BizTalk Server 2010

Summary

All versions of BizTalk Server use a publish/subscribe messaging engine architecture. In a publish/subscribe architecture, all messages that flow through BizTalk Server are first published to the MessageBox database and subsequently picked up by Send Ports, Receive Ports, or Orchestrations that are decorated with matching subscription information. One of the primary advantages of a publish/subscribe architecture is that receiving of messages is loosely coupled from sending of messages and messages can be published even if there are no subscribers available to process messages when they are published. Other advantages include the ability to track message properties, messages bodies, and to resubmit messages that initially failed delivery to subscribers.

Figure 1 - BizTalk Server Publish Subscribe architecture

Table of Contents

One potential drawback of the BizTalk Server Publish/Subscribe architecture is that because all messages flow through the MessageBox database, under high load scenarios the MessageBox database(s) may encounter file I/O contention which can negatively impact performance.  While this is not problematic for most BizTalk Server scenarios, this may become an issue for BizTalk Server scenarios where low latency is a desirable attribute of the solution.

This document provides .NET/WorkFlow developers with techniques for utilizing AppFabric and BizTalk Server 2010 together to develop low latency connectivity solutions to LOB systems.  Such solutions allow front end applications built on ASP.NET, SharePoint, or Web Services to exchange messages with multiple backend systems and respond to user initiated requests quickly.

Introduction

This whitepaper provides information on using BizTalk Server and WF/WCF together by illustrating to BizTalk and Workflow developers how to combine functionality from both in a Visual Studio 2010 project.  The project is a simple workflow that leverages the BizTalk Server Mapper and LOB Adapter functionality. 

Because this project does not use the BizTalk Messaging Engine it will provide improved latency over a pure BizTalk Server solution while still utilizing BizTalk Server functionality.

Since Visual Studio 2010 can access the BizTalk Mapping and WCF LOB connectivity APIs, this whitepaper also illustrates how WorkFlow developers can now access BizTalk Mapper functionality to implement document transformations and complete WCF LOB connectivity without having to first configure a BizTalk Server environment.

Who Should Read This Whitepaper?

The following users should read this guide:

Who Should Read This Whitepaper?

The following users should read this guide: