Title: BizTalk
for Archiving / Backup:
Author: Toraj
Khavari
Date: January
29 2015
Objective: The Microsoft
BizTalk has a suite of powerful technologies and tools. It can support
artifacts archive and backup requirements. I had a business requirement to
archive any document received and sent to the A-dec’s vendors. How to use BizTalk
to archive source and destination files? Let us explore answers together.
Article Body: Although,
BizTalk can support any source and destination documents, and web services
formats, in this article, we will explore solutions to archive inbound and
outbound EDI text files. The BizTalk SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) adapters are used to communicate across secured firewalls to and from Azure MFT (Managed
File Transfer) Server. To setup BizTalk SFTP, refer to my previous wiki article
“Biztalk
SFTP Adapter Configuration.”
Business
Requirement:
Archive all the Inbound and Outbound artifacts from and to a vendor.
In
this case, the file structure in the MFT servers were implemented as follow.
However, the archived files can be anywhere.
First
let us implement a solution to archive Inbound, from vendors or customers, to
A-dec. The vendors or customers are the source of information and A-dec is the
destination. In other words, in this example, archive all …ESPInbound data to
…Archive/ESPInbound without effecting the existing maps, schemas, and
orchestration.
1- A) Add a
Send after the Receive in the Orchestration, B) match the Message with the
Orchestration Received Message, C) configure a Send Port, and D) connect the
Send to Send Port.
2- In the
BizTalk Admin tool, after configuring the port, the Filters will be of great
value to us. Implement the archive rules in the port Filters. Example, as
follows.
3- The
Parties rules are important. Make sure the new archived folders are added to the
parties.
Second,
let us implement a solution to archive Outbound, from A-dec to vendors or
customers. A-dec is the source of information and vendors or customers are the
destination. In other word, in this example, archive all …ESPOutbound data to
…Archive/ESPOutbound.
1- Archiving
information must be strategically placed in the BizTalk Orchestration. It must
be done after posting the outbound message, successfully. A) Add a Send after
the Send in the Orchestration, match the Message with the Orchestration send
Message, B) configure a Send Port, and C) Connect the Send to Send Port.
2- Send
port’s filters and Parties Send Ports will play important roles. Set the rules
to meet the business needs.
Hints:
-
Although
BizTalk Orchestration makes development, debugging and production support
easier, it is not a requirement. Standard send port and Outbound Maps and
filters can meet the need, too.
-
There
are other technologies, e.g., file watchers, scheduled batch scripts, cascade
file copy, etc. to duplicate files. They all have advantages and disadvantages.
I believe, BizTalk added send ports are clean, reliable, traceable, fault
tolerant, and we do not have to bring another technology in house.
-
Azure
Servers and all production servers have scheduled archive and backup
strategies. Beyond duplicating artifacts
with BizTalk, it is advantages to rely on servers archive and backup
technologies.
-
The
added send ports have no effect on orchestration’s maps, schema, etc.
The
BizTalk Ports and Adapters support flexible and scalable archive and backup
strategies. Use them appropriately. However, rely on other technologies for
standard servers’ archive and backup.
Happy
coding, Toraj
References:
No comments:
Post a Comment