In one of our last blog posts, "Dynamics 365 for Operations On-Premise Questions," Clients First speculated that Dynamics 365 for Operations would be available on-premise. Today is the day we can finally announce that Dynamics 365 for Operations (AX 7) will be available on-premise keeping your business data local. As shown in the graphic above published by Sri Srinivasan in the week of 2/20/2017, Dynamics 365 for Operations will be generally available on-premise in June 2017.
While there are undeniable benefits of Dynamics 365 for Operations available in the cloud like Microsoft's intelligence capabilities of embedded analytics, machine learning, or IoT; it is quite understandable that some organizations simply are not ready to store their company’s critical data in the cloud due to:- Your company's leadership holds a non-discretionary attitude towards cloud computing
- Your business model needs control of your: data, data residency, and data isolation
- Your business information fluctuates faster than the stock market, so dependency on speed and connectivity is extremely high to ensure business continuity
- The business processes require the ability to customize the service infrastructure of the ERP system to meet specific business needs such as scalability
- Your company has recently invested in data center resources
- Your industry's regulations do not permit data to be stored in the cloud
- Your country or geographic area has WiFi limitations
For the “local business data” deployment scenario, the application servers and SQL database will run in a customer’s or your Value Added Reseller's (VAR’s) data center. Customers and partners will manage the application lifecycle through Life Cycle Services (LCS) in the Microsoft Cloud, including designing the business processes, creating and deploying the software image to deploy onto the on-premises nodes, monitoring the on-premises nodes in a system health dashboard, and keeping up with innovation from Microsoft. If your business needs change, and your company wants to utilize Dynamics 365 for Operations cloud capabilities such as Microsoft's intelligence capabilities of embedded Power BI, machine learning, or IoT, customers can choose to take advantage of the embedded intelligence functions by simply turning ON data synchronization to the cloud. Please note: The on-premise data will not benefit from Microsoft's intelligent cloud capabilities like Power BI, AI, or other capabilities available to cloud subscribers.
What I find great about the flexibility in the deployment options is that:
- New and existing customers will be able to license both local business data and cloud and edge deployments. Existing investments will continue to be accounted for in Microsoft's licensing.
- Customers can license local business data deployments via a Dynamics 365 for Operations license with a Software Assurance/Enhancement Plan or a subscription model.
- Customers with active Microsoft Dynamics Enhancement Plans or Software Assurance may upgrade to local business data as they remain entitled to access new versions and updates.
- Transitions to Dynamics 365 cloud subscriptions are available to customers with active Microsoft Dynamics Enhancement Plans or Software Assurance.
- Cloud and edge software and services will be licensed under the existing Dynamics 365 cloud subscription licensing model.
Clients First is a Microsoft Gold ERP and CSP Partner, which is required for us to sell this solution. We have been leveraging the power of Microsoft Dynamics AX since the pre-cloud days when Dynamics 365 for Operations was called Axapta in 1999. Clients First and Dynamics 365 for Operations can help make your business more productive with the power of ERP. Call us to get a demo on how this solution can solve your biggest business challenges.
Email: Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, or call at 800.331.8382.