Deployment topologies for Retail

Important

This content is archived and is not being updated. For the latest documentation, see Microsoft Dynamics 365 product documentation. For the latest release plans, see Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Power Platform release plans.

Applies To: Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Feature Pack

Note

This topic includes information about features that were added or changed for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 Cumulative Update 8. For more information, see the section later in this topic.

Before you install Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 for Retail, you must decide on the system topology. This topic describes common topologies for a Retail system.

The topology at the head office is a standard Microsoft Dynamics AX deployment, with additional computers for retail functions. Depending on the requirements of your organization, you can use a computer for more than one purpose. We recommend that you load balance across multiple computers whenever load balancing is possible.

Note

For development and testing, you can install the complete Retail system on a single computer. However, a deployment of this kind is not a supported production scenario.

This topic contains the following sections:

• Deployment topologies for Retail in AX 2012 R3

• Deployment topologies for Retail in AX 2012 R2 and AX 2012 Feature Pack

Deployment topologies for Retail in AX 2012 R3

The following table lists the types of computers that are used in a typical Retail deployment with AX 2012 R3.

Deployment location	Types of computers
Head office	AOS computer with Retail headquarters component installed Database server You must modify the Microsoft Dynamics AX database server only if the settings for Microsoft SQL Server do not comply with the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard. For more information about PCI-compliant settings, see the Implementation Guide for PCI Compliance. Communications server that hosts Commerce Data Exchange: Real-time Service and Async Server (or Synch Service for versions prior to AX 2012 R3). If you prefer, you can have two communications servers, one for each of these applications. Microsoft Dynamics AX client computers with Retail headquarters component installed Retail Server, if you are using Retail Modern POS Web servers that host the online channel
Brick-and-mortar stores	Computer that hosts the channel database and Async Client (or Synch Service for versions prior to AX 2012 R3) Retail Server (required for Retail Modern POS) Point of sale (POS) registers Point of sale (POS) registers

Topology diagrams for POS in AX 2012 R3

The following figures illustrate typical deployment topologies for a POS system in AX 2012 R3.

Each component of a POS system is hosted on a dedicated computer

In Figure 1, each component is hosted on a dedicated physical computer or virtual machine. Components that support multiple instances, such as AOS, Async Server and Real-time Service could be installed on additional computers for load balancing. This deployment topology is appropriate for a large retailer.

Figure 1 Hosting of POS components on dedicated computers

POS components are hosted on shared servers

In Figure 2, on the head office side, the Async Server instance, Real-time Service, and Enterprise Portal for Microsoft Dynamics AX have been combined on a single computer. A midsize retailer might want to consolidate these services on one computer or run them on virtual machines on a single physical server. On the store side, Async Client is installed on the same computer as the channel database server.

Figure 2 Shared hosting of POS components

Store-side database topologies

For Retail POS registers, the following store-side database topologies are supported:

• POS registers have offline databases that are synchronized with the channel database within the store when the POS registers are connected.

• POS registers do not have databases and must always be connected to the channel database within the store.

For Retail Modern POS, the following store-side database topologies are supported:

• Retail Modern POS registers have offline databases that are synchronized with the channel database.

• Retail Modern POS registers do not have databases and must always be connected to a Retail Server.

• Retail Modern POS registers connect directly to a channel database without connecting to a Retail Server.

Figure 3 illustrates the supported topologies for POS registers. In the POS portable topology, the POS device uses the channel database by default, and synchronizes its local database and the channel database. If the channel database becomes inaccessible, the POS device uses its offline database until the connection to the channel database is re-established. In the POS always online topology, the POS device must always be online to connect with the channel database.

Figure 3 Supported database topologies for POS devices

Note

Async Server, Async Client, and Real-time Service have been omitted from Figure 3, because they are not affected.

Figure 4 illustrates the supported topologies for Retail Modern POS registers.

Figure 4 Supported topologies for Retail Modern POS devices

Topology diagrams for online stores in AX 2012 R3

The following figures illustrate typical deployment topologies for an online store system in AX 2012 R3.

