The long awaited delivery of Dynamics AX 6 has been delayed! However, I am sure that when it arrives it will be another step forward for Dynamics AX. But as it’s currently not planned for delivery until quarter 3 of 2010 what are we meant to do until then. Choosing between upgrade, new install or optimising your current platform is a decision that has to be made by all end-users from time to time.

It is made even more difficult when you have to think about the costs associated and when cost or more importantly ROI is the clients overriding verdict that the client is considering.

I have recently been hired by a VAR to work with their support team to assist a client who can’t understand why Microsoft refuses to help to fix a support query with Microsoft Dynamics AX4. The reason that Microsoft ‘refuses’ - possibly too strong a word, but a quote from the client - is that it is not a bug, but an error. This is semantics, but the problem is compounded by the client’s decision to only purchase Mainstream Support, which, for Microsoft Dynamics AX4 was retired without much fanfare on September 26th 2009.

I’ve formed the opinion that either there is not a lot of information for clients on the benefits of purchasing the Extended Support which extends the life of Microsoft Support by 5 years, or that there is a balancing act done between license cost and results. There is a constant battle between what you think you have purchased for example the Microsoft Dynamics website clearly states that Mainstream Support is available for 5 years and that Extended Support is available for 7 years, there are even graphical representations of this, but this is not necessarily true when you take into account the overriding clause that:

“Support ends 24 months after the next service pack releases or at the end of the product's support lifecycle, whichever comes first.”

So with each product only having a 24 month support from Microsoft and Dynamics AX 2009 Service Pack 1 having been released on November 3rd 2008, then support for any Microsoft Dynamics AX product will apparently cease on November 2nd 2010 unless the long awaited Microsoft Dynamics AX 6 is out by then.

Why is this potentially an issue? Well, if you are a public company and you decide to change your ERP system your shareholders might be in favour of a product supported by Microsoft, but an unsupported product, they might not be so sure about.

So the clock is ticking on when the arrival of AX6 will be, and November 2nd 2010 is not so very far away.