Format: 1-hour Skype call

Attendees: Technical resources from customer and

partner teams

AGENDAAGENDA

• Solution Architecture

• Retail Components

• Deployment Architecture

• Retail Store Scale Unit Demo

• Wrap up

Retail ServerDatabase Retail Server Cloud POS ServerRetail HQ

& AOSCDX

E-Commerce

Online

storefront

Integration

Consumer

shopping app

Retail store (with hosted RS and Channel DB)

Cloud POS(browser client)

Modern POS(Universal app)

Hardware

station

Retail store(s) (with Retail Store Scale Unit)

Cloud POS(browser client)

Modern POS(Universal app)

Hardware

station

Retail Store Scale Unit

Cloud POS

Server

CDX Async

Client

Retail Server Channel DB

Call Center

• Browse based HTML

client

• Optimized UX

experience

• Dashboard

• Personalized

workspaces

• Office integration

• Analytics

• Call Center Channel

is part of Retail HQ

• Configurable and

customizable

platform

• Back office business

logic

• IIS Web Application

• Batch processing

• SQL Azure Database

• AX

• CDX Message

• Channel

• Real Time Service is

part of AOS Web

Services

• Periodic batch

based data

replication between

HQ and Channels

when Channel DB is

in Cloud

• On demand

connection for

channels to HQ

• IIS web service

• OData web APIs

• Stateless

• Hosts CRT

• Business logic and

data entities for all

channels

• IIS web application

• Same application code

as MPOS

• Static

HTML5/JavaScript

• Cross-browser

• Cross-platform

Retail HQ AOS Retail Server Cloud POS ServerCDX

• Universal app (UWP)

• Hybrid app

• Multi-form factor

• PC

• Tablet

• Phone

• Connect to Cloud or

In-store Retail Server

• Local device support

• Offline capabilities with

CDX Async client part

of Modern POS itself

• Browser Client

rendered from Cloud

POS Server or

• Same application code

as MPOS

• Cross platform

• Windows

• iOS

• Android

• Cross browser

• IE

• Edge

• Chrome

• Safari

• Connect to Cloud or In-

store Server

• Use devices through

hardware station

• No offline support

• Can run as Xamarin

Shell App

• Connect to POS

peripherals

• Printers

• Cash drawer

• Payment

terminal

• PIN pad

• Signature

capture

• Line display

• Scale

• Scanner

• Local (IPC)

• Remote (IIS)

• Standalone or shared

• Different editions of

SQL Server

• Channel database

• Common DB for

all registers in a

store

• Deployed

In-store or in the

Cloud

• Offline database for

Modern POS app only

(SQL Server editions)

• Optional on-

device database

for disconnected

scenarios

• Windows service

• Synchronizes data in and

out of channel DB

Modern POS Cloud POSChannel/offline

databaseCDX Async clientHardware station

Symmetric architecture • Retail Server, Cloud POS website, Channel DB

deployed in store

Simplified, flexible deployment • Self service package supports one box or multi-box

Secure communication• AAD Service to Service authentication for

communication between Async Client and AOS web

service, and between Retail Server and AOS web

service

Modern POS and Cloud POS• Connect to in-store Retail Server and Cloud POS

website

• Modern POS continues to support offline

Retail store (with Retail Store Scale Unit)

Cloud POS(browser client)

Modern POS(Universal app)

Hardware

station

Retail Store Scale Unit

Cloud POS

Server

CDX Async

Client

Retail Server Channel DB

Dynamics 365 for Operations

HQ in AzureAX and

Channel

Database

AOS Service, Retail

Server, Cloud POS

Cloud POS LB

SQL

Azure

AOS LB

FE VMs

Retail Server LB

4) B&M store with RSSU

Retail Store Scale Unit

Retail Server

Hardware station

Cloud POS

Modern POS

Cloud POS

Website

CDX Async client

SQL

Channel DB

5) e-Commerce

Online storefront

IntegrationConsumer App

3) B&M store with Mix of Cloud and Modern

POS

Hardware station

Cloud POS

Modern POS

1) B&M Store with Cloud POS

Cloud POS

Hardware station

2) B&M store with Modern POS

Modern POS

Modern POS

Cloud Retail Server vs. Retail Store Scale Unit

• Customer workloads - In case of Cloud Retail Server, all in-store related processing hits same

servers/database as Dynamics 365 for Operations (may have impact depending workloads)

• Network performance - Use of Retail Store Scale Unit speeds up store operations because its much

closer to the store in terms of networking (scan speed, etc.)

• Maintenance - In case of Retail Store Scale Unit maintenance cost (certificate, database, SQL license if

SQL Express is not adequate)

• Store Formats and Size - Retail Store Scale Unit should be considered for large format stores (many

lanes)

• A mix of some stores using cloud and other stores using Retail Store Scale Unit is possible

Cloud POS vs. Modern POS

• Network requirements to access Retail Server (latency, bandwidth) are the same

• Network access to Azure Active Directory needed every login for Cloud POS, only during activation for

Modern POS

• No installation needed for Cloud POS client

• Modern POS needs a code signing certificate if customized/extended (cost)

• Hardware and staged rollout requirements need to be considered separately (next slides)

Cloud POS vs. Modern POS

• Cloud POS supports only simple keyboard wedge devices natively

• Modern POS supports many more native peripherals (Windows OS access)

• Cloud POS can use more complex devices by using a Hardware Station (IIS application that has similar

Windows OS access as Modern POS)

• Hardware Stations can be shared among multiple Cloud POS and Modern POS to save cost or as a

backup device station

• Cloud POS possible to run in Xamarin shell, may have more hardware support (if manufacturer

provide drivers)

Cloud POS vs. Modern POS – maintenance considerations

• Cloud POS is a server component with client running in browser, single deployment sufficient to

update multiple registers

• Modern POS is a client component, each register has to be updated (mass deployment not available

yet)

• Cloud POS uses zero footprint and even different OSes, Modern POS requires Windows 10 and code

signing certificate (if customized)

• Modern POS allows multi-staged rollout in store if desired (staged rollout, pilot releases or N-1)

• Cloud POS could allow multi-staged rollout across multiple stores (via different Retail Store Scale

Unit), but more complex

• both could be mixed in a store or organization

Modern POS vs. Modern POS for Offline - considerations

• Modern POS must be able to reach RetailServer, either in cloud (WAN) or in Retail Store Scale Unit

(LAN/WAN)

• Modern POS in offline mode does not need WAN or LAN

• Modern POS in offline mode cannot call CDX Realtime service

• Modern POS has a SQL database, licensing cost may need to be considered if SQL Express is not

adequate

• Multiple Modern POS in offline mode can operate, but cannot “see” each others data (cross-terminal

communcation)

Internet/WAN reliability - considerations

• For less reliable Internet connections, stores benefit from Retail Store Scale Unit (few cloud calls are

needed for CDX Realtime)

• For worse or no Internet connections, Modern POS with Offline mode (CDX Real time calls not

available)

• mix of the two options is also possible (but more disk space needed for 2 databases)

Stores in multiple geographic regions - considerations

• Different geographic regions will have very different network latencies to the Dynamics HQ

• Downtime window for releases, maintenance is very small with multiple geographies - Availability

• Use of Retail Store Scale Unit placed in same region as store will improve (CDX Realtime calls will still

go to remote HQ)

Commerce Data Exchange - considerations