Microsoft’s BizTalk Beta in Phase 2

Developers and IT shops testing Microsoft’s upcoming enterprise application integration server can now have at the latest updates.

The beta 2 version of BizTalk 2006 comes two weeks after the Redmond, Wash., software giant released a community technology preview of the server software during the launch of Visual Studio 2005 and SQL Server 2005 earlier this month.

The server software allows customers to connect applications and systems within the enterprise through a series of connectors, or adapters. Managers can then create and automate the business processes used within the network to create applications that draw upon various data repositories.

BizTalk Server 2006 Standard and Enterprise editions will include 26 adapters when its launched, including third-party adapters to versions of SAP, J.D. Edwards, Siebel, TIBCO and Oracle.

It will also include an adapter for Windows SharePoint Services and one for Post Office Protocol 3 (POP) .

Also new to the software is one-click configuration and a component updater, as well as improvements to its business activity monitoring (BAM) capabilities.

BAM presents real-time information on business processes so IT managers can ferret out any failures in transactions. The BizTalk update includes BAM activity subscriptions and alerts.

The supporting documentation for beta 2 is available here. And interested users can download the software through the BizTalk Server 2006 CTP site.

BizTalk Server 2006 is due sometime in the first half of 2006.