Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 and Architecture OverviewNameTitleMicrosoft Corporation

Session Objectives• Gain an understanding of NAV 2009

Architecture• Understand the role the Dynamics NAV

Server plays in your system and the new features it brings

• In understanding differences between the C/SIDE architecture and the Dynamics NAV three-tier architecture, it will be easier to plan development projects, customer deployments and troubleshoot issues

Agenda• Dynamics NAV 2009 release• Architecture comparison• Dynamics NAV Service Tier• Platform features• Development for Dynamics NAV

Dynamics NAV 2009 ReleaseMicrosoft Dynamics NAV 2009 will offer you the

choice to stay with the Dynamics NAV Classic client

or move to the RoleTailored client

• One Solution– Same application – Same development– Same Office integration– Same Outlook integration

RoleTailored Client

Classic Client

Classic Client

Microsoft Dynamics NAV 5.0

Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009

Dynamics NAV Three Tier Architecture Presentation Layer

• Rich User Interface on clients

• SharePoint based PortalBusiness Logic Layer• Dynamics NAV Server• Web Service and

Windows Communication Framework Interface

• Business Logic running on middle tier server as .NET Application

Data Layer• SQL Server 2005/2008

Forms and Pages• Classic Client uses Forms

– Forms are objects with statically defined UI elements – WYSIWYG

– Forms state (memory) is held entirely on the client

– Non validation code not encouraged but allowed• RoleTailored Client uses Pages

– Structural xml-like definition– Pages can be interpreted by different client types

allowing them to be reused by NAV Portal and for Web Services

– Page state (memory) held on both client and NST– Fewer triggers than Forms but code is allowed

Architecture ComparisonFeature Classic Client RoleTailored Client

Forms, Pages, Code on Forms, Codeunits, ”Classic Application Objects”

As today Forms are transformed to Pages, all code runs as .NET managed assemblies, Property driven (Metadata)

Reports/Batch Jobs Existing reports unchanged SQL Server based reporting, requires request forms to be transformed

Web Services Not Available Multi-threaded NST able to handle Web Services. Create, Customize and easily deploy Web Services

C/AL Code runs on the server

XMLPort/Dataport XMLPorts & Dataports supported as today

Enhance XMLPort functionality to cover Dataports

Deployment As today NST automatically updates when new versions are detected

Sharepoint Display Target Continue with existing solutions like NEP

NAV Portal – supported out of the box

NAS As today Will continue to work as currently but recommend moving integrations to WS based platform

Metadata* In the system under the covers, Metadata is type definitions, properties on objects and object definitions themselves. FOB as text object is a textual representation of the metadata of that object

Refers to user personal settings, object definitions, communication packets, properties of the system at runtime

Architecture ComparisonClassic Client RoleTailored ClientC/SIDE Client RoleTailored Client

Authorisation/Authentication

Application Objects Metadata

Presentation Layer New Presentation Layer

Code, Triggers, Validation Simple type validation

NAV Service Tier

Authorisation/Authentication

Application Objects

Code, Triggers, Validation

Web Services

Database Server Database Server

C/SIDE Server or SQL 2005/8 SQL Server 2005/8

Dynamics NAV Server Goals• NAV 2009 Technology Goals

– Support new RoleTailored User Experience (UX)

– Provide Web Services– Minimize changes in C/AL code from C/SIDE

architecture to run on Dynamics NAV Server– Provide development tools (object

designers) for new platform features– Leverage .NET Framework for application

runtime

Platform Features• Web Services

– Industry Standard (Basic Profile)• Office, Sharepoint, Infopath• 3rd Party vendors

– Easy to publish– Focus point for integrations– Eventual replacement for NAS

• Business Oriented– Complex Data types

• Header Lines relationships• Validation & Triggers

Platform Features• Reports

– Based on SQL Report Control– Colourful– Charts and Graphs– Interactive

• Show and hide by expanding/collapsing line information• Dynamic Sorting

• Reuse the code environment from C/SIDE Development Environment

• Reuse much of existing report definitions• Use Visual Studio to define the layout

DEVELOPMENT

Development for Dynamics NAV 2009• All development through Object Designer• Export/Import files support FOB, txt and

xml• New designer for Pages• External Transformation Tool for Forms to

Pages conversion• Reports defined in Dynamics NAV, layout

defined in Visual Studio• After compilation, Dynamics NAV Servers

detect changes and provide newest object to clients

Development• Page Designer

– Define source table– Define page type– Design page

• Fields and structure • Actions, Related Information• Reports• FactBoxes

Page TypesPart PageList PageCard PageSimple PartRole CenterList PartDocument PageWorksheet PageConfirmation DialogNavigate Page

Development• Web Service Designer

– Use Page Designer to specify Web service– System auto generates Web service

methods– Extend by attaching Codeunits or methods

with XMLPort parameters

Form Transformation Tool• Form Transfomation tool converts Form Objects to Page

Objects. Forms are not deleted and the tool may be run multiple times.

• To enable release of Dynamics NAV with the RoleTailored client

• ISVs – To enable release of add-ons with the RoleTailored client

• Partners – To upgrade tailored solutions at the customers to the RoleTailored client

Database1 Run

Transformation Tool

Forms.xml

Transformation Input Files

Pages.xml2 3

4

1) Export Forms as XML2) Submit Forms and Transformation input file to Transformation Tool3) Transformation Tool makes page objects and logs results4) Import new Page Objects into the database

2 Log File3

C/AL Development Considerations• Use Web Services on NST for integration

projects• Automation objects

– Code runs on the NST• Files

– Code runs on the NST• Triggers on Controls, Forms/Pages &

Reports– Form Transformation tool will detect conflicts

for you and is easy to run with no impact to your sytem

Q&A

© 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.This presentation is for informational purposes only. Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, in this summary.