Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006 R2 Standard, IT Disk Kit, MVL DVD 5 MLF D75-01324 User Manual
Product codes
D75-01324
3
An Overview of BizTalk Server 2006 R2
No application is an island. In fact, tying systems together has become the norm in most organizations
today. Yet connecting software means more than just exchanging bytes. As organizations continue to
move toward a service-oriented world, the real goal
today. Yet connecting software means more than just exchanging bytes. As organizations continue to
move toward a service-oriented world, the real goal
—creating effective business processes that unite
disparate systems into a coherent whole
—comes within reach.
BizTalk Server 2006 R2 supports this goal. Like its predecessors, this fifth release in the BizTalk Server
line allows connecting diverse applications, then creating, executing, and monitoring process logic that
uses those applications. The objective is to help organizations create better automated business
processes.
line allows connecting diverse applications, then creating, executing, and monitoring process logic that
uses those applications. The objective is to help organizations create better automated business
processes.
The Challenge: Improving Business Processes
The great majority of modern business processes depend at least in part on software. This software
has commonly been created at different times using different technologies on different platforms. Given
this, automating those business processes requires connecting diverse systems.
has commonly been created at different times using different technologies on different platforms. Given
this, automating those business processes requires connecting diverse systems.
Doing this requires solving many different problems, none of them simple. An effective approach is to
use a central integration platform that’s capable of drawing together all of the systems used in a
business process. This technology must be able to do several things, such as the following:
use a central integration platform that’s capable of drawing together all of the systems used in a
business process. This technology must be able to do several things, such as the following:
Connect to diverse software using a range of different approaches. Web services can be the best
choice for some connections, simple file sharing might be better for others, while still others might
use message queuing or something else. Connecting with line-of-business (LOB) applications also
presents its own unique (and important) problems that must be solved.
choice for some connections, simple file sharing might be better for others, while still others might
use message queuing or something else. Connecting with line-of-business (LOB) applications also
presents its own unique (and important) problems that must be solved.
Support the execution of automated processes. Something must host the logic that drives an
integrated business process, and an integration platform is an obvious choice for this role. While
execution of the complete process is actually spread across the various systems involved, an
integration platform can implement the centralized logic that controls the process.
integrated business process, and an integration platform is an obvious choice for this role. While
execution of the complete process is actually spread across the various systems involved, an
integration platform can implement the centralized logic that controls the process.
Make connecting with applications in other organizations as easy as possible. This requires
supporting industry standards for cross-organization interactions, such as Electronic Data
Interchange (EDI), providing services that help connect to trading partners, and more.
supporting industry standards for cross-organization interactions, such as Electronic Data
Interchange (EDI), providing services that help connect to trading partners, and more.
Allow real-time monitoring of business processes. Along with providing a home for hosting the logic
that coordinates a process, an integration platform can also provide a central place for monitoring
the state of that process. This kind of business activity monitoring allows information workers
that coordinates a process, an integration platform can also provide a central place for monitoring
the state of that process. This kind of business activity monitoring allows information workers
—the
people who are ultimately most concerned with this process
—to keep track of exactly what’s going
on.
The goal of BizTalk Server 2006 R2 is to help organizations improve their business processes by
solving these and other problems. The next section takes a big-picture look at how it does this.
solving these and other problems. The next section takes a big-picture look at how it does this.
Addressing the Challenge: What BizTalk Server 2006 R2 Provides
It’s useful to divide the problem of creating better automated business processes into three broad
areas:
areas: