Sergio Del Piccolo

After what seems like a lengthy layoff (10 months without an issue), BizTalk HotRod has returned. Issue #5 is available and contains some interesting articles on BizTalk unit testing, SOA and BAM. The issue includes the following:

• Application Servers: BizTalk Vs Dublin
• Unit Testing in BizTalk Server 2009
• Better Together – The Solution for Tough Economic Times
• Monitoring a WCF Service with BAM
• Operations Management for BizTalk
• Governing the SOA Runtime with AmberPoint
• BizTalk monitoring and exception handling from any desktop
• Add Governance to BizTalk with SOA Software

Links
Read and download the current issue (and past issues): BizTalk Hotrod site
Subscribe: Editor@biztalkhotrod.com

BizTalk Server, BizTalk, BizTalk Hotrod

There’s a relatively new BAM whitepaper on MSDN that’s worth reading if you’re interested in finding out more about Business Activity Monitoring. Written by Jesus Rodriguez and Joe Klug it covers the following topics:

• a deep, low-level review of how BAM works and how it can be extended
• a review of BAM basics showing ways in which BAM data can be collected
• the BAM infrastructure
• a demonstration of methods for collecting BAM data
• how BAM can be extended to non-Microsoft technologies

Read here article here – http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd320628.aspx 
Downloaded the whitepaper with sample code here – http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=139086

BizTalk, BizTalk Server, MSDN, BAM, Business Activity Monitoring, Jesus Rodriguez, Joe Klug

K2 released K2 blackpoint today. K2 blackpoint is feature-rich software eliminating complexity and allowing business users and non-developers to quickly build workflow solutions and process-driven applications within Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 and Windows SharePoint Services 3.0. K2 blackpoint offers drag-and-drop tools, a Microsoft Office-style designer (K2 Studio) and a Silverlight-based K2 Web Designer.

It can be used to create new SharePoint workflows that span libraries, sites, InfoPath forms, server farms and organizations; manage approvals; and route documents and list items. With K2 blackpoint everything can be built without code, and users can assemble new applications from information that already exists and workflows that have already been built.

K2 blackpoint is a subset of K2 blackpearl features and tools. It offers an upgrade path so organizations can grow their investment and add capabilities over time. K2 blackpearl is the centrepiece of the K2 platform for building enterprise-ready, process-driven applications.

Pricing for K2 blackpoint is extremely competitive starting at $5,000 for up to 200 users. Automated workflow is now more achievable than ever!

Make sure you evaluate K2 blackpoint today!

K2 Underground – K2 blackpoint forums

SourceCode, K2, K2 blackpearl, K2 blackpoint, K2 Underground, MOSS, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server

  I was recently asked about how MetaStorm compares to K2 blackpearl. Having spent a great deal of time with K2 technology and none with MetaStorm, I decided some research was required. Luckily for me one of my fellow K2 Insiders, Jason Apergis, has pondered the same question. He wrote a great article on what each does and what their differentiators are. His article can be viewed here: http://www.k2distillery.com/2009/02/k2-blackpearl-and-metastorm-comparison.html

SourceCode, K2, K2 blackpearl, K2 Insiders, Jason Apergis, MetaStorm