Microsoft’s BizTalk Services Simplify SOA

Microsoft has delivered a set of new services based on its BizTalk Server technology to help developers build new SOA-oriented applications.

Microsoft BizTalk Services, announced on April 24, include BizTalk Identity Services, which provide authentication, access control and federated identity based on the WS-Trust specification. The new BizTalk Relay Services facilitate the traversal and bridging of physical networks, enabling high-fidelity interconnection between cooperating systems for cross-organizational messaging behind firewalls.

The new Internet Service Bus provides a simple publish-and-subscribe message bus. And the new BizTalk Workflow Services enable the designing applications graphically by drawing flowcharts, said Steven Martin, director of product management in Microsoft’s Connected Systems Division.

BizTalk Workflow Services provides a hosted instance of Windows Workflow Foundation, he said. The BizTalk Services SDK is available for download, and more information on the identity relay services can be found at identity.biztalk.net and connect.biztalk.net.

“BizTalk Services will decrease the edge node footprint while maintaining application access to valuable infrastructure services,” said Chris Haddad, an analyst with Burton Group who was briefed on the new strategy. “BizTalk services will increase reliability, scalability and security of service interactions while minimizing infrastructure investment and operational management overhead,” he said.

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