BizTalk Server 2016 now available

Author: Ritesh Mehta

Now, the BizTalk Server 2016 is available on the MSDN Subscriber download website. Microsoft has released the BizTalk Server 2016, its latest enterprise integration server that succeeds BizTalk Server 2013.

NEW RELEASE WITH MORE FLEXIBILITY AND CONTROL

Microsoft launched BizTalk Server 2016 in a move which reinforces the strong on-premises app integration capabilities of the company. The new release gives customers with the flexibility and control to adopt cloud apps for their business, as more and more undergo digital transformation. Microsoft is the sole vendor that offers a truly hybrid integration platform, providing a consistent customer and partners experience, whether they’re looking to connect on-premises or cloud-native apps. The consistent experience is enabled via Microsoft BizTalk Server and Azure Logic apps form the foundation.

AUTOMATING MISSION CRITICAL BUSINESS PROCESSES

BizTalk Server 2016 enables customers to automate mission critical business processes and to leverage support for the current first party platforms. Users could connect to SaaS or software-as-a-service apps, or run the server on Azure and leverage full support of production environments. Moreover, with BizTalk Server 2016, customers could connect to cloud native apps, mobile and web backend systems. Custom apps could be connected via the Azure Logic Apps adapter. Customers already are reaping the benefits of hybrid cloud with the new release. The release servers as a commitment to help customers in their digital transformation journey by helping create holistic solutions with the use of a hybrid integration platform.

WORKS WITH MICROSOFT’S 2016-BRANDER SERVER PRODUCTS

The new BizTalk 2016 Server is noteworthy for working with Microsoft’s 2016-branded server products that include Windows Server 2016, SQL Server 2016 and Office 2016. It has high-availability capabilities when used with SQL Server 2016’s Always On Availability groups feature.

DIRECTIONS ON BIZTALK

The new BizTalk Server 2016 seems to be getting a bit cloudier. At least, when it comes to the services integration capabilities. Nevertheless, the server could be the option over Azure for businesses that need to deal with complex standards and APIs when orchestrating apps and services.

AZURE LOGIC APPLICATIONS INTEGRATION

Developers could use Visual Studio 2015 with BizTalk Server 2016. Furthermore, Microsoft also highlights the SaaS apps orchestration capabilities of the server when used with the Azure Logic Apps Service. Currently, BizTalk Server is deployed by thousands of enterprise consumers. With the new release, Microsoft addressed some customer paint points on the previous generation product through updating the adapters as well as adding support for present-generation server products and Visual Studio too. Now, it’s easier to host BizTalk in Azure. Also, Microsoft added a secure pipe called the ‘On-premises Data Gateway’ to work with Logic Apps and connect assets on premises with the services of Microsoft that runs from its cloud datacenters. Server 2016 would also be getting new capabilities, with monthly updates.

HIGH AVAILABILITY WITH SQL SERVER 2016 ALWAYS ON

The new release comes with support for SQL Server 2016 AlwaysOn Availability Groups. With the addition of AlwaysOn, the server provides a consistent and modern way of doing HA/DR scenarios. Moreover, one could also run the multi-node BizTalk deployments on-premises or as Azure IaaS in the cloud in a supported manner. It supports MSDTC with AlwaysOn on Windows Server 2016 as well as Windows Server 2012, any version before the new 2016 will not be supported.

ADAPTER ENHANCEMENTS

  1. SFTP Adapter now supports more ciphers and more SFTP Server
  2. ServerBus Adapter is upgrade with support for SAS or Shared Access Signature authentication for the NetTepRelay, BasicHttpRelay, BasicHttp and WebHtp bindings.
  3. The MLLP Adapter supports the option of initiating an outbound connection.
  4. Further enhancement of SAP NcO Support for the SAP Adapter.

MISCELLANEOUS

Next to platform alignment with Windows Server 2016, SQLO Server 2016, Visual Studio 2015 and Office 2016, the new release comes with a whole new array of miscellaneous improvements and additions, like:

  1. SHA2 Support
  2. Support for xslCompiledTransform or xslTransform
  3. Binding management enhancements such as Include/Exchange tracking settings and Export on Party Level.
  4. Admin Console enhancements such as Search/Filter on artifact name, Change multiple host settings, Suspended messages-multi select save to file.

BIZTALK LOGIC APPS ADAPTER

One of the main goals of the new BizTalk Server 2016 is to bridge the gap of on premise and cloud by taking benefits of the API App available via Logic Apps. The new Logic Apps Adapter for the server allows integrating seamlessly with Logic apps through the recently release On-premises Data Gateway. This allows logic applications to call Business Rule engine of BizTalk or begin orchestration or any existing capabilities of BizTalk.

The new BizTalk release not just highlights some main on premise app integration capabilities but also showcases Microsoft’s strong commitment to the hybrid integration platform.