REDMOND, Wash. — Microsoft has launched its BizTalk Server 2006 R2, Microsoft Corp.'s core service-oriented architecture (SOA) and business process management (BPM) technology. This product includes advancements for radio frequency identification (RFID) and electronic data interchange (EDI), and extended interoperability such as Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) Guidance and Line of Business Adapters. Together, these capabilities make it easier for companies to connect systems within their own organizations and across those of trading partners.

The availability of BizTalk Server 2006 R2 underscores Microsoft’s long-term commitment to deliver extensive SOA and BPM capabilities as part of the overall Microsoft application platform. The platform spans products and technologies to develop, deploy and manage applications and IT infrastructure across the organization locally and worldwide.

“For customers to successfully extend their core business processes to reach across applications, partners and platforms, they need a way to connect their existing systems regardless of vendor, age, platform, protocol and geography,” said Steven Martin, director of the Connected Systems Product Management at Microsoft. “With BizTalk Server 2006 R2 customers choose how they want to connect applications, platforms and people — we provide them with the tools to do it.”

Extending Business Process “to the Edge”

Increasingly, companies need to extend business processes out to the edge — such as to branch locations, business partners and vertical supply chains. With innovations such as RFID, native support for EDI and Applicability Statement 2 (AS2), and integrated support for vertical industry standards such as SWIFT, HL7, HIPAA and RosettaNet, BizTalk Server 2006 R2 delivers an integrated platform for supply-chain connectivity and process collaboration. BizTalk Server 2006 R2 is also available in a new Branch Edition version that enables connecting intraorganization hub-and-spoke supply-chain processes.

“Microsoft has unveiled a road map that demonstrates a renewed commitment to BPM, starting with additional supply chain features in BizTalk Server 2006 R2. The delivery of the promised functionality will go a long way in helping the vendor to provide its customers with real-world process improvement capabilities,” wrote Ken Vollmer and Colin Teubner of Forrester Research Inc. (July 2006, “Microsoft Announces BPM Enhancements For BizTalk Server 2006”).

Facilitating Real-World SOA for Real-World Business

Today’s enterprises require technologies that are flexible, scalable and interoperable to adapt to unique and constantly evolving business environments. BizTalk Server 2006 R2 enables customers to realize the benefits of BPM and SOA, ultimately bringing people and processes together to achieve business goals. To help customers extend their SOA capabilities, Microsoft also released ESB Guidance, which provides customers with architectural guidance, patterns and practices. These new offerings, along with 19 partner offerings, help ensure that customers will have the flexibility, scalability and interoperability they require. Microsoft also released BizTalk Server Adapter Pack Beta 2 for testing today, to help customers integrate their line of business applications. The adapters work with BizTalk Server 2006 R2, SQL Server 2005 and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, and are scheduled to be available in the first half of 2008. Additional information on Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006 R2 and related technologies can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/biztalk/default.mspx.