Native FDB database limit

ever wonder about that? here's the explanation that i've got from partnersource

The maximum database size for a Microsoft Dynamics NAV native database is summarized in the following table:

Microsoft Dynamics NAV Version Maximum Database Size in GB
2.50 - 2009 256 GB
2.00 - 2.01 32 GB

By default, customer licenses have a maximum database size of 64 GB. However, the maximum database size can be increased to 256 GB for versions 2.50 to 2009 by adding granule 1370 - Database Expansions per 1 GB to the license (a maximum of 192 of granule 1370 can be added to a license).

Notes:
• The version of the Microsoft Dynamics NAV executables determines the maximum database size.
• The maximum size of an individual database file is 130,922,000 bytes. If you try to expand a database file beyond this size, you receive the following error message:

The maximum permitted value is 130922000

Therefore, any database larger than this must be expanded by using multiple database files.
To see the licensed size of a database in Microsoft Dynamics NAV, click File, click Database, click Information, and then click the Database tab.

Important:
Large databases should not be used on systems that do not support HotCopy. HotCopy is available in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 3.01 and later versions of Microsoft Dynamics NAV

bad practice #1

this is a list of things that you shouldn't do or you should avoid in NAV.

this thing based on my experience during implementation, so its fairly subjective and i (VERY HAPPILY) welcome any arguments or experience sharing to broaden my knowledge

1. implement items with heavy transaction with serial number. the adjust cost operation will take a very long time to finish. its not strictly forbidden, but if you could.. please avoid it. and if you do, i recommend you do the adjust costing in a non-working hours.

2. combine #1 with Automatic Adjust Costing : Always (in Inventory Setup). the adjust costing will be performed during the posting process, and it happens during working hour (mostly people posts during that time rite?). that way, you will put other users into risks of couldn't perform their jobs, because all the needed resources will be locked by the ongoing process (posting).

3. combine #1 with Average Cost Calc Type : Item & Location & Variant (in inventory Setup). the adjust costing will (potentially) getting longer, if not forever... :).

4. Backdate posting. it will lead to a long time adjust costing (potentially). actually it's not forbidden to do this. but it'll potentially cause a lot problem if its become a usere's habit. i promise you, it will... especially if you're
using NAV 4xx.


that's it for now.. let's make NAV a better place :)

Generate Production Order from Sales Order

1. Browse the sales order (or create one)
2. Click Order > Planning. Sales Order Planning Form will be opened.
3. Click Functions > Create Prod. Order. Options Form will be opened.
4. Choose your options based on your preferences and click Yes Button
5. Production Order will be generated

additional info :
Order Type - Item Order : the Production Order will be generated based on the selected item in Sales Lines
Order Type - Project Order : the Production Order will be generated based on all item in the Sales Order

Business Notification - Installation

business notification is an NAS application created to give a notification to every business events (so obvious eh, as the name sounds :D).
so, user who subscribe to a specific rules on BN can get a notification (by email) to every event occurred.

today i learned how to install the BN using NAV 4 SP 3 (SQL) (of course with huge amount trial and error :P) and wish to share it here :

this application involved many application. so make sure you've able to do some basics administration for :

• SQL2005
• IIS
• SMTP
• Navision (of courseee)
• Windows services
• Windows Event Viewer
• Windows User and Security

this is the pre-requisites (based on my learning environment) :

1. WINXP SP 2
   
2. SQL 2005
3. NAV 4 SP3 installer
4. NET framework 2.0
5. NET framework 1.1
   
6. Internet Information Services + ASP.NET (from Add/Remove Windows Components, Application Server, ASP.NET)
7. SMTP Server (windows default)

i read the MS blog for the complete requirements, seems like i skip 2 components :
1. SQLXML 3.0 SP2 (from Microsoft Download Center). i'm not sure whether this components is already installed in my environment through other updates, or maybe it is needed for some specific BN operation. but so far, my BN works OK
2. Domain created. i don't use Active Directory, just a single machine and workgroup. but seems like it affects for using internal user subscription. my BN still don't work for internal users. not really sure.

