As many of you probably know by now, Microsoft has announced the next release in the BizTalk Server Family. This release will be called BizTalk Server 2006 R3.

I for one am excited for this release, as I am about almost anything BizTalk related. I am not so excited about the new adapters and added features that will be available, but more by what this release represents.

Microsoft and the Connection Systems Division are actively working on Oslo (the next generation of model drive design i.e. cool stuff) so for them to announce a new BizTalk Release before the Oslo release really shows the level of dedication Microsoft has, not only to the product but to the customers currently using it worldwide.

I keep thinking back to 2005 to the days when Windows Workflow and Windows Communication Foundation were first announced and reading blog posts saying “BizTalk is Dead”. Here we are now three years later and BizTalk is even stronger than ever!

With the upcoming BizTalk R3 release and the not-so-distant Oslo Platform release, I can only imagine where BizTalk will be a few years from now.