BizTalk Server 2006 Platform Dependency Matrix

We all know how daunting the installation and configuration of BizTalk Server can be. It's an amazing product that rides on top of an amazing platform that can become quite difficult in trying to understand all the complex platform dependencies needed for a feature. For BizTalk Server 2006, we have made huge strides in solving this problem by creating a product that is capable of sniffing your machine, finding out what software is missing, and installing it for you. Unfortunately, we can't do it for all of the pre-requisites needed.

There are also times in which you will be building out machines created for the sole purpose of serving up a few select features of BizTalk Server. Then the question becomes..."OK, so I want to install feature x, y, and z. What is the minimum software that I need to have on this machine in order for me to get those pieces installed?" In addition to creating a rich product, we are creating rich documentation that helps you install, configure, develop, deploy, and manage your BizTalk Server 2006 environment.

The new installation guide for BizTalk Server 2006 Beta 2 will provide a dependency matrix that tries to help you understand what pieces you need on your machine for each feature...and I'm looking for feedback from the community...

Take a look at the image below (click to enlarge).

1. Does this help address your questions on feature based platform dependencies?
2. Are there other things you expect to see on this chart?
3. Is the chart too confusing? If so, how would you like it to be presented?
4. Any other feedback in this area?

Note: This chart is pre-release content and is subject to change.

 Click to enlarge...

Feel free to submit feedback here or reply directly to me.

Thanks!
-luke

Comments

• Anonymous
  October 26, 2005
  The comment has been removed
• Anonymous
  October 26, 2005
  Luke,
  
  This is definitely a step in the right direction and looks like something that will be helpful, as it is quick to determine the depenancies using this visual format.
  
  I am wondering whether you will be working on anything similar that outlines the security requirements? Something that consolidates all the manual security set-up into an easily readable, one-stop reference rather than having to spend time going through everything to determine what is needed.
  
  Thanks,
  
  Matt
• Anonymous
  November 06, 2005
  It seems nice, but still a lot of pain to find the software, download it (often in a server hall without internet connection), install it etc.
  
  I would like a BizTalk update software which you can run before installing BizTalk, which downloads all the pre-requisites for your computer (2003, xp, 32 or 64-bit etc). If you run this update-tool after BizTalk is installed it will list all the latest updates, such as Service packs, documentation updates, sdk updates etc. And then you check what updates you like to download and install.
  
  If you don't bother developing this software, perhaps you could post a .zip-file with all the latest sqlxml v?, msxmlv?, Office add-ons etc so we don't have to chase click a lot of links in a installations guide.
  
  Perhaps it could be part of Microsoft update as well.
• Anonymous
  November 07, 2005
  I think it's pretty cool. I was just wondering about some of that info last week.
• Anonymous
  November 17, 2005
  These are all great comments! We are looking at ways to improve this after Beta 2 and I am bringing these ideas to the table. I really like the idea of visual chart for security information! Other things we are looking at include a feature/feature matrix which shows what features depend on other features, as well as a server role matrix. For example, if you wanted to have a "runtime only" server or maybe an "admin only" server. What software and feature combination are required? A visual chart would be good here.
• Anonymous
  May 10, 2006
  今日はひさびさにBizTalkのネタです。BizTalk Server 2006の各機能とプラットフォーム（.NET Framework, SQL Server, IIS, ...）間の依存関係を示した表を発見しました。...