I believe that many people have a misunderstanding for BizTalk Server 2004 (BTS), think this is a workflow engine for Microsoft. Including me, since I have never entered MS, I have been developing the BizTalk Server 2004, and most of the POCs made are BizTalk Server 2004. Of course, I do is some peripheral development, not some core BizTalk development.
The so-called peripheral development is to do some UI interface for workflow to drive the entire workflow. I have been doing, I often have some questions. I believe that most people who have done BizTalk Server will encounter similar questions, because when I chat with Partner's R & D, I have encountered similar confusion, that is why With such a good tool for BizTalk Server 2004, we are still so tired for workflow development? ? Many times, in order to complete a simple briefing flow function, we use ASP.NET may get a few lines of code, but after BizTalk Server 2004, it is found that the workload is doubled.
After this month, discussing with colleagues, finally found a reason. Because we are wrong, BizTalk Server is not Microsoft's workflow engine. This seems to be a little shocking, but I believe that our views have no mistakes.
Boa has been exploring SOA (service-oriented), in my opinion, BizTalk Server 2004 is preparing for SOA, which is to integrate the automatic process functions of the various System's services, and Since the SCHEMA of the messages transmitted by each System's service, the BTS provides mapping features. In the documentation of BizTalk Server 2004, its feature is two points: (1) EAI, enterprise application integration; (2) message transfer of B2B.
This EAI's service integration is in the process of operation, no human factors, no UI driver, very suitable for BTS without a roleless process engine (BizTalk Server still has a role, but very fade). And the BTS is not suitable for the engine that is similar to the OA workflow workflow.
Some time, I was very fortunate to see the introduction of Adobe Workflow Server (I also want to see the workflow system of Kao Zhidong boss, but I don't have it. " Adobe's set of things is really based on document-based workflow, we can compare its flowchart and the difference between the BTS flow chart. BTS flow chart is more like our software logic map, in this figure, you can't find which point from it should be a UI, which units should be in this UI. However, Adobe's flow chart is different. Each node is a UI, next to this node, you can list some options, such as "agree", "disagree", "Return to the Secretary", then from these options to them The next node should be connected to the next node. Very clear, the UI of this workflow is cleaned. With Adobe Form Server and Form Designer, you can make a document workflow system.
And slow, is Microsoft really do not have a workflow software? Nothing is not. Before joining Microsoft, I also have to come into contact with Teamplate's workflow products. This is a Microsoft global partner. Its Teamplate products basically contain all the Server's server, such as BizTalk Server 2004, SharePoint Portal Server 2003, Exchange Server 2003, then this workflow product uses what characteristics of BizTalk Server 2004? It turns out that HWS (Workflow Service, Human Workflow Service). HWS, open the random document of BTS, found that the Document for HWS is really very precious, printing out to estimate less ten paper (estimating most of the UI of the HWS, which button does what button is made). It is estimated that no one can see, but then go to MSDN online to find it, so much, because we discover the SDK of the BTS, still some material in Sample, but I estimate that no one guidelines, there is no Personal will get started with this thing.
HWS, which is implemented by Adobe Workflow Server, but currently, it lacks a design tool for Workflow Desinger, so it will cause its tall and widow. You must manually write code to complete your workflow design, although there is Step by Step guidance in SDK, but it seems to be difficult (thinking that BizTalk Server 2004 itself, the original design process is as simple as painting, but MS is still I am afraid that many people will not provide a free Visio plugin for everyone to play.
Many people can read the above article, they will think that I am degrading BTS, in fact. I think BTS is always the big wisdom of MS. It is expected to come in 2000. Just because of its flow chart, "good-looking", leading to everyone to have some misunderstandings, so that killing chicken with tanks, neither hand, labor is still hurting. On the day of the SOA service coming, BTS is more highlighted. We think that Longhorn, there is an Indigo. Think carefully, in fact, the many features of Indigo seem to have intersession with BTS, so there is reason to believe that in the future, the next version of BTS has a new look. As for the new appearance, please see the good time.
BTW: Tell the SOA, think of the discussion of the Boker's passing message in SOA for some time, and one person thinks that SOA should only pass the simple type, and one party believes that SOA can deliver complex custom objects, even DataSet. The material I collected made me confirm that the second party will take up in the future, I have time to talk together.
