BizTalk Server Accelerators and Adapters

BizTalk Server adapters and accelerators have been updated to run on BizTalk Server 2004, the most recent version of Microsoft’s messaging and business-logic processing platform for enterprise application integration (EAI) and business-to-business (B2B) integration. Microsoft will also release new adapters for several popular business applications, such as J.D. Edwards, PeopleSoft, and TIBCO. These adapters, acquired from iWay Software in Aug. 2005, will ship after BizTalk 2006, scheduled for early 2006. Although creation of BizTalk add-ons has generally been left to partners, Microsoft’s growing portfolio of accelerators and adapters suggests the company will still jump in to serve strategic markets.

Adapters Connect Application Data and Protocols

Adapters are modular connection components that BizTalk uses to exchange data messages among applications being integrated. Adapters convert data between application-native formats and XML, BizTalk’s native data messaging and processing language and allow BizTalk to exchange messages over application-specific network protocols and communication mechanisms. For example, Microsoft’s adapter for SAP converts SAP’s proprietary data formats and schema, such as the Intermediate Document (IDoc) format used to exchange data among SAP components or between SAP components and external systems, into BizTalk 2004-compatible XML schema.