dynamics ax 2012 developer environment

Question

We are currently in an AX 2012 R2 shared environment mode -- multiple DEV AX instances and multiple developers using them. This is not working well. The company wants to give each developer a beefy laptop to create his/her own environment.

Some of the features would be:

1. Integrate with TFS
2. Be able to interact with other servers and server-based products and applications in teh corporation
3. Be able to run multiple versions of AX 2012 R2, 2012 R3 etc.
4. Be able to load current model and data from production

I see two options in terms of installation:

1. Install AX and have it be part of the corporate domain
2. Install AX in a Hyper-V environment with my own domain controller

Is the feature set possible with both of the above types of installation? Any Pros and Cons?

I'm not even sure I'm asking the right questions as infrastructure is not my cup of tea.

Thank you.

Answer 1

You will waste oceans of time by having each developer set up her own environment on her own. AX setup involves several servers and services and takes weeks not minutes.

Better is to use a VM for each environment, then use a pool of shared VM's managed by specialist for each environment.

Of cause you will need a monster host machine for each developer.

• + Flexible
• - Expensive

Alternatively use central servers and a shared development environment. This may be good enough, if there is not many developers.

• + Not so expensive
• - Flexible
• - Development interference working on the same system

Microsoft Life Cycle services may be of help especially in you need AX 2012 R3.

• + Easy of use
• - Limited to some AX version only
• - Expensive???

Answer 2

if you need 'to run multiple versions of AX 2012 R2, 2012 R3 etc' you are looking at a VM solution of one kind or another(or alot of ssds you swap frequently)--if you are disciplined with check-ins and code review there is a good whitepaper from microsoft that is mostly applicable

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/axsa/archive/2012/10/22/tfs-integration-with-microsoft-dynamics-ax-2012-and-automated-scripts-for-build-and-deployment.aspx

re: tfs there is some support out of the box, but setting up a credible Continuous Integration situation is another story really

also see: http://dynamicsaxadmin.codeplex.com/