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BizTalk Server: Roles

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General

The Microsoft BizTalk platform is an integration platform. Its created to maintain and operate integration between systems, web services, databases and many other technologies, it's the most used integration platform in the world. Microsoft BizTalk has 4 different roles, all with different aspects, while 2 of them are the most common, BizTalk development and BizTalk administration, as the company grows so those also, the need to be more alert when planning new integration and interfaces. BizTalk Architects and Advisor become more and more important as the environment grows to assure that all guidelines and best practices are followed.

BizTalk Developer

BizTalk developers are personnel working mainly with .NET and Visual Studio. Working as a BizTalk developer gives you the opportunity to create applications and work in-depth with applications and creating integration between numerous platforms with many different adapters. BizTalk developers are former developers with training in BizTalk and how to develop BizTalk applications and solutions. If you want to learn more about how to become a BizTalk developer I strongly suggest you the check out the references below and the blogs.

Key knowledge

  • BizTalk Servers (BAM, BRE, EDI, XML, Adapters and more).
  • .NET development.
  • Microsoft Visual Studio.
  • Microsoft Team Foundation Server.

References

Certifications

BizTalk Architect

A BizTalk architect is a former BizTalk developer with great insight in how to create good application with best practice and integrate systems, most architect stop developing applications and work more as project leaders for the creation of the application, they define the boundaries of BizTalk and the possibility to use it for the intended purpose. If you are an aspiring BizTalk Architect you should read the references and blogs.

Key knowledge

  • Several years with BizTalk development.
  • Knowledge of best practices.
  • .NET development.
  • Microsoft Visual Studio.
  • Microsoft Team Foundation Server.
  • Service oriented architecture.

References

MVP Blogs

BizTalk Integration Architect

For most organizations there will be a lot of overlap between an Integration Architect probably sits somewhere between a BizTalk Architect and a Solution Architect.  The Integration Architect will specialize in integration solutions and have an awareness of the organizations core application assets and also their integration and services toolkit. 

The BizTalk Technical Architect will know how to create the right kind of solution with BizTalk which features should be used when.

The Integration Architect should know when to use BizTalk in a solution but also when not to use BizTalk.  With the evolution of Microsoft technologies in the services and integration space Integration Architects will have an important role in deciding when to use BizTalk but also when to use AppFabric EAI, AppFabric Service Bus or [[articles:SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)|SSIS]] as examples.

References

The following books are a must read.      

BizTalk Administrator

A BizTalk administrator controls the environment and administrate all the applications, aggregates on suspended messages and solve issues regarding the BizTalk servers and messages. They also deploy applications to the environments. After development of an application the administrators are responsible for them. If you want to know more about working as a BizTalk administrator read the references and blogs mentioned below.

Key knowledge

  • Administration of BizTalk.
  • Microsoft Server.
  • Microsoft SQL Server.
  • General Network and firewall.
  • BizTalk adapters.

Reference

MVP Blogs

BizTalk Consultant

A BizTalk consultant is a (former) BizTalk developer/administrator with deep knowledge regarding the administration of BizTalk, configuring the environment, architecting, building, testing and deploying solutions. He/she able to:

  • Planning and establish new environment.
  • Performing stress testing and act mainly as a consultant of best practices of BizTalk.
  • Keeping statistics of the environment and providing scopes for the future.
  • Advising the rest of the administrators to act with best practice.
  • Designing robust BizTalk solutions.
  • Applying patterns for building solutions.
  • Govern development practices (standard and guidelines).
  • Depict versioning strategy.
  • Advice and apply best strategy for testing solutions.
  • Advice on deployment strategy.
  • Provide guidance to BizTalk administrators.

If you want to work as a BizTalk consultant I suggest you to take a deeper dive into BizTalk and have lots of hours at the steering wheel.

Key knowledge

  • Several years as BizTalk Administrator and developer.
  • Great knowledge of performance optimizing.
  • Great knowledge of maintaining a BizTalk Solution.
  • Knowledge of BizTalk best practices.
  • Scalability of a BizTalk solution.

References

Blogs

Other languages

This article is also available in the following languages:

See Also

Another important place to find a huge amount of BizTalk related articles is the TechNet Wiki itself. The best entry point is BizTalk Server Resources on the TechNet Wiki.