BizTalk Composite Applications
http://labs.biztalk.net/
Here is the lauchpad for the next wave of BizTalk Services.
BizUnitExtensions – Important Upcoming changes
Just to inform users of BizUnitExtensions, that Kevin Smith (creator of BizUnit) and I have been having some extensive discussions on the BizUnit codeplex site (here and here) on how these two projects will continue to work together going forward since BizUnit is now active once again and Kevin has lots of plans for it and a new release with lots of good stuff is imminent.
Once the new release of BizUnit comes out the Extensions project will no longer release the core as part of the distribution but will continue to release test step libraries as it is doing now (perhaps with some structural or namespace changes), so we will have our own release schedule. I’m hoping that the changes we made to the core to allow some of the extensions to work will be retained by Kevin and that other changes we are proposing such as making all the properties publicly accessible to support tooling plans will also be acceptable.
If you would like to influence these decisions please do weigh in on the discussions at the BizUnit site. I have had some good feedback about the extensions roadmap but do continue to send us messages on what would be the most useful features.
BizUnitExtensions – Important Upcoming changes
Just to inform users of BizUnitExtensions, that Kevin Smith (creator of BizUnit) and I have been having some extensive discussions on the BizUnit codeplex site (here and here) on how these two projects will continue to work together going forward since BizUnit is now active once again and Kevin has lots of plans for it and a new release with lots of good stuff is imminent.
Once the new release of BizUnit comes out the Extensions project will no longer release the core as part of the distribution but will continue to release test step libraries as it is doing now (perhaps with some structural or namespace changes), so we will have our own release schedule. I’m hoping that the changes we made to the core to allow some of the extensions to work will be retained by Kevin and that other changes we are proposing such as making all the properties publicly accessible to support tooling plans will also be acceptable.
If you would like to influence these decisions please do weigh in on the discussions at the BizUnit site. I have had some good feedback about the extensions roadmap but do continue to send us messages on what would be the most useful features.
Update: I’ve now put up all the items on the roadmap as work items so why not hop over to codeplex and click on the VOTE links against each work item and let me know what your favorite proposed features are?
BizTalk Services. How does Identity Service and Connectivity service fit together.
From my understanding of BizTalk Services (Identity, Connectivity, ServiceBus, and Workflow) so far, the word BizTalk doesn’t really mean much(at least at the moment, with currently live Identity and Connectivity (aka Relay) services). May be it will make sense once ServiceBus is live. There is nothing offensive here.It makes sense more on Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) front rather than BizTalk.
What is Identity Service?
Identity service is a way of authenticating end users and connected systems. Much similar (but not the same) to Microsoft’s effort of introducing Microsoft Passport few years back, as one stop shop for your authentication needs. Identity services (previously called Secure Token Services – STS) uses Windows Cardspace technology to authenticate clients (both users and connected systems) using claims based access control. To use any other services like Connectivity, the authentication needs to be performed via Identity Service. So, it’s mandatory to create an Identity Service account (Create New Account). On client side IE 7.0 is required.
What is Connectivity Service?
Connectivity Service is also called as Relay Service, which provides two main functionality:
1. Ability to create a listening endpoint (WCF endpoint) at the relay service, and
2. Ability to Send and Receive messages to and from that endpoint.
Listening endpoint is created by, configuring an application to listen on a public address (ex: net.relay://connect.biztalk.net/services/SARAVANA_W2003/HelloWorld/). If that address is available and the user is authorized, the relay service will start listening on that address on behalf of the application. The following config code snippet shows, how you’ll create a listening endpoint on a relay service from your WCF service application.
<service name=”Saravana.DigitalDeposit.HelloWorld”>
<endpoint name=”RelayEndpoint“
contract=”Saravana.DigitalDeposit.HelloWorldContract”
binding=”relayBinding”
bindingConfiguration=”default”
address=”net.relay://connect.biztalk.net/services/SARAVANA_W2003/HelloWorld/” />
</service>
Microsoft has build some specific WCF bindings called Relay Bindings, to make integration seamless with Relay Service.
