1. AX Performance Tools Present and Future
Eric Moos
Senior Support Escalation Engineer

2. Agenda Key performance monitoring tools
Comparing Dynamics AX 2012 to new Dynamics AX
Open dialog / Q&A

3. Performance Monitoring Tools

4. Performance monitoring tools
Microsoft Dynamics AX Trace Parser
Performance Analyzer for Microsoft Dynamics
Performance Monitor (Perfmon)
Others

5. Microsoft Dynamics AX Trace Parser
Microsoft Dynamics Technical Conference 2016
12/2/2017 1:42 AM
Microsoft Dynamics AX Trace Parser
Uses
Microsoft Dynamics AX client and AOS trace file analysis
Specific task analysis
Features
Drill down view of captured sessions
X++ methods
Captured SQL statements
Comparison between traces
Sub-trace creation
<see notes for troubleshooting, links and additional tips>
Collection options
Capture a trace via AX Client
1. Launch your client as 'Administrator' by right clicking and perform the action you want to trace once without tracing on (to warm up the caches)
2. Open a developer workspace by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+W
3. Access the Tracing Cockpit through Tools > Tracing Cockpit
4. Review the Event selection and File options area for selected events and maximum file size
5. Click "Start Trace" and specify a full path and name for the file
6. Perform your scenario
7. Click "Stop Trace"
8. Use Trace Parser to review trace
dynamics-ax-2012.aspx
dynamics-ax-2012-trace-parser-part-2.aspx
Capture a trace via Perfmon
See blog for details - with-windows-performance-monitor.aspx
Troubleshooting issues with logging AX Trace
- Check UAC, if on right click on AX shortcut (exe, not axc) and run as administrator
- Put AOS service account as local admin (or at least Performance* groups)
- Check to see if 10GB free (actually a little more due to overhead)
- If not can change registry to limit size of trace file
- Permissions to directory where log is being created
- User for client session
- AOS service account for server trace
- Look at Event Viewer > Windows Logs > Application for any errors
- If receive an error code then type the following in command prompt to see what error means [net helpmsg 5]
Working with ETW
To see if trace is running
[Logman query -ets]
Reading trace files
Tracerpt <filename> -summary c:\summary.txt
tracerpt -o output.csv <tracefile>
Components needed for a clean machine
Copy TraceProviderCrimson.dll and TraceProviderCrimson.man (ex. from program files) to c:\windows\system32 and run [wevtutil im TraceProviderCrimson.man]
Note can run following in command prompt when don't have an AOS that you can point installer to
msiexec /i traceparser.msi directexeute=1
© 2016 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

6. Performance Analyzer for Microsoft Dynamics
Microsoft Dynamics Technical Conference 2016
12/2/2017 1:42 AM
Performance Analyzer for Microsoft Dynamics
Uses
Database performance tuning
Microsoft Dynamics AX setup & best practices checks
General overview of database activity
Features
Database setup and settings
SQL query details and analysis
Missing indexes
Table setup and caching
Number sequence analysis
Hidden index scans
© 2016 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

7. What’s New in DynamicsPerf 2.0 !!
Microsoft Dynamics Technical Conference 2016
12/2/2017 1:42 AM
What’s New in DynamicsPerf 2.0 !!
Remote Data Collection
Scheduling Engine
Historical Tables
More QUERY Data
SSRS Analysis
Dynamics CRM collectors
New Data collectors
FULLTEXT Indexes
Hub and Spoke of DynamicsPerf databases
SQL Server 2016 support
Microsoft Azure support
Refresh QUERY_PLANS
Stale QUERY_PLAN Removal
Performance Counter data on SQL
QUERY_ALERTS
SET_AX_TRACE
AOTEXPORT
Parsing of QUERY_PLANS
Extended Events
Parameters, Parameters, Parameters
Many, Many new sample queries
Lots
“It’s taken 6 months and almost 600 hours of coding time”
What has changed? EVERYTHING !!
References
What’s New in DynamicsPerf 2.0 !! - dynamicsperf-2-0/
DynamicsPerf 2.0 Installation for Dynamics AX installation-for-dynamics-ax/
DynamicsPerf 2.0 Deployment Guide - deployment-guide/
Setting up Windows Performance Monitor Templates -
DynamicsPerf 2.0 Scheduling Engine - scheduling-engine/
DynamicsPerf 2.0 Historical Tables and Baselines -
DynamicsPerf 2.0 QUERY ALERTS - alerts/
Other posts related to DynamicsPerf 2.0 progress and tweaks while in beta
DynamicsPerf 2.0 IS HERE !! -
DynamicsPerf 2.0 Feedback -
DynamicsPerf 2.0 Comparing AX schema - comparing-ax-schema/
What’s New in Beta 5 -
What’s New in DynamicsPerf 2.0 Release Candidate new-in-dynamicsperf-2-0-release-candidate-0/
DynamicsPerf 2.0 Release Candidate 0 is HERE !! -
Analysis scripts for Performance Analyzer v2.0
Analyze SQL Configuration - performance-analyzer-v2-0
Analyze SQL Indexes - performance-analyzer-v2-0-page-2
Analyze SQL Queries - performance-analyzer-v2-0-page-3
Analyze Blocking - performance-analyzer-v2-0-page-4
Baseline – benchmark queries - for-performance-analyzer-v2-0-page-5
SSRS Report Analysis - performance-analyzer-v2-0-page-6
Query Alerts - analyzer-v2-0-page-7
Analyze AX Configuration - performance-analyzer-v2-0-page-8
Analyze AX Indexes - performance-analyzer-v2-0-page-9
Analyze AX Queries - performance-analyzer-v2-0-page-10
<see notes for references>
© 2016 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

8. Performance Monitor (Perfmon)
Uses
Monitor local or remote system performance
Features
Real-time metrics from counters
Data collector sets
Reports

9. Microsoft Dynamics Technical Conference 2016
Others
Performance Analysis of Logs (PAL) Tool
SQL Activity Monitor
SQL Performance Dashboard Reports
PAL –
SQL Performance Dashboard Reports -
<see notes for references>
© 2016 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

10. Comparing Methods and Tools AX 2012 to new Dynamics AX

11. Identify bottlenecks for a specific process
Dynamics AX 2012
new Dynamics AX
Collect application trace
Review with Trace Parser
Performance timer
&debug=develop, &debug=true
Browser options
F12 > Network
All
Tools/Options
Environment

12. Identify long running queries
Dynamics AX 2012
new Dynamics AX
DynamicsPerf
SQL Server Query Store
SQL Server Activity Monitor
SQL Statement Trace Log
LCS Environment Monitoring
SQL Insights (historical view)
SQL Now (current view)
Activity > Raw logs > Slow queries
All
Production, Sandbox
Tools/Options
Environment

13. Optimize queries affected by parameter sniffing
Dynamics AX 2012
new Dynamics AX
Identify with DynamicsPerf or Query Store
See all plans for a query over time
Resolve with
DataAreaIdLiteral setting
Force literals in code
Plan guides in SQL
Identify with LCS Environment Monitoring
SQL Insights: Download current plan
Work with DSE if plan guide is necessary
All
Production, Sandbox
Tools/Options
Environment

14. View currently executing SQL statements
Dynamics AX 2012
new Dynamics AX
DynamicsPerf
Enable ConnectionContext on AOS
Query for SQL/AX user details
SQL Server Activity Monitor
LCS Environment Monitoring
SQL Now
All
Production, Sandbox
Tools/Options
Environment

15. Identify blocked SQL statements
Dynamics AX 2012
new Dynamics AX
Identify with
Blocked process report
Deadlock graph
Resolve with
End blocking session from AX client
Kill blocking SPID from SSMS
LCS Environment Monitoring
SQL Now > Blocking statements
Activity > Raw logs > Deadlocks
<new features coming…>
All
Production, Sandbox
Tools/Options
Environment

16. Identify resource bottlenecks
Dynamics AX 2012
new Dynamics AX
Performance Monitor (Perfmon)
Processor, memory, disk, and network counters
LCS Environment Monitoring
Activity
Environment > Health Monitors
Environment > Health Metrics
All
Production, Sandbox
Tools/Options
Environment

17. Identify SQL resource bottlenecks
12/2/2017 1:42 AM
Identify SQL resource bottlenecks
Dynamics AX 2012
new Dynamics AX
Throughput/
Load
SQLServer:SQL Statistics
\Batch Requests/sec
SQL Utilization based on
Database Transaction Units (DTUs)
Blended measure of
CPU
Memory
Read and write rates
Processor
Processor\% Processor Time
SQL Server: Buffer Manager
\Page life expectancy
\Buffer cache hit ratio
Memory\Available MBytes
Disk
Logical Disk\Avg. Disk Sec/Read
Logical Disk\Avg. Disk Sec/Write
Network
Network Interface\Packets Outbound Errors, Output Queue Length, Bytes Total/Sec, Current Bandwidth
© 2014 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

18. Identify AOS resource bottlenecks
12/2/2017 1:42 AM
Identify AOS resource bottlenecks
Dynamics AX 2012
new Dynamics AX
Throughput/
Load
Microsoft Dynamics AX Object Server\Active Sessions
Microsoft Dynamics Ax Services Session Provider(w3wp)\# Active Sessions
Processor
Processor\% Processor Time
Process(AX32Serv)\% Processor Time
Process(w3wp)\% Processor Time
Process(batch)\% Processor Time
Memory
Memory\Available Mbytes
Process(AX32Serv)\Private bytes
Memory\Available MBytes
Process(w3wp)\Private bytes
Disk
Logical Disk\Avg. Disk Sec/Read
Logical Disk\Avg. Disk Sec/Write
Not available in LCS
Network
Network Interface\Packets Outbound Errors, Output Queue Length, Bytes Total/Sec, Current Bandwidth
© 2014 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

19. Review form performance and usage patterns
Dynamics AX 2012
new Dynamics AX
Client access log
Raw logs > All logs
All
Production, Sandbox
Tools/Options
Environment

20. Q&A

21. 12/2/2017 1:42 AM
© 2014 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.