Chapter 3. Overview of BizTalk Server
by Rand Morimoto
In This Chapter
Step 4: Creating the Mapping Between Input and Output Data Formats
Step 5: Configuring the Triggering Mechanisms to Process Information
Instead of listing the features and functions of the various technologies and tools built-in to the BizTalk Server product in a glossary/definition format, this chapter is organized chronologically by the process you follow to implement a BizTalk Server solution. Describing the BizTalk Server process flow involves defining goals and objectives of data interchange, modeling the business process, creating the specifications, and creating the maps, before finally confirming the trigger mechanisms and schedule for transaction processing.
In this chapter, BizTalk Orchestration is not purely defined, but instead illustrated how it relates to the business process model. And BizTalk Mapper is described in this chapter in terms of how it translates business processes into data interchange maps.
A BizTalk Server process flow starts with
1. | Understanding the goals and objectives of the organizations that want to exchange information |
2. | Modeling the business process from start of the flow to completion |
3. | Agreeing on the specifications and parameters involved in the process |
4. | Creating the mapping between input and output data formats |
5. | Confirming the triggering mechanism to process the information |
6. | Completing the schedule for the transaction processes |
When the process flow is followed, BizTalk Server can solve business information exchange challenges. The full process requires modeling business procedures, analyzing data communication formats, mapping formats, and properly configuring BizTalk Server. This chapter provides an overview of the sequential steps involved in the process and refers to the chapters throughout the balance of this book that highlight the steps in more detail.