the installation steps is :

1. install NAV Client (NAV Client Only)
2. Start your SQL and restore CRONUS database it (i named it CRONUS4)
3. replace the default cronus.flf on NAV client folder (default path : C:\Program Files\Microsoft Business Solutions-Navision\Client) with your license (of course you need to rename it to cronus.flf) make sure your license have the BN granule. i dont know the granule ID for BN, but since i have a developer license, i think it must be covered :)
4. add XML config on your client folder (i get this step from here), here is the substeps :
   
   
1. Open Notepad.
2. Copy and paste following into the text file:
   <?xml version ="1.0"?>
   <configuration>
   <startup>
   <supportedRuntime version="v1.1.4322" />
   </startup>
   </configuration>
   
3. Save the text file with the following filename:
   a. fin.exe.config - if you are using the Native Database
   b. finsql.exe.config - if you are using the SQL Server option
   
   
5. open your NAV Client and register your windows login to CRONUS database.
   you need to determine which windows user assigned for BN. make sure the windows user have the administrator permission. (assigning windows login using SQL need a bit of further work - instaling xp_ndo something on the stored procedure. but it wouldn't be covered here)
   
6. assign your windows login with roles super.
7. populate Table 9801 (Property Store) with the following values:
   BN_MessageBusUrl_0 = http://IMELPC/BusinessNotificationMessageBus/MessageBusService.asmx
   BN_PublishRetryTime_0 = 1000
   IMELPC is my machine name, change it with your own machine name
   
8. install BN Manager
   
9. install BN Server. assign the windows user (the one you register at step 4) and the CRONUS database (i'm using my CRONUS4).
   if the installation success, you should see this new services on your services list :
   - Notification Service Deployment Manager
   - NS$BusinessNotificationInstance
10. locate your NAS for BN installation folder (the default path is : C:\Program Files\Microsoft Business Solutions-Navision\Business Notification\NAS) and replace the default cronus.flf with your license.
11. Make sure your SMTP is enabled for relaying email.
    

OK, now your BN is already installed and good to go (hopefully). let us do the clean start and test the BN Manager :

1. close all programs (or maybe restart your PC)
   
2. restart SQL
   
3. restart IIS
   
4. restart both BN services (Notification Service Deployment Manager and NS$BusinessNotificationInstance)
   
5. open NAV Client and connect to testing database (my CRONUS4)
6. open BN Manager.
7. select tools>>Connect To Server
8. put your server name (i'm using my IMELPC) and click button connect. now your BN should be connected to BN Server
   
9. click button new from template. template rules windows will opened
   
10. select one of the template and click new from template.

if you get the Notification scheme windows, it means your BN Manager worked.

this installation is involved many technology thus, there is so many things to consider for troubleshooting the installation. mostly, i'm doing a full cleanup for NAV (NAV Client, BN Server, Manager and install it all over again (but not restoring database). you can contact me for discussion (not consult since i'm not the master), but only if i have time.

here is the link that i find it useful :

http://navtechapac.spaces.live.com/?_c11_BlogPart_BlogPart=blogview&_c=BlogPart&partqs=cat%3DNav%2BBusiness%2BNotifications
http://www.mibuso.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=28800&view=previous
http://www.mibuso.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=7578&p=141597
http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/default.aspx?dg=microsoft.public.navision&tid=16810b5f-1cbd-4eb4-8b40-8453d5ffb287
http://www.mail-archive.com/navision-knowledge-village@yahoogroups.com/msg01599.html
http://dynamicsuser.net/forums/t/10985.aspx

do not forget also to consult the default manual from the CD

this tutorial ends here. for how to use BN, you can consult the default manual available on the BN, or maybe i'm gonna post one, when i get more time.

happy notification-ing (aww that's lame) :D