My project award

Recently, my project won an honrable award from Microsoft.Israel in the category "Best Enterprose Solution based on MS Application platform - Dev"

This project is in the Israeli Tax Authorities, based on BizTalk 2006 R2 server.

Some links (hebrew posts)

http://www.pc.co.il/?tag=שמשון-פישלר

The project story in Microsoft customers case studies site 

http://www.microsoft.com/israel/casestudies/property.mspx

The project award:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1559914&l=12bd173e1d&id=689225628

BizTalk 2006 / 2009 SQL Adapter

When working with SQL Server data in BizTalk Server, there are several differences between using the BizTalk SQL Adapter vs. using .Net assemblies for executing SQL stored procedures and manipulating data using CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete –see more on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Create,_read,_update_and_delete
One of there is the behavior of persistency points when orchestrations are involved.
Using the SQL Adapter, by adding one or more receive and send ports to the scenario, the orchestration will stop and a persistency point will be created by BizTalk, and followed by sending (or receiving) the message to (or from) the port.
Contrary, when using .Net assemblies, the SQL command performed is part of the transaction, and not causing any persistency points.
Since working with SQL adapter cause persistency points and therefore increase overall required time needed to complete the operation, comparing to execute a custom stored procedure via Expression share.
But when working with long running SQL Stored procedures, invoking them via Expression shape will keep the orchestration in active state wasting BizTalk resources. Executing the same SP via SQL Adapter will cause the orchestration to be dehydrated when sending the message to port, and resume when SP will end.
Although using SQL Adapter is a bit complicated (see: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc507804.aspx) there are benefits to use it.
Note that the current BizTalk 2006 SQL Adapter is obsolete in BizTalk 2009 (meaning it will be discontinue to the next version) and BizTalk 2009 introduce new WCF based SQL Adapter.
Shimshon.
(Posted also on: http://www.g-s.co.il/193.html)

Race condition when working with BizTalk SQL Adapters in Cluster or Group

When working with adapters on multiple hosts group (or in a cluster), keep in mind that enabling an adapter (especially SQL Adapter) perform the command (Select or Stored procedure) on every host at the same time and can cause a race condition.

While FTP, MSMQ and POP3 adapters are listed in the guide to be clustered (and not grouped) the SQL adapter is not listed and therefore can be groups – and will be running on every host.

In this case, the SP road should be taken (and not Select directly from the table) and implementation of locks should be executed in the SP.

See http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc507804.aspx for more details (Recommendation 5).

Shimshon

Using Script when developing BizTalk projects

After evaluating some reference options, I decided that the best way to reference a DLL in BizTalk project environment is to create a Bin folder that holds the last compiled version of every DLL and in the other projects, add reference to this Bin folder.

It's quite easy to do when non-BTS projects are used. Just add the copy command to the post build events. I'm also adding the command to GAC the DLL (gacutil).

But a BTS project doesn't have the build events option.

So we are using some batch files to do these commands, controlled by the developer.

First we are copying the DLL to our BIN folder. Next we are GACing this DLL, using gacutil command.

Later on we are using the BTSTask command to deploy the DLL into BizTalk management.

We are also holding a batch file that creates the proper application in the management tool (again, using BTSTask).

These batch files, if written properly, can be used later on to deploy the project into the build machine, testing environment (UAT, INTG) and even the production environment.

For me, using these batch files, shorten the development time (especially when solving bug and recompile, redeploy are involved) and simplify the deployment to higher environment

Samples:

Creating the application:

BTSTask AddApp -ApplicationName:%BTSApp%

 

GAC dlls:

gacutil -if %InstalBin%\GS.BTS.Meches.CustomPipelineComponents.dll

if ERRORLEVEL 1 EXIT /B 0

Copy to Bin folder:

XCOPY %Root%\BTS\GS.BTS.Meches.CustomPipelineComponents\bin\%DLLEnv%\GS.BTS.Meches.CustomPipelineComponents.dll %InstalBin%\

if ERRORLEVEL 1 EXIT /B 0

BTSTask:

BTSTask AddResource -ApplicationName:%BTSApp% -Type:System.BizTalk:Assembly -Source:%InstalBin%\GS.BTS.Meches.CustomPipelineComponents.dll -Destination:%%BTAD_InstallDir%%\GS.BTS.Meches.CustomPipelineComponents.dll -Overwrite

if ERRORLEVEL 1 EXIT /B 0

BizTalk max receive locations using FTP Adapter and File Adapter

When considering developing of a business process which receive the incoming messages in mass multiple receive location using FILE or FTP adapters, one should know that a limitation exists depending on hardware performance which runs BizTalk servers.

In a particular project, we encounter this limit where 200 receive locations activated, both File and FTP adapters.

When large amount of messages arrives to those receive locations, BizTalk stops to collect these messages, and large amount of waiting threads can be found using performance monitor.

Our solution was to develop a specific .NET service which locate the messages in the locations and move the messages to one location, defined as the only one receive location.

Software add-ons solutions – BizTalk, MsCrm, MOSS and more

One of the main business lines of my company (Guardian information systems: http://www.g-s.co.il) is to provide solutions for customers using Microsoft products, in the form of add-ons over the Microsoft products.

For that we are delivering in the near future a new web site in this address: http://www.softaddons.com

The site will hold the complete list of add-ons created by specialist in those areas (BizTalk, Dynamics CRM, MOSS and SharePoint).

Please see the complete list in the near future.

Shimshon

Saying no to: Complete BizTalk project processes without orchestrations

I'm thinking about this post for awhile now.

I was interviewing a developer which was candidate for a BizTalk development team leader.

One of his "sentences" was: "I'm only developing BizTalk processes which are not involved orchestrations. Rather than I'm developing everything needs to be done with port to port routing, pipelines and pipelines components".

It took me time to fully realize that this is, in my opinion, is not BizTalk. Although this can be done - as this guy already proves – I think that in cases my design would lead to the conclusion not to use orchestrations at all in the project, I would leave BizTalk aside in the project.

If everything that the project is needed is routing, probably that BizTalk overhead overcome the benefits from using BizTalk.

What do you think? I'll be glad to hear your opinions