Introducing BizTalk Server

What is BizTalk?

BizTalk is a middleware integration platform developed by Microsoft. It was designed to connect & provide seamless connection between different applications and systems within an organization or across organizational boundaries for sharing data and information. BizTalk Server has made progress over the years to become a critical component for enterprises seeking robust solutions for business process automation, enterprise application integration (EAI), and electronic data interchange (EDI). By utilizing BizTalk Server, businesses can automate workflows, improve communication between systems, and ensure data consistency across various platforms.

Purpose of Biztalk:

• Integration & Automation: It’s widely used for Enterprise Application Integration and facilitates integration and automation of business processes across different systems and organizations to communicate and share data seamlessly. This helps in creating a cohesive IT environment where information flows smoothly between systems.
• Data Transformation: To convert data from one format to another to ensure compatibility between different systems.
• Business Process Management: To design, execute, monitor, and optimize business processes.
• Scalability & High Availability: To handle increasing amounts of data and transactions as businesses grow. It offers clustering & load-balancing capabilities to ensure high availability and tolerance.
• Interoperability: To ensure that different systems, including legacy and modern applications, can work together.
• Compliance: To support compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
• Error Handling and Recovery: To handle errors and exceptions in data processing and provide mechanisms for recovery.
• Cost Efficiency: To reduce costs associated with manual processes and disparate systems.
• Security: To ensure secure data transmission and access control.

History of BizTalk server:

1.  BizTalk server 2000 -Launched on 01/12/2020. Microsoft Released the first Version of BizTalk. Utilizes the below functionality.
   1. Editor-supported data formats include UN/EDIFACT and X12 Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), text delimited, positionally delimited flat files, and XML
   2.  BizTalk Mapper – Translate data from source format to destination format.
   3. Tracking data.
   4. Protocols supported – EDI, HTTP, HTTPS, MSMQ, SMTP, FTP
2. BizTalk server 2002 – The next version Launched on 04/02/2002. Not much change
3. BizTalk server 2004 – Launched on 02/03/2004. Added Human Workflow Services (HWS) and Business Activity Services.
   1. Application developed by using .Net framework 1.0
   2. Integrated VS 2003 support for editor and mapper
4. BizTalk server 2006 – Launched on 27/03/2006. Included Business Activity Monitor (BAM). Also, the Health and Activity Tracking component for tracking the server status was added.
   1. Net framework 2.0 support
   2. Integrated VS 2005 support
5. BizTalk server 2006 R2(Release 2)- Lunched on 02/10/2007.
   1. Rich UI administration was incorporated.
   2. .Net Framework 3.0 support
   3. New adapter added-WCF(Windows Communication Foundation), WF(Workflow Foundation)
6. BizTalk server 2009 – Launched on 27/04/2009. First version to work with Visual Studio 2008.
   1. Support RFID(Radio Frequency Identification) data which enables to get data from mobile devices.
   2. Separate RFID Server.
   3. Support BRE(Business Rule Engine) & BAM(Business Activity Monitoring).
7. BizTalk server 2010 – Launched on 01/10/2010. First version to work with Visual Studio 2010 and Microsoft .NET 4.0.
8. BizTalk server 2013 – Launched on 21/03/2013. First version to work with Visual Studio 2012 and Microsoft .NET 4.5.
9. BizTalk server 2013 R2 – Launched on23/06/2013. The first version to work with Visual Studio 2013 and Microsoft .NET 4.5.1.
10. BizTalk server 2016 – Lunched on 30/09/2016.
11. BizTalk server 2016 Feature pack 1- Lunched on 26/04/2017.
    1. Includes support for automatic deployment using VSTS, sending tracking data to Azure Application Insights and Power BI, advanced scheduling options on receive locations, Integration with API Management, connection to the management REST APIs & more.
12. BizTalk server 2016 Feature pack 2- Launched on 21/11/2017.
    1. Improvements include closer integration with API Management, an Azure Event Hubs adapter, backup to Azure blob storage account, support for Service Bus partitions, and more.
13. BizTalk server 2016 Feature pack 3-Launched on 26/06/2018.
    1. Includes Office 365 adapters to work with Email, Calendar, and Contacts.
14. BizTalk server 2020- Launched on 15/01/2020.
    1. The latest version of BizTalk server, it’s the first version to work with Visual Studio 2019 & Microsoft .NET 4.7 .

Here’s some background information about Biztalk:

BizTalk Server follows several architectural approaches, including EAI(Enterprise Application Integration), SOA(Service-Oriented Architecture), ESB(Enterprise Service Bus), B2B(Business-to-Business) integration, A2A(Application to Application) integration, BPM(Business Process Management), and cloud integration. By supporting these approaches, BizTalk provides a comprehensive platform for addressing a wide range of integration challenges, enabling businesses to connect, expose their business functionalities as a service, and automate, and manage their processes across different systems and environments.

