BizTalk testing - Reference

Recently I have read a series of blogs on "BizTalk Testing Guidance".  It details the testing strategies and contains sample test harness code for schema, map, pipleline component, orchestration and .NET component in BizTalk Server. I felt it is interesting and useful, so I thought to refer it.

http://geekswithblogs.net/michaelstephenson/archive/2008/04/27/121687.aspx

BizTalk Server 2009 scheduled for release

The next version of the BizTalk server will be called "BizTalk Server 2009" not BizTalk Server R3. The newer version is scheduled for release on first half of 2009.

BizTalk Server 2009 will be full release of the product. Some of the updates on the newer version are:

• As one of the expected update, it supports the latest Microsoft platform technologies, including Windows Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008 SP1, SQL Server 2008 and the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1
• Hyper-V Virtualisation Support: Microsoft's official embracement of the Virtualisation of the servers. Microsoft was reluctant to provide support for its products on virtualised servers. In BizTalk Server R2, this feature was added in (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc768518.aspx) and in the newer version it has been extended to take complete advantage of the latest Virtualization improvements included as part of Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V.
• BizTalk Server can be deployed in multi-site cluster scenarios, where cluster nodes could reside on separate IP subnets and avoid complicated VLANs.
• Two new adapters for Oracle E-Business Suites and SQL Server. And updates to the existing adapters.
• Expanding the BAM functionality with SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services.
• Enhanced support for EDI and AS2 protocols, updates for SWIFT support.
• New platform for RFID (Radio Frequency Identification).

Reference: http://www.microsoft.com/biztalk/en/us/roadmap.aspx

Schema (XSD) from XML or DTD file

In software development often the reverse engineering comes handy, creating the design document from the code, drawing a database diagram the existing database etc. Similarly I have often faced situation where I need to generate the schema files from the XML  or DTD file. Though we have various options to achieve the same, we were always using some utility outside the standard IDE's.

Visual studio (from 2005) has provided an option to generate the schema file from the XML or DTD file using the following ways:

• Right click on the project name
• Select "Add', choose "Add Generated Items.." option.
• Choose "Generate Schemas" and click "Add" button.

For XML file:

Select the "Document type" as "Well-Formed XML" and browse for the input XML file

If this option is being used for the first time in your machine,you will see "Well-Formed XML (Not Loaded)" in the document type dropdown list, so you have to execute the "InstallWFX.vbs" script, from "InstallDir:\Program Files\Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006\sdk\Utilities\Schema Generator\" before you use the above method.

For DTD file:

Select the "Document type" as "DTD" and browse for the input XML file

If this option is been used for the first time in your machine "DTD(Not Loaded)" in the document type dropdown list, so you have execute the "InstallDTD.vbs" script, from "InstallDir:\Program Files\Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006\sdk\Utilities\Schema Generator\" before you use the above method.

Click "Finish" to get your schema file.