BizTalk Adapter Pack 2010: Calling a View in SQL Azure

I have posted a new sample on Code Gallery: BizTalk Server 2010 Adapter Pack: Call SQL Azure View.This is one of samples I have used in my talks on BizTalk Adapter Pack 2010 Integration (A Lap Around BizTalk Adapter Pack 2010) I held in Stockholm for Swedish BizTalk User Group and in Nieuwegein for BizTalk User Group The Netherlands. Hopefully you experiment with it yourself. If you want to work with SQL Azure and want to create a database, see How to Create a SQL Azure Database wiki on TechNet.

Cheers.

General: Can Too Swimming to Cure Cancer-Me!

Well folks it’s week 5 of a 12 week program where the great Can Too swim coaches train
you and put you through a challenge.

I signed up for a ’2.5km’ ocean swim – Palm beach to whale beach. Which for me is
well off my map and out of my comfort zone
– so it’s a challenge for me mentally
and physically, but really only a small price to pay for the challenges that cancer
sufferers.

My endeavor is raise money for cancer research – you have the chance to make a tax
deductible donation through my page – http://cantoosydneyswimprogram.gofundraise.com.au/page/Mick_Badran

(my target is $1250 in total)

My pledge is that I will swim 4 times a week, rain hail or shine (just so I don’t
drown in this swim) – feel free to come and join me if you’re in the area. Early week
– at Wileys Baths (near Coogee), later in the week Clovelly laps.

So what can I offer you as incentive – as an MVP each year I get a MSDN Subscription
“Microsoft Visual Studio Ultimate with MSDN”
(many thanks Microsoft).
Check out the versions – http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/subscriptionschart.aspx

To whomever donates the most I will give you this! I’d
also really like to put this subscription to good use.

You maybe starting out, starting up, or whatever – you will have all
MS Products at your development disposal.

I challenge you for cancer research, good luck and Merry Christmas!!!

Important: You can contact me on twitter on – @mickba

Blog Post by: Mick Badran

SWAG & SWENUG Security in the Cloud & Julfest

Sweden Windows Azure Group (SWAG) and Sweden .NET User Group (SweNUG) will be hosting a “Security in the Cloud” and Christmas event this Thursday. Sergio Molaro and Robert Folkesson will be presenting on different aspects of cloud security, there will be good food, good drinks and prizes in a great location. If you are in Stockholm it’s free to register to attend

here

.

Build your Android project in one step with Maven

Requirements
I will assume the following has been installed and configured.

Android SDK (r07 or later)
Maven 3 (version 3.0.3)

Set environment variable ANDROID_HOME to point to the root directory of the Android SDK.
Add ANDROID_HOME/tools to your PATH environment variable.

An Android project to build

Introduction
Building an Android project consists of 3 steps. The code is compiled to create an executable […]
Blog Post by: Cris Kim

Recordings from Enfo Integration Days are available

Every year my employer hosts a two day event all related to integration or service orientation. Around 450 people attended this year, which I assumes makes it the biggest event of the year in the integration space, with more then 25 sessions on four different tracks. All Microsoft related session were recorded and are now available.

  • Microsoft BizTalk Server and Microsoft’s Middleware vision (Marcus Gullberg, Microsoft) -SWEDISH
  • Microsoft BizTalk Server & Windows Azure AppFabric (Mikael H%u00e5kansson, Enfo Zystems) -SWEDISH
  • Windows Azure AppFabric Platform futures (Johan Hedberg, Enfo Zystems) -SWEDISH
  • BaseLine for BizTalk Hands On (Martin Rydman & Mikael H%u00e5kansson, Enfo Zystems ) -SWEDISH
  • Using AppFabric Cache to Maximize the Performance of Your Windows Azure and On Premises WCF Applications (Paolo Salvatori, Microsoft) -ENGLISH
  • How to integrate BizTalk Server with Windows Azure Service Bus Messaging. (Paolo Salvatori, Microsoft) -ENGLISH

Enjoy, an we hope you join us next year.

 

Blog Post by: wmmihaa

BizTalk 2010 Certification Exam

I took a shot at new (to me) certification exam for BizTalk 2010. I was able to pass it without any preparation just based on the experience. That does not mean this exam is a very simple one. Comparing to previous (2006 R2) it covers some new areas (like WCF) and has some demanding questions and situation to think about. But the most challenging factor is broad feature coverage. Overall, the impression that if BizTalk continues to grow in scope it’s better to create separate exams for core functionality and extended features (like EDI, RFID, LOB adapters) because it’s really hard to cover vast array of BizTalk capabilities.

As far as required knowledge and questions allocation I think Microsoft description is on target. There were definitely more questions on deployment, configuration and administration aspects comparing to previous exam. WCF and WCF based adapters now play big role and this topic was covered well too. Extended functionality is claimed at 13% of the exam, I felt there were plenty of RFID questions but not many EDI, that’s why I thought it’d be useful to split exam into two to cover all of them equally. BRE is still there and good, cause it’s usually not very known/loved feature of the package.

At the and, for those who plan to get certified, my advice would be to know all those areas of BizTalk for guaranteed passing: messaging and orchestrations, core adapters, routing, patterns; development of all artifacts and orchestrations; debugging and exceptions handling; packaging, deployment, tracking and administration; WCF bindings and adapters; BAM, BRE, RFID, EDI, etc. You may get by not knowing one smaller non-essential part (like I did with RFID, for example). In such case you better know all other areas very well to cover for the weak spot. If there more than one whiteouts in the knowledge it’s good idea to study and prepare: MSDN, blogs, virtual labs and good VM to play with can help when experience is not enough. So best wishes and good skill to you in passing this certification!