Details:

• BizTalk Server 2010 and below used the XslTransform class which was based on lower versions on .NET(introduced in .NET 1.1)
• BizTalk Server 2013 uses XSLCompiledTransform class introduce after .NET 2.0.
• There was a excellent blog which showed how to utilize XSLCompiledTransform class for BizTalk Server 2010 or below by paolo.

if you are one of our customers who heavily utilizes maps it would be benefit to upgrade to BizTalk Server 2013 or R2.

Here is what we found in BizTalk Server Performance Lab when we compared difference in XSLT Mapping

Scenario: SAP IDOC(POS) to EDI(810) - Single map with extensive logic and schemas and the size of MAPS+Schemas DLL was greater than 6 MB

The following table shows the side by side comparison

we also were able to test BizTalk Server 2013 with 500 docs/sec and the CPU utilization reached about 90%

so from above you can see BizTalk Server 2013 and gives you significant performance enhancement with large maps.

While working on the BizTalk Server Performance Lab; we took screen shots from pre-requisites installation, BizTalk installation, configuration , multi-server configuration and few other best practices. 

* Note: This was a performance lab install and is meant to assist you with the installation and configuration of BizTalk Server. This does not replace the installation guide.

The following process walks you through Installing and Configuring for BizTalk Server 2010/2013(R2). The screen shots are attached with all steps.  When doing a Multi-Server Configuration (BizTalk and SQL not on same machine is also considered multi-server) we ONLY support domain groups. Ensure that you do not use local groups.

You can find all screenshots in one attachment here(BizTalk Installation & Configuration)

Pre-Requisites:

• IIS
• Application Server Role
• .NET 4.5, 3.5
• COM+ Network Access
• DTC
• SQL Tools are required for BAM/ESB toolkit.
• *SQL Server 2005 notification services is required for BAM alerts. With 2013 R2 we do not require 2005 Notification services as Database Mail is utilized.

Attachments:

• Add Roles on BizTalk Server.zip (Attachment for screenshots)
• MSDTC Configuration.zip(Attachment for screenshots)
  • Ensure that all BizTalk Servers and SQL Servers have the same DTC security configuration is identical on all servers
  • If SQL Server or BizTalk Servers are clustered the Clustered & local DTC has also been configured with similar settings

BizTalk Server Installation

• BizTalk Server Installation.zip(Attachment for screenshots)
  • Best practice is to install the same features on all server(even though) you might not configure same features on all servers. This is for the CU’s or service packs so that all assemblies are consistent across all servers within the group

BizTalk Server Configuration - First Server

• BizTalk Server - SSO Configuration.zip
  • Typically in production environments we recommend to Cluster ESSO. In this scenario the First BizTalk Server is also the Master Secret Server
  • Creates a Windows Service named Enterprise Single Sign-on
  • To cluster ENTSSO please use the following url: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa561823.aspx
  • This creates the SSODB on the specified SQL Server.
  • BizTalk Group Configuration.zip
  • While configuring the BizTalk Group you configure the domain groups and the SQL Server for the MessageBox, DTA and Management DB.
  • Typical best practice recommendation for high volume environment is to separate the BizTalk and SQL Servers on to different SQL Server Instances
  • BizTalk Runtime Configuration.zip
  • Runtime configuration is really straight forward where you are creating default host instances for isolated and inprocess services. You have an option to select either 32-bit or 64-bit processes.
  • Creates one new windows Service(BizTalk Server Group:BizTalkServerApplication) or inprocess hostname. This is the default BizTalk engine
  • Typically it is recommended to change the startup type on the BizTalk host instances windows services to “Automatic(Delayed Start)”. This is to ensure that BizTalk host instances only startup after ENTSSO process
  • If you plan to use default hosts with wither POP3, FTP or MLLP(before 2013 R2) leave the inprocess host to 32 bit process

  • Biztalk Rules Engine Configuration.zip

    • Straight forward configuration; specify database and  service account for BizTalk Rules Engine. Here we used the BizTalk Service account for Inprocess host instance; you can also create a dedicated service account for this

