Workflows Added to BizTalk Services CTP

BizTalk Services provides a way to connect multiple service-enabled applications in the cloud. The latest community technology preview (CTP), R12, adds workflow enabled service orchestration. A hosted Windows Workflow Foundation runtime and Web services messaging are featured in R12. You could, for example, set up an automated process that uses Web services to provide pricing information to a partner.

BizTalk Services acts as a hosted service bus for connecting applications across the Internet. It provides a service for you and your customers to connect your application with other service applications.

Workflow joins identity and messaging services already available in BizTalk Services. The product has been in open beta stage for almost a year. No release date or pricing has been set.

Messaging capabilities now support multiple protocols for exchanging information, such as TCP, HTTP, and an auto-detect capability for choosing an appropriate transport. Previously, only TCP was supported. First-in, first-out messaging, to ensure transmission of a group documents even if a receiving party is temporarily disconnected, also has been added.

Future releases will support Oslo software development technologies, such as visual modeling and a new declarative language, will be leveraged by BizTalk Services.

For an overview, see BizTalk Services. For more information and to download the SDK, see BizTalk Labs.