Chapter 4: Microsoft BizTalk Server

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Overview

Almost every organization has a requirement to access and share information. The chances are that if you thought through the types of data and systems in your organization, the list would soon start to grow. Typically, this would cover spreadsheets, small databases, organization, relational databases, and mainframe-hosted systems.

Tying these systems together is a complex process, often named Enterprise Application Integration (EAI). One standard approach to EAI has been to implement tactical solutions, linking system A to system B, system C to system D, and so on, resulting in a whole serious of point-to-point connections. Each time a link is added, the EAI team will need to put in a series of services, such as message management, transaction management, and recovery services, that entail even more work. The end result can best be described as a cat's cradle of connections (see Figure 4.1).

Figure 4.1: A typical connection scenario.

Microsoft BizTalk Server is one of the Microsoft .NET Enterprise Server products designed to provide a central messaging hub, which, combined with business process management, makes EAI a more achievable goal. In addition to its inward looking EAI role, BizTalk Server also provides a messaging system capable of receiving, translating, and then retransmitting documents in a manner similar to conventional Electronic Data Interchange, or EDI.

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