BizTalk Server Configuration – Join to Group – Second/Third Server – ONLY ENTERPRISE LICENSE

See the attachments; straight forward configuration of the SSO Join to group; Group Join to group

• SSO Configuration - Join to Group.zip
• Runtime Configuration Join to Group.zip(Group, Runtime & Rules Engine)

After Configuration Steps – IMPORTANT

Please ensure that you configure the following SQL jobs:

• Backup BizTalk Server Job - SQL-Backup BizTalk Server Job.zip
• The "Backup BizTalk Server" SQL Agent job creates synchronized backups of all BizTalk Server databases.  This is accomplished by using marked transactions with the “Full” database recovery model.  This is required for the backups to be transactionally consistent across databases.
• Therefore, you must use the "Backup BizTalk Server" SQL Agent job to backup your BizTalk databases.  This job must first be configured so it knows where to store the full backups and the transaction log backups.

• DTA Purge and Archive Job

  • This bigger the size of tracking database the slower the data moves from trackingdata tables to DTA DB. This directly impacts your performance
  • The tracking feature in BizTalk provides valuable historic information for analysis and troubleshooting purposes but can mean storing and managing large amounts of tracking data.  In order to prevent performance problems and to maintain a healthy BizTalk environment it is important that this data is actively managed.
  • BizTalk Server provides a SQL agent job which archives and purges old data from the BizTalk Tracking (BizTalkDTADb) database.  It is important to configure and enable the DTA Purge and Archive SQL Agent job to perform this housekeeping process
  • The job can run in two modes that are documented below:
    • Archive and Purge mode: (https://msdn.microsoft.com/enus/library/dd802818(BTS.10).aspx)    
    • Purge mode: (https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd745781(BTS.10).aspx)

Other Best Practices and Options available

• Changing the power setting on the servers from balanced to performance increases your system responsiveness and overall performance. Power Configuration.zip
• Disable Global Tracking.zip
• To avoid any tracking to happen in BizTalk Server you can choose to disable the global tracking by going into the Group settings and unchecking the enable tracking property
• Even when Global Tracking is successfully disabled the DTA database can continue to grow for two reasons:
• Every time the BizTalk Backup job runs it inserts a row in the MarkLog table of every database backed up (that will include DTA).
• Every time you terminate a suspended instance a row will be written to ServiceInstances table in DTA

• Create Multiple MessageBoxes.zip

• We only recommend creating multiple message boxes when the message box database and the SQL jobs supporting the process are no longer able to handle the volume. To discuss various scenarios that you need this please contact support

• HostThrottlingSettings.zip

• The changes in the attachment are NOT recommended. In the scenario while we were testing, we decided to see what the engine could handle in a MST perspective. Several changes are performed in the attachment which WILL NOT apply to your environment. Please validate your requirements or contact support if your BizTalk Server is throttling continuously.

• CreateHosts.zip

  • Attachment that show how to create a new host instance

Security Groups & Accounts

• it is recommended that you utilize domain groups and service accounts

• Visual studio 2013 for Developers
• Windows Server 2012 & R2
• SQL Server 2012 & 2014
• SQL Server Database Mail. SQL Server 2005 Notification Services is not supported any more for BAM Alerts
• Based on .NET Framework 4.5.1
• SB Messaging On-Premises
• JSON (WCF-WebHttp  Adapter - *RESTful & Relay with Server 2013)
• MLLP Adapter enhancements
• SFTP enhancements Cipher(3DES, AES)
• Performance Monitoring
• XSLT enhancements introduced with BizTalk Server 2013

Hidden Gems

• BizTalk Health Monitor (great articles by Chirag)
  • https://blogs.msdn.com/b/biztalkhealthmonitor/archive/2014/06/26/getting-started-with-biztalk-health-monitor-bhm.aspx
  • https://blogs.msdn.com/b/biztalkhealthmonitor/archive/2014/06/26/overview-of-biztalk-health-monitor-bhm.aspx
  • BHM is backward compatible with previous editions of BizTalk Server
• JSON Support
• Wizard to generate Schema
• Pipeline component to EnCode and Decode
• OnPrem SB Messaging Integration - Hybrid Application
• You can use the SB-Messaging adapters to bridge the connectivity between Windows Azure and on-premises BizTalk Server 

