Dynamics 365 for Operations (AX) Versions and Update Cadence

The latest major version of Dynamics 365 for Operations (previously called Dynamics AX) became generally available in Feb. 2017. Current and upcoming versions of the service are shown above.

In Mar. 2016, Operations (AX) introduced a new update process that involves updating two components separately: the platform layer and the application layer. This is a departure from the previous server-based update process that was based on major versions and service packs.

The Application layer (top) contains higher-level user features where customizations, integrations, and add-ons are applied. The Application layer is typically updated twice per year and usually contains new functionality and fixes, which are most likely to cause problems with customizations and will require the most testing and validation. The numbering for Application updates is now based on year and month of the release. Recently, Microsoft established a three-year support life-cycle for Application updates, which allows customers to remain on the same version for three years, before updating. This could help organizations plan for updates in advance, rather than being forced to take continuous updates. However, three years is considerably shorter than the traditional 10 years (combining Mainstream and Extended support) of support for versions of previous on-premises products, and organizations will need to update more frequently to remain in a supportable state.