Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Microsoft’s Dynamics Nav Web Services & Windows Authentication


Microsoft’s Dynamics Nav Web Services & Windows Authentication

In this blog, I talk about authenticating users via Ms Dynamics Nav web services. Using this technique, it is now possible to build a complete web application by reusing the already existing Navision functions, and eliminating the use of SQL statements in your web application. This has great security implications and other advantages on your web applications, just to mention a few;
·         Total elimination for loopholes exploited by hackers to gain access to your web application and hence database. This is usually achieved through SQL injection and cross site scripting.
·         There is no need for storage of secondary passwords and subsequent management of the same. This is so as your web application inherits the strong password policies defined in the DNS structure of an organization. The users do not have to memorize different passwords, as they are only required to remember their windows username and password. This is very similar to the use of Open ID technique, where users get to log into your web application via their social networks usernames and passwords, eg facebook, yahoo, gmail, tweeter, etc.
·         The development time used in programming your web application is greatly reduced, and this has always been every developers worry, meeting deadlines in good time.
·         Support/maintenance has never been easy than before, as the functionality can now be greatly separated from the design. This means that the developer automatically has two sets of support personnel to assist him/her whenever he is unavailable. The first set maintains the functionality, which is done via Ms Dynamics nav, while the other set maintains the web application design. More so, these 2 sets of developers do not have to know what the other is doing.
·         Consistency in design for both the web applications and Dynamics Nav. This can be demonstrated through generation of reports from Navision and only displaying the end product (eg PDF report) to the web application user
·         Error handling and reporting has been greatly improved, as the web application reports errors generated from Navision, and not the web application. This means that the end user will be viewing error messages similar to the ones they are accustomed to in Navision.
·         Reduced time in user training. This is so as the web  application designer concentrates more on matching the  design patterns in Navision, and not the functionality in Navision. There has always been “RESISTANCE TO CHANGE” from the end users. Hence, end users are bound to embrace the web application, as it resembles what they are already  accustomed to, ie user interface similar to Navision
JUST BUT A TIP OF THE ICEBERG, on what Microsoft Dynamics Nav is capable of doing to both the end users and the 2 sets of developers. LIFE MADE EASY. To developers, Ogolla Fredrick is a freelance consultant on emerging IT Technologies. He can be contacted  through;