MLLP Adapter Enhancements

• 64 Bit
• ETW Adapter level tracing
• Dynamic port enabled
• Performance Counters introduced to the MLLP adapter
• The ACK/NACK is created by the adapter.  This was needed to boost performance(this was introduced last year)

Migration Opportunities

• You could import application MSIs as far back as BizTalk Server 2006 R2. This however, will not upgrade the BizTalk assemblies to .NET 4.0
• The above is not completely applicable to EDI solutions.

Known Issues

• Missing BizTalk Server development artifacts(only available are Flat File Schema Wizard and JSON Schema Wizard)
• if you have installed VS2013 Update 2; you could potentially be missing several BizTalk development artifacts. To resolve this please uninstall the VS update 2
• BizTalk Health Monitor

 So here is a quick image for various migration paths available for a BizTalk Server 2006 R2 upgrade to BizTalk Server 2009.

here is a quick list that i always use... may be it's helpful for all. 

Health and Administration

• BizTalk Management Tool Pack (https://btstoolpack.codeplex.com/)
• BizTalk Best Practice Analyzer (https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=93d432fe-1370-4b6d-aaa8-a0c43c30f5ab&displaylang=en)
• Server Performnace Advisor: (https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=09115420-8C9D-46B9-A9A5-9BFFCD237DA2&displaylang=en)
• Message Box Viewer(https://blogs.technet.com/jpierauc/archive/2009/04/27/mbvquerybuilder-latest-version.aspx )
• PAL(https://pal.codeplex.com)
• Orchestration Profiler(https://biztalkorcprofiler.codeplex.com/)
• SQL Server 2005 Performance Dashboard Reports: (https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=1d3a4a0d-7e0c-4730-8204-e419218c1efc&displaylang=en)
• Powershell and BizTalk: https://biztalkmessages.vansplunteren.net/tag/biztalk-tools/

Deployment

• BTS Control(https://btscontrol.codeplex.com/)
• View BizTalk Assemblies Option in My Computer: BTSASMEXT.DLL(https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee251587(BTS.10).aspx): Do not panic if you do not find the dll in your production/UAT box. The DLL is installed as a part of Visual studio integration. I have tested it by copying the dll to a different server where BizTalk is installed and registered it(You have to logoff and logon to take affect). The next time I logon the BizTalk Assemblies option is available in My Computer.
• BizTalk Documenter(https://biztalkdocumenter.codeplex.com/)
• BizTalk SSO Configuration Data Storage Tool (https://blogdoc.biztalk247.com/article.aspx?page=629fb9d6-7af1-4e02-b6d1-5cd5c554f057)
• Deployment Framework for BizTalk (https://biztalkdeployment.codeplex.com/)
• BizTalk Undeploy Helper (https://biztalkundeploy.codeplex.com/)
• BizTalk Host Configurator per Application (https://biztalkapphostconfig.codeplex.com/)

Testing & Development

• Microsoft BizTalk LoadGen 2007 tool(https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c8af583f-7044-48db-b7b9-969072df1689&DisplayLang=en )
• BizUnit(https://www.codeplex.com/bizunit)
• BizTalkCop & FXCop(https://biztalkcop.codeplex.com/)
• Map Documenter https://biztalkmapdoc.codeplex.com/

Relate Tools

• DebugView for Windows (https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896647.aspx)
• Process Explorer(https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx)
• TCP Trace(https://www.pocketsoap.com/tcptrace/)
• TCP View(https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897437.aspx)
• Sys Internals(https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb842062.aspx)
• DTC Ping(https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5e325025-4dcd-4658-a549-1d549ac17644&DisplayLang=en)
• DTC Tester(https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5e325025-4dcd-4658-a549-1d549ac17644&DisplayLang=en)