How Identity Service and Connectivity service fit together:
The following figure shows the high level overview of how both the services (Identity and Connectivity) work together.
Server Authentication and establishing a Listening endpoint:
Step #1: An application behind a firewall (Example: HelloWorld Service) requests a security token for the Relay Service from the Identity Service.
Step #2: Identity Service responds with the appropriate token (assuming that “HelloWorld Service” could successfully authenticate to the service).
Step #3: “HelloWorld Service” initiates a connection to the Relay Service and asks to listen on a particular address (Ex: net.relay://connect.biztalk.net/services/SARAVANA_W2003/HelloWorld/). If the address is available and “HelloWorld Service” is authorized, a listening endpoint is created.
Client Authentication:
Step #4: The Client application requests a security token for the Relay Service from the Identity Service.
Step #5: Identity Service responds with the appropriate token (assuming the Client could successfully authenticate).
Sending and Receiving Messages:
Step #6: The Client formulates the application message and sends it to “HelloWorld Service” address on the Relay Service (Ex: net.relay://connect.biztalk.net/services/SARAVANA_W2003/HelloWorld/). The Client includes the security token it received in Step #5.
Step #7: The Relay Service forwards the application message down the open TCP connection to “HelloWorld Service”.
Step #8: “HelloWorld Service” creates an application response and sends it back to the Relay Service.
Step #9: The Relay Service completes the outstanding HTTP request with an HTTP response containing the application response message.
Hope this gives a basic understanding of Identity and Connectivity services. The documentation at the moment is very thin, I’ll recommend downloading the SDK, which got some good sample to start with.
Nandri!
Saravana
BizTalk-Based Internet Service Bus
Lots of stuff today about BizTalk Services, the new offering from Microsoft that exposes an “Internet Service Bus” built upon BizTalk. Good summaries by Mick and Chris. There’s also a very nice article in eWeek
(not the one linked to from the Labs site) entitled Microsoft’s BizTalk Services Simplify SOA that talks about the […]
“Uncaught exception” when SQL Adapter Processes Multipart Messages
I’ve just finished working for a client who needed to insert multiple records into a SQL Server database from an Orchestration. This isn’t anything particularly hard using the SQL adapter, but after a review of the requirements it became apparent that further processing needed to be done after each insert. We therefore decided to move […]
Less We Forget
It is ANZAC day here in New Zealand so I thought it appropriate to share a photo that I took of the New Zealand War Memorial in Hyde Park London during our recent family holiday.
Somewhat ironically flickr has added the word “dead” to the random unique url that they have assigned for this photo on their web farm (http://farm1.static.flickr.com/185/468010973_1043deadb6_o.jpg)…
BizTalk Services ctp is now Public
Possibly the most interesting new thing in the BizTalk space talked about in the Mvp Summit, and up until now confidential, is BizTalk Services, Microsoft’s Internet Service Bus. This is still in CTP space, and available here. This will be in the future of BizTalk, so if you work in the integration, BPM or SAAS space, this a site to visit regularly.
At the moment you have some links to info already published on BizTalk Services, the download of the SDK, and information about 4 technologies: BizTalk Identity Services, BizTalk Connectivity Services, BizTalk ServiceBus Services and BizTalk Workflow Services. Not much is available yet, but I expect the following months will bring more information and downloads in this space.
BizTalk Services
Last August I was invited, with a few other Architects, to a .NET 3.5 Design Review hosted by the Connected Systems Division. That was the first time I saw the prototype of some “services” that the Connected Systems Division is working as…(read more)
Professional BizTalk Server 2006: Shipping!
I’ve just had an update from Wiley and the book arrived into their warehouse last Friday (20th April) and it started physically shipping to stores yesterday (Monday 23rd April) so if you’ve pre-ordered expect it to arrive real soon! I hope you enjoy it!
Woo Hoo!!