BizTalk Components:

• BizTalk Server: A platform from Microsoft that helps organizations integrate different systems, applications, and data.
  Simpler Terms: Imagine it as a bridge that helps different computer programs, applications, and systems talk to each other.
• BizTalk Applications: Collections of resources, including orchestrations, schemas, maps, and pipelines that define how data flows and is processed.
  Simpler Terms: Think of them as toolkits that have everything needed to move and transform data between systems or organizations and across the organization.
• Orchestrations: Workflows that automate business processes, specifying the order of actions.
  Simpler Terms: It’s like a script that tells your system or process exactly what steps to follow when handling data & sharing the data to the end system.
• Schemas: XML-based definitions of the structure of data.
  Simpler Terms: Blueprints that describe how data is organized.
• Maps: Tools that transform data from one format to another.
  Simpler Terms: Translators that change data from one language to another so different systems can understand it.
• Pipelines: Sequence of components that process and transform messages as they are received or sent by BizTalk Server.
  Simpler Terms: Assembly lines where data gets checked, cleaned, and prepared for delivery.
• Adapters: Connectors that allow BizTalk to communicate with different systems and protocols.
  Simpler Terms: Plugs or ports that link BizTalk to other software or services.
• Ports: Endpoints for receiving and sending messages.
  Simpler Terms: Entry and exit doors for data.
• Messages: The actual data being processed and transferred.
  Simpler Terms: The letters or packages being delivered from one place to another.
• MessageBox Database: A central database that stores and manages all messages.
  Simpler Terms: The main post office where all letters (messages) are sorted and stored.
• Business Rules Engine: A component that allows for the definition and execution of business rules.
  Simpler Terms: A rulebook that makes decisions based on predefined criteria.
• Business Activity Monitoring (BAM): Tools for tracking and monitoring business processes in real time.
  Simpler Terms: A dashboard that shows how well the business processes are running.
• Tracking: The feature that logs and keeps track of message and process histories.
  Simpler Terms: A journal that records every action taken on data.
• Group Hub(BizTalk Console): A central interface for managing and monitoring BizTalk applications.
  Simpler Terms: The control room where you oversee all BizTalk activities.
• Enterprise Single Sign-On (SSO): A system that provides a single login for multiple applications.
  Simpler Terms: A master key that lets you access several locked rooms with one key.
• Deployment: The process of installing and configuring BizTalk applications.
  Simpler Terms: Setting up and launching your BizTalk toolkit to start working.
• Management Tools: Software and interfaces for configuring, monitoring, and managing BizTalk Server.
  Simpler Terms: The toolbox and control panel for running and maintaining BizTalk.
• BizTalk Health and Monitoring tool (BHM): A tool to view the status and history of messages and processes.
  Simpler Terms: A health monitor that checks and reports on how the data processes are doing.

Industry Uses:

• • Wide Adoption Across Industries.
    – Financial Services: Used for integrating diverse financial systems, ensuring secure and compliant data exchanges, and automating financial transactions.
    – Healthcare: Supports standards like HL7 for health data integration, enabling seamless communication between healthcare providers, insurers, and regulatory bodies.
    – Retail: Facilitates supply chain management, integrates point-of-sale systems with back-end ERP systems, and supports EDI transactions.
    – Manufacturing: Integrates production systems, automate supply chain processes, and supports data exchange between manufacturing execution systems (MES) and ERP systems.
    – Government: Used for integrating various government systems, ensuring secure and efficient data exchanges, and automating administrative processes.
  • Compliance with Industry Standards.
    – EDI (Electronic Data Interchange): Supports various EDI standards for electronic business transactions.
    – HL7 (Health Level Seven): Facilitates healthcare data integration, supporting interoperability between healthcare systems.
    – SWIFT: Used in the financial industry for secure and standardized financial messaging.
    – AS2 (Applicability Statement 2): Ensures secure and reliable internet-based data exchange.
  • Robust Ecosystem and Partner Support.
    – Microsoft Partner Network: A large network of certified partners and consultants who provide implementation, customization, and support services.
    – Third-Party Extensions: Various third-party tools and extensions are available to enhance BizTalk’s capabilities, including adapters for specific industry applications.
  • Support for Modern Technologies.
    – Cloud Integration: Seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Azure for hybrid cloud scenarios, enabling businesses to leverage cloud services while maintaining on-premises systems.
    – API Management: Supports modern API management, allowing businesses to expose and manage APIs securely.
  •  Integration with Other Microsoft Products.
    – Azure Logic Apps: BizTalk seamlessly integrates with Azure Logic Apps, providing a powerful combination for cloud-based workflows and integration.
    – Power BI: Can be used to visualize and analyze data processed by BizTalk, enhancing business intelligence capabilities.
    – Dynamics 365: Easily integrates with Microsoft Dynamics 365 for CRM and ERP solutions.