A handy table that lists the versions as well - I've always needed something like this when doing proposals

BizTalk Adapter V2.0/WCF LOB Adapter SDK Poster is available
Another of those things to stick up around the office... :)

Download From HERE

Certification for BizTalk Server 2006 R2 is available, at http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/Exams/70-241.aspx. 
Apparently it came out last October.....anyone done it? let's go there!

I'll post back shortly and let you know how I went.... :)

Exam details...

Overview

This exam is intended for candidates developing business solutions using Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006 R2.

Audience Profile

A candidate for this exam will have experience developing, deploying, and testing Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006 solutions across multiple real-world projects.  The candidate should have a solid understanding of fundamental BizTalk concepts and familiarity with extended R2 capabilities.
The candidate should also have experience using the Microsoft .NET Framework, XML, Microsoft Visual Studio, Microsoft SQL Server, Web Services, and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) while developing BizTalk integration solutions.

When you pass Exam 70-241: TS: Developing Business Process and Integration Solutions by Using Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006 R2, you complete the requirements for the following certification(s):MCTS: BizTalk Server 2006 R2
Exam 70-241: TS: Developing Business Process and Integration Solutions by Using Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006 R2: counts as credit toward the following certification(s):

Note This preparation guide is subject to change at any time without prior notice and at the sole discretion of Microsoft. Microsoft exams might include adaptive testing technology and simulation items. Microsoft does not identify the format in which exams are presented. Please use this preparation guide to prepare for the exam, regardless of its format.

Skills Being MeasuredThis exam measures your ability to accomplish the technical tasks listed below.The percentages indicate the relative weight of each major topic area on the exam.

Configuring a Messaging Architecture

• Set up and manage ports.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: add a map, ordered delivery, send ports, send port groups, starting vs. enlisting, receive ports, receive locations, subscriptions

• Plan for and implement secure messaging.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: certificates, signing, encryption, port authentication, encoding

• Configure core adapters.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: HTTP, SQL, POP3, SMTP, FTP, File

• Configure content-based routing.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: set a filter that uses a    promoted property

• Implement messaging patterns.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: normalizing/canonical messages, splitter, large messages

• Create schemas.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: create a flat-file schema, create a property schema, enveloping, promoted/distinguished properties, MessageType, schema re-use (import/include)

• Create maps.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: functoid scripting, XSLT, pass a parameter to a map, multiple schemas, looping

• Create pipelines.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: disassembling, create a custom pipeline, create a pipeline component, XML validation

• Develop orchestrations.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: work with transactions and persistence, integrate with Microsoft .NET assemblies, parameters, shapes

• Configure orchestration bindings.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: direct, dynamic, self correlating

• Configure correlation.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: listener shape, parallel shape, correlation sets

• Construct messages.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: multi-part, untyped, construct messages in .NET, construct messages in orchestrations, context properties

• Implement orchestration patterns.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: convoys, aggregator, splitter

• Handle exceptions in orchestrations.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: compensation, scope shapes, throw exceptions, long-running transactions

• Route errors.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: port configuration, recoverable interchange

• Debug orchestrations

• Validate and test artifacts.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: schemas, maps, pipelines

• Configure a WCF adapter.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: WS*, custom bindings

• Expose orchestrations by using publishing wizards.

• Consume services.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: Web port type, add a Web/Service reference, consuming from orchestrations or pure messaging

• Handle Web exceptions.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: delivery notifications, catching SOAP exceptions

Implementing Extended Capabilities

• Create and deploy Business Rules Engine (BRE) components.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: work with the Business Rules Composer, deploy Business Rules policies, call from an orchestration, develop vocabularies

• Develop EDI solutions.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: trading partner setup, batching, acknowledgments, importing schemas

• Configure AS2.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: party configurations, pipelines, ports, certificates

• Implement an RFID solution.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: handle events, configure RFID devices, manage and configure event sink endpoints

• Plan and implement Business Activity Monitoring (BAM).

  This objective may include but is not limited to: BAM alerts, tracking profile editor, BAM workbook, activities, views, deployment

• Install and configure a multi-server BizTalk environment.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: trusted vs. untrusted environments, Active Directory groups

• Deploy BizTalk applications.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: MSI deployment, versioning, resources, multiple staging environments such as development, test, and production

• Partition a BizTalk solution.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: hosts, host instances, handlers, groups, multiple message boxes

• Export and import binding files

• Configure tracking.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: orchestrations, schemas, ports, pipelines, policies

• Manage BizTalk solutions by using the Administration Console.

  This objective may include but is not limited to: query for instances, terminate, resume

• Audit BizTalk solutions by using Health and Activity Tracking (HAT).

  This objective may include but is not limited to: querying, saving messages, creating custom fields, policy execution

Our Australian Govt. has been busy over Christmas by finally legalising RFID UHF Reader Frequencies and Power Output!

Previously the 'work around' was to operate under a Scientific (Experimental) 'License' - these were controlled by GS1 - a global standards body.
(Things here are made a little more complicated as one of the Mobile Phone companies licensed a slice of the UHF Reader bandwidth - or maybe the mobile phone company got there first and readers came second....it's getting late.
So all reader configurations had to respect their range - around 926MHz)

Drilling in a bit further the stipulations were:

1. The Reader could not exceed 2W without paying more License $$ for the 2-4W Range. <1W didn't even blip on the RFID police's radar.