Enterprise Service Bus

• https://esb.codeplex.com/
• v2.0 : https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/biztalk/dd876606.aspx - BizTalk Server 2009
• v1.0 : https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc487894.aspx

Guides:

• Microsoft BizTalk Server Performance Optimization Guide https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=98ECF11A-9A8E-4939-8CEF-2BC5536DC792&displaylang=en
• BizTalk Server Database Optimization https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb743398(BTS.10).aspx
• Microsoft BizTalk Server Operations Guide https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5251F103-329D-4F8D-95B5-64F99F2F6DFC&displaylang=en
• Business Activity Monitoring in Depth for Developers https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=FF6E4498-B1FF-4932-BA6B-1B53AC6FB3B2&displaylang=en

Blogs:

• Server Team: https://blogs.msdn.com/biztalk_server_team_blog/
• biztalk: https://blogs.msdn.com/biztalk/
• https://blogdoc.biztalk247.com/default.aspx

Pre-requisite: Please ensure that all BizTalk Databases are backed up regularly

Checklist: Increasing Availability with Disaster Recovery: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc296886(BTS.10).aspx

Best Practices for Disaster Recovery: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc296756(BTS.10).aspx

BizTalk Server SQL Server Log Shipping: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc296856(BTS.10).aspx

How to Restore Your Databases: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd759730(BTS.10).aspx

High Availability for Databases: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc296692(BTS.10).aspx 

For the operations team, the critical thing is to run the VBscript files to update the databases and the registry on the BizTalk Servers. The Scripts can be found in the BizTalk Server Install folder Under Schema and Restore.

·         On 64-bit computers, you must run UpdateDatabase.vbs/ UpdateRegistry.vbs from a 64-bit command prompt.

·         You only need to run UpdateDatabase.vbs on one server in the BizTalk group.

·         You need to run UpdateRegistry.vbs on every server in the BizTalk group.

Operational Readiness Checklists: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc296893(BTS.10).aspx

Monitoring Applications and Host Instances: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc296805(BTS.10).aspx

Monitoring the BizTalk Server Environment: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc296786(BTS.10).aspx

Routine Maintenance Checklists: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc296673(BTS.10).aspx

Performing Daily Maintenance Checks: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc296822(BTS.10).aspx

Performing Weekly Maintenance Checks: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc296691(BTS.10).aspx

Performing Monthly Maintenance Checks: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc296891(BTS.10).aspx

Removing Suspended Service Instances: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd801873(BTS.10).aspx 

Removing Zombie Orchestration Instances: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd746150(BTS.10).aspx

·         Also dev in look and feel(icons) of BTS Admin console

·         You can now Build BTPROJ's without Visual Studio.. all you need is the .NET Framework installed

·         You can create Schemas without having BTPROJ

·         MSBuild: BTPROJ files are now in MSBuild format

·         VSDEPLOY output shown in Deploy from VS

·         application name, BTS database and server held in BTPROJ.USER file for deployment

·         No Changes in the Schemas and Maps

·         No HAT in the Programs Menu anymore..Most probably will be deprecated

·         BTS Admin console loads Asynchronously.. Means only loads when you click the application/Artifacts.. better as does not need to load all apps and artifacts

·         Support for Windows Server 2003 R2 and Windows Server 2008

·         Support for SQL Server 2005 and SQL Server 2008

·         WCF SQL adapter

·         HWS and BAS removed

·         No Changes to BRE

·         Few changes in EDI (just heard about changes, do not know what they are)

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\BizTalk Server\3.0 and the key ProductEdition. This should tell you if it is Enterprise/Standard or Branch.... 

BizTalk version through Registry:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\BizTalk Server\3.0

Here is a way to determine the version of BizTalk Server through Database:

open BizTalkDBVersion Table from BizTalk Management database.. Do not change any values here as the supportability clause comes into picture....

This is by DB version though.. not the registry.. there should be some easy way to tell, trying to get that mapping...