Each component of an online store is hosted on a dedicated computer

In Figure 5, each component is hosted on a dedicated physical computer or virtual machine. Components that support multiple instances, such as AOS and online store sites, could be installed on additional computers for load balancing.

Figure 5 Hosting of online store components on dedicated computers

Online store components are hosted on shared servers

In Figure 6, Async Client, Real-time Service, and Enterprise Portal have been combined on a single computer. A midsize retailer might want to consolidate these services on one computer or run them on virtual machines on a single physical server.

Figure 6 Shared hosting of online store components

Deployment topologies for Retail in AX 2012 R2 and AX 2012 Feature Pack

The following table lists the types of computers that are used in a typical Retail deployment with AX 2012 R2 or AX 2012 Feature Pack.

Deployment location	Types of computers
Head office	AOS computer Database server You must modify the Microsoft Dynamics AX database server only if the settings for Microsoft SQL Server do not comply with the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard. For more information about PCI-compliant settings, see the Implementation Guide for PCI Compliance. Communications server that hosts Commerce Data Exchange: Real-time Service and Commerce Data Exchange: Synch Service. If you prefer, you can have two communications servers, one for each of these applications. Microsoft Dynamics AX client computers Web servers that host the online store
Brick-and-mortar stores	Database server Communications server that hosts Synch Service Point of sale (POS) registers

Typically, head office and store computers where Synch Service is installed also have SQL Server Express Edition installed. However, this instance of SQL Server is used only for the Synch Service message database.

Topology diagrams for POS in AX 2012 R2 and AX 2012 Feature Pack

The following figures illustrate typical deployment topologies for a POS system in AX 2012 R2 and AX 2012 Feature Pack.

Each component of a POS system is hosted on a dedicated computer

In Figure 1, each component is hosted on a dedicated physical computer or virtual machine. Components that support multiple instances, such as AOS and Synch Service, could be installed on additional computers for load balancing. This deployment topology is appropriate for a large retailer.

Figure 1 Hosting of Retail POS components on dedicated computers

POS components are hosted on shared servers

In Figure 2, on the head office side, the Synch Service instance, Real-time Service, and Enterprise Portal for Microsoft Dynamics AX have been combined on a single computer. A midsize retailer might want to consolidate these services on one computer or run them on virtual machines on a single physical server. On the store side, Synch Service is installed on the same computer as the store database server.

Figure 2 Shared hosting of Retail POS components

Store-side database topologies

Retail supports the following store-side database topologies:

• POS registers have offline databases that are synchronized with the store database when the POS registers are connected.

• POS registers do not have databases and must always be connected to the store database.

Figure 3 illustrates the two supported topologies. In the POS portable topology, the POS register uses the store database by default, and synchronizes its local database and the store database. If the store database becomes inaccessible, the POS register uses its offline database until the connection to the store database is re-established. In the POS always online topology, the POS register must always be online to connect with the store database.

Figure 3 Supported database topologies for Retail POS registers

Note

Synch Service and Real-time Service have been omitted from Figure 3, because they are not affected.

Topology diagrams for online stores in AX 2012 R2 and AX 2012 Feature Pack

The following figures illustrate typical deployment topologies for an online store system in AX 2012 R2 and AX 2012 Feature Pack.

Each component of an online store is hosted on a dedicated computer

In Figure 4, each component is hosted on a dedicated physical computer or virtual machine. Components that support multiple instances, such as AOS, Synch Service, and online store sites, could be installed on additional computers for load balancing.

Figure 4 Hosting of Retail online store components on dedicated computers

Online store components are hosted on shared servers

In Figure 5, Synch Service, Real-time Service, and Enterprise Portal have been combined on a single computer. A midsize retailer might want to consolidate these services on one computer or run them on virtual machines on a single physical server.

Figure 5 Shared hosting of online store components

See also

Point of Sale

Create a store database or an offline database (AX 2012 R2 and AX 2012 Feature Pack)