BizTalk 2006 Recipes: A Problem-Solution Approach 
asked by wendi on November 6, 2006 12:24 PM
BizTalk 2006 Recipes: A Problem-Solution Approach is based on the experiences of many of the most prominent experts in the field. It features over 170 problem-solving recipes for BizTalk developers and administrators.
BizTalk Server 2006 builds on the heritage and core architecture of BizTalk Server 2004, leading to a powerful tool that encompasses the latest Microsoft technologies and industry standards for automating and managing business processes. BizTalk Server 2006 adds incremental value to BizTalk 2004 by improving administration, deployment, and other key areas of the product.
Reviews
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I find that the examples given in this book cover the basics well. There is nothing about the EDI subsystem or the Sharepoint Adapter.
reviewed by wendi on November 18, 2006 10:50 AM
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This is a piece of the review I wrote on my blog (putting the URL would be against the policies here so I'm leaving it out).
The book format: It is a recipe book so is written in a "Problem, Solution, How it works" style format with each chapter being given an introductory page or two preface. This book will be a great one to have around as a reference book, but I have to say that I also enjoyed reading it cover to cover (well almost... honestly I skimmed chapter 10, this chapter probably could have been done away with and the contents moved to other chapters).
The book is fairly comprehensive in covering BizTalk soup to nuts; there is a chapter on Schemas, one on Business Rules engine (more on this one later in the post), one on BAM and one talking about HAT. The writing styles of the various authors were not too apparent, but rather fairly subtle; sometimes in code samples they were apparent however; one chapter has code that uses both hungarian notation on variables, but also on function parameters. That should be done away with in this persnickety developers opinion. I have to say that from still fairly green knowledge of BizTalk, it appears that at least some of the authors have implemented a fair amount of BT solutions in their careers; to me this was evidenced by the "NOTE" sections that were lusciously littered throughout the text that included well thought out pitfulls and other tips to assist in your BizTalk solutions. In my opinion the one chapter that stuck out (and obviously I could be wrong) as one that wasn't written from experience but rather written from a "I just learned this" kind of perspective was the business rules engine chapter 5 (which ironically is available for free download from Apress).
Overall, I would give this book 3 tivo thumbs up, 4.5 stars out of 5 rating. Get this book if you need assistance with BizTalk 2006.
Other side notes, the authors created a blog site just for the book, but thus far only posted one comment and apparently aren't interested in doing much blogging, I'd love to see that change.
One other note I forgot to include; there was a couple spots that made reference to BizTalk 2004; one of the spots was more of a "if you are used to doing it this way, here is what you will have to do now" kind of reference; I found that appropriate; the other one was "here is how to do it in 2004 and here is how to do it in 2006". That one the book could do without. I don't recall where in the book they were; but for the authors knowledge it was the first 2004 reference in the book that could go and the 2nd one could stay :) I gave them the full 5 stars since they are first to market; I think 4.5 stars would be an appropriate rating on this book. Great job to the authors!
The book format: It is a recipe book so is written in a "Problem, Solution, How it works" style format with each chapter being given an introductory page or two preface. This book will be a great one to have around as a reference book, but I have to say that I also enjoyed reading it cover to cover (well almost... honestly I skimmed chapter 10, this chapter probably could have been done away with and the contents moved to other chapters).
The book is fairly comprehensive in covering BizTalk soup to nuts; there is a chapter on Schemas, one on Business Rules engine (more on this one later in the post), one on BAM and one talking about HAT. The writing styles of the various authors were not too apparent, but rather fairly subtle; sometimes in code samples they were apparent however; one chapter has code that uses both hungarian notation on variables, but also on function parameters. That should be done away with in this persnickety developers opinion. I have to say that from still fairly green knowledge of BizTalk, it appears that at least some of the authors have implemented a fair amount of BT solutions in their careers; to me this was evidenced by the "NOTE" sections that were lusciously littered throughout the text that included well thought out pitfulls and other tips to assist in your BizTalk solutions. In my opinion the one chapter that stuck out (and obviously I could be wrong) as one that wasn't written from experience but rather written from a "I just learned this" kind of perspective was the business rules engine chapter 5 (which ironically is available for free download from Apress).
Overall, I would give this book 3 tivo thumbs up, 4.5 stars out of 5 rating. Get this book if you need assistance with BizTalk 2006.
Other side notes, the authors created a blog site just for the book, but thus far only posted one comment and apparently aren't interested in doing much blogging, I'd love to see that change.
One other note I forgot to include; there was a couple spots that made reference to BizTalk 2004; one of the spots was more of a "if you are used to doing it this way, here is what you will have to do now" kind of reference; I found that appropriate; the other one was "here is how to do it in 2004 and here is how to do it in 2006". That one the book could do without. I don't recall where in the book they were; but for the authors knowledge it was the first 2004 reference in the book that could go and the 2nd one could stay :) I gave them the full 5 stars since they are first to market; I think 4.5 stars would be an appropriate rating on this book. Great job to the authors!
reviewed by heavymetal on November 25, 2006 1:40 AM
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This is an excellent book for Biztalk, Only suggestion is read the Biztalk 2006 white paper from the Microsoft website before you read this book. The authors have presented the content in a very easy to understand manner, without beating around the bush.........
reviewed by imtheboss on November 27, 2006 8:03 PM
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Hats off to an excellent Biztalk Server 2006 reference! After many books that seem to rehash documentation, this book offers a fresher approach of giving BizTalk developers and admins a way to complete certain needed tasks without having to pour through mind-numbing chapters and still not find a solution to a needed problem.
Having worked in Product Support Services (PSS) for BizTalk, and currently working on multiple internal BizTalk 2006 projects in the Microsoft IT group, I can testify that this is a much needed and long awaited book for the BizTalk world. The book is very readable for all levels of BizTalk designers and admins, and is extremely easy to follow and apply the recipes to common solution scenarios.
Each recipe has a standard template of Problem, Solution, and How It Works and does a good job of covering the new pieces of BizTalk such as MSI deployments and new integrated adapters as well as in-depth solutions to mapping, orchestrations, and schema editoring. This is also the first book I have read that gives good examples of how to use BAM and the Rules Engine, 2 topics that BizTalk users desperately search for in the printed world.
This book is a must have for any serious BizTalk user!
Having worked in Product Support Services (PSS) for BizTalk, and currently working on multiple internal BizTalk 2006 projects in the Microsoft IT group, I can testify that this is a much needed and long awaited book for the BizTalk world. The book is very readable for all levels of BizTalk designers and admins, and is extremely easy to follow and apply the recipes to common solution scenarios.
Each recipe has a standard template of Problem, Solution, and How It Works and does a good job of covering the new pieces of BizTalk such as MSI deployments and new integrated adapters as well as in-depth solutions to mapping, orchestrations, and schema editoring. This is also the first book I have read that gives good examples of how to use BAM and the Rules Engine, 2 topics that BizTalk users desperately search for in the printed world.
This book is a must have for any serious BizTalk user!
reviewed by webster on November 29, 2006 5:53 AM