What is BizTalk Server?

BizTalk Server is Microsoft Server product for integration and connectivity with multitude of systems, applications and services. BizTalk Server 2010 is the seventh major release of this enterprise ready product that can aid organizations tremendously in connecting disparate systems inside and outside organization. It provides numerous adapters and has a robust, durable, and scalable messaging infrastructure. In addition to integration capabilities, BizTalk also provides strong durable messaging, a rules engine, EDI connectivity, Business Activity Monitoring (BAM), Windows Azure connectivity, RFID capabilities and IBM Host/Mainframe connectivity (through it Host Integration Server product that is included with BizTalk Server license, see also FAQ).

Why is BizTalk Server?

Microsoft BizTalk Server 2010 can help organizations meet the challenges of integrating diverse systems.  Most organizations have a multitude of systems and technologies that are required for their daily operations. By bringing together these technologies in agile and scalable way, BizTalk can help unleash the potential of your existing infrastructure, if it is predominantly Microsoft (i.e. Operating Systems, SQL Server).  BizTalk Server 2010 enables organizations to:

• Simplify and automate interoperability to reduce costs and errors
• Gain critical insights on business processes and performance
• Shield processes from change impacts
• Promote agility and manageability
• Integrate, eliminating redundancy
• Automate business interactions with partners

Top new features

Updated Platform Support

• Support for Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4
• Support for Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7
• Support for SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 R2
• Hyper-V support

Easier integration of Enterprise Applications

• Easy to use BizTalk Data Map and Line-of-Business Connectivity Workflow Foundation (WF) Activities for .NET developers
• Seamless ability to leverage BizTalk capabilities from SharePoint 2010 Business Connectivity Service to Line-of-Business systems
• New intuitive & intelligent Data Map and Transformation tools
• Improved Visual Studio project and wizard driven tools to build integration solutions with IBM Mainframe and Midrange Systems
• Built-in components for rapid development of RFID solutions

Easier integration of Enterprise Applications

• Single, comprehensive parameter settings dashboard for efficient performance tuning and streamlining deployments across environments
• New System Center Management Pack to provide enhanced visual monitoring and diagnostics
• Streamlined setup and live update
• Support for SQL Server backup compression
• Support for transparent data encryption

Enhanced Enterprise Interoperability

• Efficient B2B integration with scalable Trading Partner Management and advanced capabilities for complex data mapping
• Secure FTP with new FTPS Adapter and an improved FTP Adapter
• Adapter support for the latest application versions: SAP7, Oracle eBS 12.1, J.D. Edwards 9.0, SQL Server 2008 R2, SharePoint 2010
• Updated industry protocol adapters
• Enhancements to the IBM Hosts Systems adapters

BizTalk Blog and Wiki Pages

• BizTalk + WF/WCF, Better Together
• Installing the BizTalk Server 2010 AppFabric Connect feature
• Work with BizTalk AppFabric Connect
• BizTalk Server Adapter Pack 2010
• BizTalk Databases: Survival Guide
• BizTalk Server Beginner Guide
• BizTalk Server integration with SharePoint Server using WSS Adapter
• Exposing LOB Services on the Cloud Using AppFabric Connect for Services
• Exposing BizTalk Applications on the Cloud using AppFabric Connect for Services
• WCF-SQL Adapter Stored Procedure : SQL Azure
• BizTalk Mapper Feature
• BizTalk Settings Dashboard
• Querying and Creating Records in Dynamics CRM 2011 from BizTalk Server 2010
• BizTalk Server BackUp Compression
• BizTalk Server Tools
• BizTalk Server Documentation Guide

See Also

Another important place to find a huge amount of BizTalk related articles is the TechNet Wiki itself. The best entry point is BizTalk Server Resources on the TechNet Wiki.

Read suggested related topics:

• Wiki: List of Products and Related Topics
• BizTalk Server 2010 Beginners Guide
• BizTalk Server 2010