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We have launched the BizTalk Server 2016 Developer image on MSDN. You can download this by going into our MSDN subscriber download site.

BizTalk Server 2016 Developer is a free licensed product that can be used in testing. It does not require an MSDN subscription, however only MSDN Subscribers will be able to access and download the file.

We would like to emphasize the changes made to BizTalk Server 2016

Feature Description
Support for newer platforms BizTalk Server 2016 adds support for the following Microsoft platforms:- Visual Studio 2015
– Windows Server 2016
– SQL Server 2016
– Office 2016Hardware and Software Requirements for BizTalk Server 2016
SQL Server 2016 AlwaysOn Availability Groups Support includes:

– Using on-premises and in Microsoft Azure IaaS virtual machines
– Using for production workloads
– Provides a high available (HA) solution in Microsoft Azure

High Availability using SQL Server AlwaysOn

BizTalk Server Azure VMs in production BizTalk Server Azure virtual machines are now fully supported for production environments. Using SQL Server 2016 AlwaysOn, a highly available solution is now possible.

High Availability using SQL Server AlwaysOn

Logic App adapter Connect to your Logic Apps hosted in Azure, and get access to all the connectors including Salesforce, SharePoint, CRM Online, and more. For example, you can receive an order in BizTalk Server, connect to your Logic App, and update Salesforce.

Logic App adapter

FTP adapter SYST command is no longer required. When you configure the FTP adapter on a receive location or send port, there is a property called FTP Server Type. Using this property, you choose the FTP server you want; which determines if SYST is required.

As a result of this change, there are more “supported” FTP servers.

Configuring the FTP adapter

SFTP adapter SFTP adapter is re-engineered to use WinSCP to connect to SFTP; which allows support for more SFTP servers. Client-side logging and additional encryption ciphers are also new.

SFTP adapter

Allow import of tracking settings When importing a binding a file, you can choose to import (or not import) the tracking properties enabled on your orchestrations, send ports, and so on. This is a global setting (set at the Group level) so you can set this feature in your different environments. For example, you can import the existing tracking properties for your Development environments, and don’t import the tracking properties for your Production environments.

BizTalk Settings Dashboard, Group Page

Shared Access Signature (SAS) You can use SAS authentication for the Service Bus connection with the BasicHttpRelay, NetTcpRelay, BasicHttp, and WebHttp adapters.

WCF-BasicHttpRelay adapter
WCF-NetTcpRelay adapter
WCF-BasicHttp adapter
WCF-WebHTTP adapter

SB-Messaging adapter now includes the steps to get Access Control (ACS) values using PowerShell.

Ordered delivery on dynamic ports – Includes the adapters that support ordered delivery on static send ports
– You can enable the ordered delivery option in the BizTalk Administration console
SHA-2 hash functions SHA-2 is fully supported, including:

  • BizTalk can consume SHA2-signed certificates across all of its components
  • Supports the following Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) exchange system for signature keys in AS2, RosettaNet, and the MIME/SMIME encoder:
    • AES128
    • AES192
    • AES256
  • Supports the following SHA2-based MIC calculations for AS2:
    • SHA256
    • SHA384
    • SHA512
  • Supports the following SHA2-based digest methods in RosettaNet:
    • SHA256
    • SHA384
    • SHA512
  • SHA1 certificates will continue to work
Compile your maps Choose to compile your maps using XslTransform or XslCompiledTransform
Schema window In the BizTalk mapper, the Schema dialog window is now resizable
Office web components (OWC) Office web components (OWC) is now an optional installation component.
Adapters and Accelerators Improvements and changes include:

– SAP adapter now uses SAP Connector for .NET (NCo), while still supporting the classic RFC SDK. WCF-SAP adapter support for the SAP .NET Connector provides more details.
– BizTalk Accelerator for HL7: The MLLP adapter on a receive location now supports the option to initiate an outbound connection to a remote LOB listener.

Import/export parties Changes include:

– The import and export option is separated from the Application. For example, you can export a party without exporting the application. You can import a party without importing the application.
– Can choose which parties, business profiles, and agreements you want to import or export
– Can continue to import/export the business-to-business artifacts as you do in BizTalk Server 2013 R2, BizTalk Server 2013, and BizTalk Server 2010.

BizTalk Administration Some changes include:

– Configure the settings for multiple hosts/host instances simultaneously
– Filter artifacts in the BizTalk Administration console using a new search capability
– Save multiple suspended messages simultaneously to a file within Group Hub
– The BizTalk Administration console has a more modern look and feel

Deprecated & Removed List