Blog |

Business Central

Architectural Enhancements in Business Central 2024 Release Wave 2 (v25)

Wednesday, August 14, 2024
Reading time: 5 minutes

As we continue our exploration of the upcoming features in Business Central 2024 Release Wave 2 (v25), this third blog in our series of four focuses on the architectural enhancements. With the application and development changes covered in previous posts, we now turn our attention to the backbone of Business Central that ensures robust performance, scalability, and security. My final blog will be about CoPilot. Microsoft has introduced several key architectural improvements in this release to support better feature rollouts and overall system integrity.

Enhanced Feature Rollouts and Service Updates

One of the standout architectural changes in Business Central v25 is the revamped approach to feature rollouts and service updates. Microsoft is refining the way updates are deployed to minimize disruptions and ensure a smoother experience for users. The first change here was during Covid when Microsoft extended the allowed time for a major rollout from 30 to 60 days, giving partners more time to complete the rollout during the pandemic. While there was initially discussion to revert to 30 days, feedback from partners has led to further enhancements that will be evident in this release. Here are the highlights:

In v25, Microsoft introduces a more flexible update management system, allowing administrators to control the pace at which updates are applied across environments. This gradual rollout strategy enables organizations to test and validate new features in a controlled manner before a full deployment, ensuring that any potential issues are identified and resolved early on. You will now have up to 5 months to upgrade to a major version, and you can opt out of minor version updates. More details will follow closer to the release. Learn more.

Manage Per-Tenant Extensions in Admin Center

The new release brings an enhanced capability within the Admin Center to manage per-tenant extensions more effectively. This improvement allows administrators to oversee and update extensions more seamlessly, reducing the risk of compatibility issues and ensuring that customizations remain functional across updates. Learn more.

Migrate Record Links and Notes with Cloud Migration Tooling

With cloud migration becoming increasingly important, v25 introduces tools to migrate record links and notes more effectively. This feature ensures that critical information tied to records is preserved during the migration process, reducing data loss and maintaining continuity as businesses move to the cloud. Learn more.

Support IPv6 for Enhanced Security and Scalability

Business Central v25 will support IPv6, a necessary step forward in terms of security and scalability. While this change occurs in the backend and may not directly impact partners, it ensures that the system is future-proofed, offering better network security and expanded address space. Learn more.

View App Compatibility with Future Versions in Admin Center

Administrators will now be able to view app compatibility with future versions of Business Central directly within the Admin Center. This feature helps in planning upgrades by providing insights into which apps might need attention before a system update, minimizing downtime and ensuring a smooth transition. Learn more.

Enable Additional Countries and Regions

As part of Microsoft’s ongoing global expansion, new countries and regions will be enabled through partner-led localizations. Although the specific list of new regions is not yet available, it will be revealed closer to the launch date. Learn more.

Get List of Manageable Environments for Microsoft Entra Apps

The latest release introduces a feature that allows administrators to get a list of manageable environments for Microsoft Entra apps. This enhancement simplifies the management of environments, making it easier to identify and control which environments are tied to specific applications. Learn more.

Get Notified About Issues with Job Queue Background Processing

A new notification system has been introduced for job queue background processing. This feature ensures that administrators are promptly alerted to any issues, allowing for quicker resolution and minimizing disruptions to business operations. Learn more.

Conclusion

The architectural changes in Business Central 2024 Release Wave 2 (v25) are designed to enhance system performance, scalability, and security, while also providing more control over feature rollouts and updates. These improvements underline Microsoft’s commitment to delivering a robust and reliable platform for businesses worldwide. 

Stay tuned for our final blog in this series, where we'll delve into the exciting CoPilot enhancements coming in this release.

Berny During
Latest posts by Berny During (see all)

More about Business Central