Connected Systems Technologies

The landscape of Connected Systems and MS Technologies has been very dynamic during the past few years. BizTalk was the first MS technology that was truly a Connected System Technology, but the present landscape is dotted by several others. Although BizTalk retains its core place in Microsoft's Connected Systems Suite, other connected technologies are fast emerging and standing on their own.

In some cases, these connected systems and MS technologies are actually replacing BizTalk. One example is Windows Server AppFabric (code name Dublin). For application integration scenarios, it is preferred over BizTalk. Workflows exposed as Windows Communication Foundation (WCF), and hosted over Windows Server AppFabric, can replace BizTalk in pure Application Integration scenarios.

The WCF programming model makes creating distributive applications fairly quick. WCF provides the communications layer for BizTalk, and enables BizTalk to interface to different systems through WCF-based adapters. The recent introduction of Windows Server AppFabric has provided WCF with a powerful hosting environment. It provides features like persistence; memory management; re-submission; and monitoring - and provides a BizTalk-like experience to WCF developers. Moreover, WCF comes free with Windows OS!

SharePoint, another Connected System in the MS technology suite, is such a powerful tool for collaboration that it's difficult for people to see its role as an integration tool. It seamlessly integrates with BizTalk using out-of-box adapters, and can be used in conjunction with InfoPath forms as a way to provide a human face to BizTalk and the integration process. BizTalk can be used to pick up and post files to SharePoint, thus enabling the connecting of systems and people.

Cloud computing is blazing the cover pages of technical magazines and is the "flavor of the month" of the present time. It is slowly catching momentum among companies that are looking for consolidating and optimizing their infrastructure assets. Consolidation is happening among players in both the public and private sectors. With relative ease, an "on premise" application can be easily converted into a cloud application.

Connecting BizTalk to the Cloud instantly creates an ISB (Internet Service Bus). This has a much bigger impact than using BizTalk primarily as an ESB (Enterprise Service Bus). For some organizations, ESB is powerful enough to achieve integration goals and BizTalk comes with an ESB kit that helps achieve these goals. However, for other organizations that want to consolidate their supply chain partners, integration with the Cloud may be a more appropriate and robust solution.

As you can see, all these different MS technologies and connected systems have their own strengths and purposes. In some cases, desired functionality can be achieved by using any one of these different technologies. Nevertheless, a case can usually be made for one particular technology over another - one that will be better suited to solve a particular problem and deliver a specific solution. Alternatively, in some cases, there may be a combination of different technologies that are brought to bear on a given situation.

While this cornucopia of MS technologies and connected systems can get very confusing to novices, end-users, and experts alike, this is where the EDI Specialists' team adds value. Our experts help clients see clearly through the often-murky MS technology landscape by providing them with information and options to make good business decisions.