Microsoft Biztalk Server

Executive summary:

Microsoft’s BizTalk Server has been facilitating inter-organizational communication since 2000, with its latest release in February 2020. This enterprise integration platform bridges gaps between disparate systems, enabling information sharing, data mapping, and legacy application integration.

At its core, BizTalk employs a “publish and subscribe” architecture, comprising publishers, subscribers, and events. The platform utilizes adapters for seamless message exchange, making it invaluable for businesses managing complex communication processes.

As a business process management tool, BizTalk excels in process segmentation and internal communication coordination. It serves as a process manager, breaking down complex business operations into manageable stages and optimizing overall workflow.

By implementing BizTalk, organizations can integrate internal processes, enhance team communication, and strengthen partnerships. This comprehensive solution offers businesses the opportunity to elevate their connectivity and efficiency. Are you ready to transform your business communication?

 

What is a BizTalk server?

BizTalk is Microsoft’s inter-organizational middleware system, which allows systems to communicate. It is used to share information or events, efficiently mapping out the input and output of data and connecting the company’s existing applications. It was initially released in 2000 and saw its latest release in February 2020.

In the era of automation, the BizTalk server is the next step towards fully connected business ecosystems, where data flows freely between different systems to seamlessly integrate business processes within the organization.  In short, the BizTalk server acts as a middleware, which streamlines communication between systems, applications, and businesses, to maximize the productivity of business processes in the company.

How does the BizTalk Server work in practice?

It is built on the “publish and subscribe” architectural design pattern, which consists of three main components – publishers, subscribers, and events – and uses adapters to receive and send messages between systems. The use of adapters makes BizTalk highly flexible since it allows for communication through SOAP, SQL Server, and MSMQ, among others. 

BizTalk Server implements any business processes through orchestration. Orchestrations mostly work with XML documents, and they turn your visual drawings of processes, or designed flow and interpreted data, into easily executable business processes.

What is BizTalk used for within a company?

The New 2020 BizTalk server allows for operational data monitoring and analytics to maximize the efficiency of  Azure, Microsoft’s cloud computing platform, easy API management, full adaptation with Office 365, ensured compliance with FIPS security policy, and advanced scheduling in adapters, which enables smooth communication between systems.

In general, companies often use BizTalk for process automation, for example, integrating ordering processes to save time and improve efficiency. In the 21st century, data is the new oil, so it has to be effectively and quickly managed to generate profits for the company.

There are two main scenarios for two explanatory applications of  BizTalk.

It can be used either as a service-oriented solution or a business process management solution. As a service-oriented solution focuses on maximizing the efficiency of services, it is loosely coupled, which means its components do not rely on each other directly, and thus, the failure of one element does not create a domino effect.

How is it used in practice?

Credit bank reporting services often use service-oriented solutions to quickly and securely respond to customer requests, using data from different systems, for example, combining legacy applications with modern web services.

When BizTalk is used as a business process management solution, it serves as a process manager, which breaks the entire business process into numerous stages and coordinates internal communication. In some companies, the solution helps to manage and streamline the flow of orders, for example, batching order processing and processing long-running orders. BizTalk is such a versatile tool that it can be used for multiple purposes within any company.

All things considered, BizTalk is one of the most known inter-organizational middleware systems on the market, and it can be used to seamlessly integrate business processes within the company to improve communication, boost productivity, and connect better with business partners.

Considering the implementation of Microsoft Biztalk Server in your project? Are you in need of professional guidance for BizTalk Integration or expert BizTalk consulting?

Contact Multishoring to get the best of its capabilities!