2. The Site/Venue needed a 'Site' License to operate these Readers (once again my experience was <1W no questions asked)

Well *finally* the Govt. passed a bill legalising the 4W UHF Readers.

Details can be found here - December 18th 2008.
 http://www.comlaw.gov.au/ComLaw/Legislation/LegislativeInstrument1.nsf/framelodgmentattachments/9C97DFB874C6B8E2CA25753E007B7955

As my good friend pointed out - Rahul Garg, the BizTalk 2009 documentation is available for public download.

Things such as:

• runtime engine
• mapping
• Orchestrations
• Adapter V1.0 Frameworks
• BizTalk Applications
• BizTalk Deployment of Applications

Have all generally (obvious fixes and improvements as needed) stayed the same.

Whereas, a quick summary of things I'd be looking for in the documentation:

• Incorporating BizTalk Project builds into automated tested suites (TFS etc) - Biztalk 2009 projects can now be built through MSBUILD as a regular project in the solution.
• Individual components such as Schemas and Maps can be formally unit tested (previously we wrote our own helper classes to make this stuff happen) - although, at the moment when testing a schema, I haven't been getting back details of the error...just a pass/fail.
• BizTalk Adapter Pack 2.0 (Sql, Oracle x 2, SAP, Siebel...) - based on WCF channel stack...very nice! (can be standalone if needed)
• WS Federated bindings
• and the list goes on.....

Download a Searchable BizTalk Help File - very handy to have when planning your upgrades or migrations.

How to look cool at work.... Stick this poster by your desk, people will walk past and say "Hmmmm......" - guaranteed to reduce the amount of questions you get each day
(Then you could start talking about the 'flux capacitor' and people will believe......)

The MS folks in Connected Systems Division (CSD) have done a superb job!!! Great comprehensive poster.

One thing to say about the poster - remember that the 'Tracking Host Instance' and the 'InProc Host Instance' are generally within the same Host Instance (it's good practice to separate these out)

Enjoy

Hi folks,

Just in case you want to be able to get an excel spreadsheet listing all the possible errors or so, for monitoring and managing your production BizTalk environment (great for rules and monitoring from MOM for e.g.).

I came across this - http://blog.paul.somers.com/blog/_archives/2007/4/27/2909713.html

Written by fellow BizTalk MVP - thanks Paul!

"There are only 10 types of people in the world: Those who understand binary, and those who don't."

Very funny!

“The product cannot be installed on this machine since it seems to be a domain controller”

What a start to 2009!!! – the above dreaded message when trying to (in this case) install BizTalk RFID on a DC.
For me – this happens quite a bit, as I’m building up a proof of concept, a demo, something to show and present with.

I always…always….forget to install BizTalk RFID bits before I promote to a DC (this technique can also cause security acct issues after the machine has been promoted to a DC – depends on how the authentication is setup etc)

NOTE: BTW – Installing BizTalk RFID on a DC is NOT SUPPORTED (had to put that one in their – keeps both sides happy)

For love or money I’ve bounced this question around for a while and come up empty, until…today!!! Niklas Engfelt a senior MS support engineer came to my rescue (he famously provided those thoughts from left field which were on the money! Big thank you Niklas)

He suggested grabbing Orca from the Platform SDK and having a browse through – I’d used HEX editors, disassembled files, attached process monitors during installs and looked through any config file with a fine tooth comb…but I’d never tried a MSI Editor.

The steps to Enlightenment: (changing the installer validation conditions)

1. Grab a download of Orca from here (I didn’t have the platform SDK currently installed and wasn’t about to install 1.2 GB worth either) and follow default install prompts.
2. If you haven’t done so already copy the RFID_x86 or RFID_x64 folders off the install media to a temp folder nearby (note: sometimes on Win2K8, the system prevents copied files from being accessed until an admin comes along and says ‘these are ok’ by going into File->Properties on each file. It’s weird I know, but I get it every now and then)
3. Locate the RFIDServices.msi under the RFID folder and you’re ready to go.
4. Launch Orca and open RFIDServices.msi to get something like:
5. 
   
6. Under the Tables Column select LaunchCondition and drop the 2nd Row as follows:
   
7. 
   
8. Drop the Row and Save the MSI file again.
   
9. Run Setup.exe as per normal.

Oh what a sweet day!

p.s. I’m sure you’d be able to employ this technique onto other MSI’s causing grief.

Mick

I recently came across a Gartner report talking about all things to do with 'App Integration with Back End Systems' (in a nutshell... the report goes into detail)

The end result of several pages within this report is a graph (we like graphs :) showing Microsoft as a leader with a high ability to execute.

The Microsoft Technologies that fell under the microscope here are:

1. BizTalk Server
2. Windows Communication Foundation
3. SQL Service Broker
4. SQL Integration Services
5. Team Foundation Suite
6. Oslo + Azure

The graph looks as follows (snipped from the report):

Get the whole report HERE