Pro EDI in BizTalk Server 2006 R2: Electronic Document Interchange Solutions

Electronic document interchange, or EDI, is one of the next big waves in connected systems, as business becomes more dependent on working with partners, suppliers, and other organizations in a streamlined way. Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006 R2 offers an efficient, integrated way to deploy EDI solutions, and with Pro EDI in BizTalk Server 2006 R2: Electronic Document Interchange Solutions, you’ll see how EDI can be used in your business and how best to get it set up with BizTalk. With a cursory read of this book, management–level resources will be able to quickly determine the complexity of a BizTalk EDI implementation and the level of resources that will need to be made available. The developer will get an in–depth understanding of EDI and a detailed step–by–step approach to building and deploying projects.

This book’s unique approach sees an EDI project from end to end, through inception, into development, and finally through deployment. With this practical guide, you can set up and deliver a BizTalk 2006–driven EDI solution without getting caught up in the complexity of non–EDI items in BizTalk.

What you’ll learn

• Insights into the brand–new Biztalk 2006 R2–based EDI functionality, including the far greater flexibility in handling interchange
• Advice covering specific implementations, not simply generic advice
• In–depth understanding of EDI and a detailed step–by–step approach to building and deploying projects

Any company or individual interested in a BizTalk 2006 EDI implementation will be interested in this book, as there are virtually no resources available. Any company or individual interested in a new EDI implementation (or redeveloping an existing EDI infrastructure) will benefit from this book as they work to determine what options are on the market, and how complex those options are to build and support. Finally, many BizTalk developers without direct EDI experience will be interested, as it covers a little–understood topic in BizTalk Server development.

EDI is going to be big, and is already seeing a lot of adoption. Comments from Burley Kawasaki, Director of Project Management - Connected Systems Division at Microsoft (heads where the future of BizTalk is going).

“Contrary to popular belief, EDI transactions are growing - and on a very large base. Not because customers are using EDI for new applications, but because they are putting more and more suppliers into their existing EDI feeds and doing more electronic business. With this much electronic business being done over EDI, companies are looking for ways to bring down TCO on general operations (hence the interest in swapping out expensive legacy systems with newer MS platforms) and also reducing the per transaction cost (hence the interest in moving away from VANs and migrating to AS2 over the Internet).

I can't share w/ you our estimates for our market opportunity w/ BizTalk R2, but suffice it to say we wouldn't have built EDI into our core engine if we didn't think it was a pretty mainstream opportunity for us to go after. MS doesn't tend to pursue niche opportunities.”

In summary: solid book, solid topic where we have proven success, new angle where lots of money is being spent and there exists very little documentation, electronic or print.

Mark Beckner is a Technical Consultant specializing in business development and enterprise application integration. He runs his own consulting firm, Inotek Consulting Group, LLC, delivering innovated solutions to large corporations and small businesses.

His projects have included engagements with numerous clients throughout the U.S., and range in nature from mobile application development to complete integration solutions. He has co-authored BizTalk 2006: A Problem-Solution Approach (Apress, 2006), has spoken at a number of venues including Microsoft's BizTalk 2004 in a Service Oriented World conference, and is certified in Microsoft Technologies, including MCSD.NET.

Mr. Beckner resides with his wife, Sara, in western Colorado with their dog Rosco, the Adventure Mutt. He can be contacted at [email protected] for any questions regarding the concepts in this book, for advice on integration projects, BizTalk 2006 implementations, or other consulting endeavors.