We've defined application integration and the need for it in
electronic commerce. Common problems of interoperability between
technologies and data exchange formats are common to most
implementations of application integration. BizTalk, both the
Framework and the BizTalk Server product, are a formal attempt to
provide programmers with robust tools with which to overcome these
problems. More than that, BizTalk attempts to provide a common
approach that will enable potential business-to-business partners to
rapidly integrate their commerce system applications effectively. In
this chapter we've explored the following:
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The role of open standards for information interchange in application
integration
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The scope of Microsoft BizTalk Server, its tools, and its
features
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The common interprocess and internetworking protocols BizTalk Server
uses to accomplish application integration
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The relationship between BizTalk Server and the BizTalk Framework
In the chapters to come, we will explore each of the tools
provided by BizTalk Server in depth. Once you have an understanding
of how to use each tool, we will use them to perform some integration
tasks. In addition to understanding how to use the individual parts
of BizTalk Server, you will see how to effectively build support for
BizTalk Server and BizTalk Framework into your applications.
The first step in building a complete, integrated system using
BizTalk Server is to design the business process using Orchestration
Designer. This becomes the framework for BizTalk messaging and
dictates the capabilities and constraints of your system. In the next
chapter, we'll discuss this process and introduce you to the sample
Site Managers application. Over the course of the next few
chapters, you'll learn how to use BizTalk Server by building and
configuring this sample application.
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