Install an AOS instance
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, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012
This topic describes how to install an Application Object Server (AOS) instance for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012.
Note
If you are upgrading AOS instances between AX 2012, AX 2012 Feature Pack, AX 2012 R2, and AX 2012 R3you should review Scenario: Perform in-place upgrade to AX 2012 R2 or AX 2012 R3.
Before you install the AOS instance
On the computer where you will install the AOS instance, run the prerequisite validation utility to verify that system requirements have been met. For information about how to run the prerequisite validation utility, see Check prerequisites.
For more information about the hardware and software requirements for Microsoft Dynamics AX, see the system requirements.
Note
A 64-bit computer is not required to install an AOS instance. However, if you need to complete a full Common Intermediate Language (CIL) generation, such as in a development environment, a 64-bit computer is required.
Verify that you have the appropriate permissions to install the AOS instance. For more information, see Verify that you have the required permissions for installation.
If you plan to enable database mirroring in SQL Server, you must do so after installing the Microsoft Dynamics AX database and Application Object Server (AOS). If you enable database mirroring before installing Microsoft Dynamics AX components, the AOS instance will install with warnings.
Select a service account for the AOS service. Before you install an AOS instance, you must determine which account you want the AOS service to run as. The AOS service can run as a domain account, as a managed service account, or as the Network Service account of the computer that you install the AOS service on. For more information about how to set up an account for the AOS service, see Create service accounts.
Choose a name for the AOS instance. We recommend that you use a uniform naming convention for all aspects of the installation, such as the database name and the name of the AOS instance. Because Microsoft Dynamics AX installations typically include one database and multiple AOS instances, make sure that the name of each AOS instance is unique but consistent with the naming convention. For example, you can use a name such as Fabrikam_DYNAX6_Live_AOS1, which includes a shortened form of your business name, the Microsoft Dynamics AX version, a code that describes the purpose of the installation, and an identifier for the AOS instance.
The instance name must not include any blank characters or any of the following characters: ampersand (&), backslash (\), slash (/), colon (:), brackets ([]), parentheses (()), angle brackets (<>), quotation marks (“”), question mark (?), exclamation point (!), asterisk (*), percent (%), caret (^), or pipe (|).
You must install an initial AOS instance and complete the Initialization checklist on that instance before you install additional AOS instances. If you install additional AOS instances before you have completed the Initialization checklist those AOS instances will not start. For more information about how to install additional AOS instances, see Install multiple AOS instances.
Install the first or only AOS instance
Use this procedure to install a single or first instance of AOS on a server. If you are installing other Microsoft Dynamics AX components at the same time, the installation pages vary, based on the components that you are installing.
Install an AOS instance
Start Microsoft Dynamics AX Setup. Under Install, select Microsoft Dynamics AX components.
Advance through the initial wizard pages.
If the Setup Support files have not yet been installed on the computer, the Select a file location page is displayed. The Setup Support files are required for installation. Enter a file location or accept the default location, and then click Next. On the Ready to install page, click Install.
If you’re installing AX 2012 R3, in the Select an installation option page, click Microsoft Dynamics AX.
On the Select installation type page, click Custom installation, and then click Next.
On the Select components page, select Application Object Server (AOS), and then click Next.
On the Prerequisite validation results page, resolve any errors. For more information about how to resolve prerequisite errors, see Check prerequisites. When no errors remain, click Next.
On the Select a file location page, select the location where you want 32-bit versions of Microsoft Dynamics AX files to be installed, and then click Next.
On the Connect to the databases page, in the Server name box, type or select the name of the Microsoft SQL Server computer. In the Database name box, select the name of the Microsoft Dynamics AX transaction database. Optionally, select the name of the baseline database.
If you are upgrading code or data from Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 or Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009, you must select Register database for upgrade and select a baseline database. The Register database for upgrade option is available when you install the first AOS in the computing environment. If you install more AOSs, this option is not available. You can determine whether the database was registered for upgrade by opening the Microsoft Dynamics AX client. If the database was registered for upgrade, the Data upgrade checklist is displayed when you open the client. Click Next.
On the Configure an Application Object Server (AOS) instance page, assign a name to the AOS instance. Optionally, you can specify the ports that are listed in the following table.
Port
Purpose
Default
TCP/IP port
Used by other Microsoft Dynamics AX components to communicate with AOS.
2712
Services WSDL port
Used by external applications to access the WSDL for AOS-based Microsoft Dynamics AX Web services.
8101
Services endpoint port
Used by external applications to access AOS-based Microsoft Dynamics AX Web services.
8201
On the Specify an AOS account page, select the Network Service account of the local computer (recommended only for development environments), a managed service account, or a domain account for the AOS service. If you select to use a managed service account, make sure to specify the account in the format Domain\AccountName$.
Warning
The process of manually changing the service account for an AOS is complicated and prone to error. For this reason, if you must change the service account for an AOS, we recommend that you uninstall and reinstall the AOS by using Setup.exe. For more information, see Change the account used by AOS.
On the Prerequisite validation results page, resolve any errors. When no errors remain, click Next.
On the Ready to install page, click Install.
After the installation is complete, click Finish to close the wizard.
The AOS service can take several minutes to start the first time after it is installed. To determine whether the AOS service has started, click Administrative tools > Services, and review the status of the Microsoft Dynamics AX Object Server service.
Start the AOS Windows service
After you install an AOS instance, you must wait for the Microsoft Dynamics AX Object Server Windows service to start.
By default, if a Windows service takes longer than 30 seconds to start, the system displays a message informing you that the service did not respond to a start command. The AOS Windows service can take longer than 30 seconds to start, and the lack of a response in 30 seconds can cause the service to stop. Therefore, if an AOS instance repeatedly does not start, you may want to configure the registry to give Windows services more time, such as 120 seconds, to start before the error message is displayed.
Warning
This section describes how to modify the registry so that the AOS Windows service has enough time to start before Windows displays an error message. Be aware that serious problems can occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. We recommend that you back up the registry before you modify it. If a problem occurs, you can restore it. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, see Backup and recovery.
Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
Locate and then click the following registry subkey: \HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control
Right-click Control, and then click New > DWORD (32-Bit) Value.
Right-click the new key, and then click Rename. Enter the name ServicePipeTimeout.
Right-click the key again, and then click Modify.
In the Value data text box, enter 120000, and then click OK. The AOS Windows service now has 120 seconds to start before the system displays an error message.
If the AOS instance does not start after you implement this registry key, use the Microsoft Dynamics AX Server Configuration utility to verify that the AOS instance is using a unique port. Port conflicts prevent AOS instances from starting. For more information, see Change AOS ports.
Run the initialization checklist
After you install and start an AOS instance, and before you complete any other tasks in Microsoft Dynamics AX, you must run the initialization checklist. For more information, see Initialize Microsoft Dynamics AX.