Problem/Resolution: Setting up BizTalk 2006 R2 WSS Adapter on Windows Server 2008

Technorati Tags: BizTalk,Sharepoint,Adapter

Problem Description

=================

While configuring BTS2006 R2 WSS Adapter, I received the following error:

“Error encountered while querying virtual server state for URL: http//myserver/.

Make sure the site is extended by Windows SharePoint Services. (CWssAdaCfg)”

Problem Analysis and Resolution

===========================

The logged on user didn’t have the privilege of dbcreator and securityadmin rights to the SharePoint_Config database.

1. Add the account to Server Role with dbcreator and security admin.

2. Add this account to SharePoint farm Administrator group.

3. Remove and re-extend the website in SharePoint. (If web application already exists prior to installing the WSS adapter)

BizTalk Mapper Vs Custom XSLT

Technorati Tags: BizTalk Mapper,Custom XSLT

When to use what?

In the past couple of weeks,  I have learnt a great deal on when to use the BizTalk mapper Vs custom XSLT mapping.
Although, my conclusion might be debatable but I consider them to be a good guideline for future mapping exercises.

 

Use custom XSLT if:

1. The mapping contains a large number of items/records in the source schema which loop and/or repeat into a single destination element/record.  In such a case, you would have very little control over the XSL auto generated by BizTalk mapper.
2. The map is very complex and requires you to have more than ten logical pages to have a clear view of what is going on.  In this case, maintaining the complex BizTalk map would far outweigh the benefits of rapidly creating the map in a visual interface.
3. You start using an insane number of scripting functoids to do value mappings/enumerations.  These will be opaque to a developer who opens up the map for maintenance later on.

 

Use the Biztalk mapper if:

1. The map is small and simple and you are able to understand the auto-generated XSL
2. The resultant map is visually easy to grasp/decipher for the maintenance developer.

Cheers
Hemil.

Design for Change with the ESB Guidance v2

Technorati Tags: ESB Guidance 2.0,Video

In this video, Peter Kelcey and Dmitri Ossipov discuss Microsoft’s Enterprise Service Bus Guidance (and specifically the new version 2.0) and how it allows an organization to build a dynamic, flexible and practical ESB as part of the larger Service Oriented Infrastructure.  This was presented recently at the SOA Conference.

 

 

Cheers,

Hemil.

Presenting BizTalkCop

With the familiar look and feel of FXCop but for static code analysis of BizTalk Solutions.

Click here to get BizTalkCop from Codeplex

First look at the Visual Itinerary Designer in ESB Guidance Toolkit 2.0 for BizTalk Server 2009

Technorati Tags: ESB Guidance 2.0,Itinerary Designer,BizTalk Server 2009

OK, here is how you build an itinerary with ESB Guidance 1.0. Yes, everyone loves hand editing XML files.

 

And, here is the new Visual Itinerary Designer in ESB Guidance 2.0

Once you are done building the itinerary, you can right click and ‘Export it to XML’ which creates XML as shown above.

You can get to this new designer by opening a new Visual Studio 2008 C# Class Library project and use the new ItineraryDsl file template  to add a ItineraryDsl to the project as shown below. (Provided you have already installed ESB Guidance 2.0)

Cheers

Hemil.

Finally some guidance on the ‘ESB Guidance 2.0′

Technorati Tags: ESB Guidance 2.0,BizTalk,Video,Routing

Peter Kelcey has put together a video (Part 1 of many to follow) which covers a basic routing scenario using BizTalk ‘ESB Guidance 2.0′.

Click here for the full post and video

Better performance in batch imports to SQL Server using BizTalk

Technorati Tags: BizTalk,SQL Server Adapter,Batch Import

I always thought batch imports to SQL Server is best left to a data integration tool like SSIS.  However, in this interesting article by Richard Hallgren, he demonstrates better performance by changing the format of the message sent to the SQL adapter.

Click here for the article

Windows Azure Training Kit & Videos

The Azure Services Training Kit includes hands-on labs, presentations, and demos that are designed to help you learn how to use the Azure Services Platform. The new release includes new demo scripts, new presentations, and three additional hands-on labs for Live Services.

The videos are:

How Do I: Get Started Developing on Windows Azure?

How Do I: Deploy a Windows Azure Application?

How Do I: Leverage Queues in Windows Azure?

How Do I: Store Blobs in Windows Azure Storage?

Cheers

Hemil.

My Phone – Beta

Back up and restore your phone’s information to a password-protected web site

Access and update your contacts and appointments through your web account

Share photos on your phone with family and friends

Click here to find out more about this beta from Microsoft

MSDN TV – Use Team Foundation Server for BizTalk Server 2009 development | Johan Lindfors | Channel 9

The demonstration includes unit-testing, automated builds and automatic deployment with custom tasks for msbuild.

Click here: MSDN TV – Use Team Foundation SCerver for BizTalk Server 2009 development | Johan Lindfors | Channel 9