Microsoft Dynamics Lifecycle Services expands and embeds with 'LCS Solutions', Dynamics CRM support, AX 7

Microsoft Dynamics Lifecycle Services (LCS) will broaden its reach in 2015 through a range of steps that expand the platform, embed it more deeply into Dynamics AX, and open it up for use with Dynamics CRM.

Microsoft has reorganized some parts of Dynamics AX and CRM product marketing to ensure a focus on platform planning. One early result of that change will be the introduction of Lifecycle Services (LCS) for Dynamics CRM. The offering will be based on the same LCS platform used for Dynamics AX but will diverge to handle specific CRM use cases, starting with private cloud deployments of Dynamics CRM in Azure.

The first iteration of the platform for CRM will offer "one-click" deployment to Azure and LCS-centric tools for managing things like project methodology, infrastructure, license sizing, telemetry, and support. It is planned for release in Q2 of calendar year 2015, according to Microsoft representatives.

LCS even more embedded in AX 7

For Dynamics AX, Lifecycle Services now has 20,000 registered users and 13,000 projects, including 2,000 that are active AX 2012 R3 customer projects. 92% of Dynamics AX partners have used the product in some way, according to Microsoft.

At Convergence 2015, Microsoft communicated to AX partners that LCS usage is imperative and that partners should expand their understanding of the platform now in preparation for the arrival of AX 7. To put a point on it, there will be server management activities that customers and partners won't be able to do ...