical Microsoft Dynamics AX Application Object Server (AOS) that supports between
50 to 75 concurrent users per server is as follows:
AMDOpteronorIntelXeon(>1MB
Cache)
Concurrent
Numberof
WindowsEdition
Users
Windows2003
5075
Standard32bit
Windows2003
Enterprise32bit

5075

SingleCore
Processors

DualCore
Processors

RAM
(GB)

Network
(GB)

Microsoft Dynamics AX Application

Server
A typical Microsoft Dynamics AX Application Server is as follows:
AMDOpteronorIntelXeon(>1MB
Cache)
AMDOpteronorIntelXeon(>1MB
Cache)

SingleCore
Processors

DualCore
Processors

RAM
(GB)

Network
(GB)

Windows2003Standard32bit

Windows2003Enterprise32bit

For AMD chip information go to

http://www.amdcompare.com/us%2Den/opteron/
For Intel chip information go to
http://www.intel.com/products/processor/index.htm

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Microsoft Dynamics AX Enterprise

Portal Server
A typical Microsoft Dynamics AX Enterprise Portal Server that supports less than 250
concurrent users per server is as follows:
AMDOpteronorIntelXeon(>1MB

Cache)
Concurrent
SingleCore
NumberofUsers
Processors
WindowsEdition

DualCore
Processors

RAM
(GB)

Network
(GB)

Windows2003
Standard32bit

<250

Windows2003
Enterprise32bit

<250

Microsoft Dynamics AX Batch

Server
A typical Microsoft Dynamics AX Batch Server that supports transactions not to exceed
10,000 lines per module is as follows:
AMDOpteronorIntelXeon(>1MB
Cache)

SingleCore
Processors

DualCore
Processors

RAM
(GB)

Network
(GB)

Windows2003Standard32bit

Windows2003Enterprise32bit

WindowsEdition

For AMD chip information go to

http://www.amdcompare.com/us%2Den/opteron/
For Intel chip information go to
http://www.intel.com/products/processor/index.htm

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Terminal Server
For connections that do not meet the following requirements, Terminal Server (or equivalent)
is recommended.

Latency does not exceed 50ms.

The number of hops between connections does not exceed 3.
Bandwidth per connection is at minimum 80kb.

A typical Terminal Server that supports less than 100 concurrent Microsoft Dynamics AX
3tier clients is as follows:
AMDOpteronorIntelXeon(>1MB
Cache)
Concurrent
WindowsTerminal
Numberof
Users
ServerEdition
Windows2003
<100
Standard32bit
Windows2003
Enterprise32bit

<100

SingleCore
Processors

DualCore
Processors

RAM
(GB)

Network
(GB)

For AMD chip information go to

http://www.amdcompare.com/us%2Den/opteron/
For Intel chip information go to
http://www.intel.com/products/processor/index.htm

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Storage
A typical storage configuration of a Storage Area Network (SAN) or Direct Attached Storage
for a Microsoft Dynamics AX environment is as follows:

Storage
Solution
Direct
Attached
Storage(DAS)
StorageArea
Network(SAN)
StorageArea
Network(SAN)
StorageArea
Network(SAN)
StorageArea
Network(SAN)

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Concurrent
Numberof
Users

NumberofDisk
forSQLServer
Dataand
Tempdb

Numberof
DisksforSQL
ServerLog

TotalNumberof
DisksforSQL
Server

SCSI

100175

1216(RAID10)

2(RAID1)

1418

Fiber/SCSI

100175

1216(RAID10)

2(RAID1)

1418

Fiber/Fiber

100175

1216(RAID10)

2(RAID1)

1418

Fiber/SCSI

175250

1620(RAID10)

2(RAID1)

1822

Fiber/Fiber

175250

1620(RAID10)

2(RAID1)

1822

Technology

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Additional Services Business

Systems Architecture Services (North
America only)
North America Business Systems Architecture Services
The Business Systems Architecture Team is a North America group which provides prescriptive
guidance on deployment infrastructure and hardware to Partners and Customers for Microsoft
Dynamics deployments. Specific packaged services include Business Systems Architecture
Assessments (includes hardware sizing), Health Checks and Performance Tuning Workshops. It
is important to note that these types of services are outside the scope of the TPAG resource.
*See below for more detail on these services outside of North America.
For pricing information and availability, please contact mbsprosv@microsoft.com.
Please visit
https://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource/resources/services/services/business_systems_architect
ure.htm?printpage=false to learn more about the services provided by the North America
Business Systems Architecture Team on PartnerSource.
*Business Systems Architecture Services are North America specific services. To engage this
team from other regions may require special conditions from the local Regional Operations
Center (ROC). Within the requesting region, it is recommended to contact either the MBS
Support Team or Microsoft Consulting Services group to request any type of hardware sizing or
architecture services. Availability may vary.

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