Hosting Dynamics NAV by John Brown
We are talking about hosted applications.
Why does business want hosted applications?
What does this mean to the delivery model?
What does this mean to your business model? It is an opportunity!
Available technologies:
-virtualisation in all things
-Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services technologies (Terminal Services Gateway, RemoteApp)
-Softgrid - application streaming
Like streaming video.
-Multi-tenant administration and management
-Economies of scale
-Automation in deployment
virtualisation in all things
-Presentation (Terminal services), Server (Virtual Server 2005 R2), Desktop, Application virtualization
-virtual servers
–hardware + Windows Server 2003 + Virtual server 2005R2
–Windows Hypervisor
–Virtual Harddisk (VHD) serves for both
–MS System Center:System Center (Virtual Machine Manager) serves for both
-Greater scalability and performance
-increased reliability and security
-better flexibility and managebility
So what?
-1 Customer - 10 users
–SQL cluster
–Application delivery platform
–4+ servers
-Is this a good value proposition? NO
-Virtualised it is
–install over a number of shared physical servers and configured to provide instant scale-up as required
–there can be multiple customers on the same physical machines
software virtualisation
-MS SoftGrid Application virtualisation and Streaming
-Application isolation
-Dynamic streaming:it shows the screen while some parts are still loading => user is happy because his application is there immediately
-System Center integration
-Software as a centrally managed service
So what?
-Applications which are streamed are not installed and so co-exist well
–Multiple version concurrency
–DLL isolation
–registry key isolation
–effective bandwidth utilisation
The difference
-traditional application installation
Application A read/writes data, system services and configuration. But also application B does. The configuration is the problematic part.
-virtualised
Systemguard environment records all what happens during installation and stores it.
The applications are not installed because they run in the systemguard environment that has all it needs. It doesn’t touch the configuration part of the local computer!
Presentation Virtualisation - security
-tunnels RDP over HTTPs. strips of RDP / HTPPs. Check network policy server an Active Directory PC => RDP traffic passed to TS
Again.. so what?
-terminal server access is encrypted in the same way as Exchange-based email for remote users
-no VPN overhead is required
-when teamed with Network Access Policies, network security can be ensured. You are only allowed if you have correct hardware/software/updates and the security server is happy with it.
Presentation Virtualisation - delivery
-remote programs integrated with local computer
-centrally configer a terminal server.
-RemoteApp console used to make application available
-Programs look like they are running locally
provisioning automation
-when delivering a service, time-to-deliver is critical
-Hosters know this and automate EVERYTHING
-hosting architectures support automation by design
-service providers support automation by necessity
-For a hosted service, margin is inversely proportional to time spent in deployment!
totalLY opposite to the usual consultancy-approache : more time=more money
provisioning automation - MPS
-standardised web-services
-openframework namespaces - business logic
provisioning automation - providers
-SOAP/HTTP
-command line
-Script
future tech
-desktop application streaming:terminal services or straight to the desk
-application on demand:pay as you go ERP?
-consumable services:granular funcionality and aggregate services. Fulfilling the business requirements they don’t know they have.
What do you need?
-hosting archtectures
-MS Solution set
-adminsitrative control panel
what should you do?
-identifty core and supporting services
–value adds
—exchange
—sharepoint
—BI portal
Build or buy
-best buy. Or better: partner with someone who can deliver what you need.
-use your core skills in NAV.
Filed under: DirectionsEMEA2008
Can you provide info on companies who can provide hosting / virtualization for Dynamics NAV
I don’t know companies who can. I know that Mark Brummel has some experience with virtualization for NAV.
Maybe you can post a topic in the forum to ask about it.
Hi Craig,
My company is bringing NAV hosting to the market. We also have deployed NAV in a virtualised environment at customer sites.
Please take a look at the link provided:
http://www.ada.co.uk/ec08/navision/
If you would like to find out more information please get in contact.
BR
James
It really depends on the scale of what you want to get/deliver. The presentation I did covered using the Microsoft technologies to provide application virtualisation and server virtualisation.
Virtualisation can be applied effectively at any level, I’ve designed and delivered and number of virtualised application environments, including NAV, so if anyone wants to pursue this kind of thing I’m happy to lend assistance.
There are a number of hosters out there now offering hosted services including NAV - some of which I’ve worked directly with - principally they are in mainland Europe.
HTH
John
GoIWx Hosting is a Microsoft Gold Certified Hosting company with focus on providing hosted Dynamics for partners and their clients, specifically AX, NAV, GP, CRM and others. Interesting to see someone else’s notes on the NAV hosting exercise
http://www.goiwx.com/servicesDynamicshosting.html
Thanks Kriki!
Questions? Shoot our SE an email: rjburgess@goiwx.com
Thanks John its really valuable post. http://www.onthenetoffice.com