Architecture

Upgrading to BizTalk 2006

BizTalk + WWF Visionary — Sun, 30 Apr 2006 18:52:00 GMT

Move it:

MSIT group has just released a whitepaper on moving from BizTalk 2004 2002 & 2004 to BizTalk 2004 2006. It goes into quite a bit more technical detail than our typical case study particularly in regards to their consolidation onto 64bit hardware.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/itsolutions/msit/deploy/biztlk06upgtwp.mspx

What is REST

BizTalk + WWF Visionary — Sun, 30 Apr 2006 17:54:00 GMT

Can you feel it:

What is REST?

The following has been abstracted from Roger L. Costello;s article

REST is a term coined by Roy Fielding in his Ph.D. dissertation [1] to describe an architecture style of networked systems. REST is an acronym standing for Representational State Transfer.

Why is it called Representational State Transfer?

The Web is comprised of resources. A resource is any item of interest. For example, the Boeing Aircraft Corp may define a 747 resource. Clients may access that resource with this URL:

A representation of the resource is returned (e.g., Boeing747.html). The representation places the client application in a state. The result of the client traversing a hyperlink in Boeing747.html is another resource is accessed. The new representation places the client application into yet another state. Thus, the client application changes (transfers) state with each resource representation --> Representational State Transfer!

Here is Roy Fielding's explanation of the meaning of Representational State Transfer:

"Representational State Transfer is intended to evoke an image of how a well-designed Web application behaves: a network of web pages (a virtual state-machine), where the user progresses through an application by selecting links (state transitions), resulting in the next page (representing the next state of the application) being transferred to the user and rendered for their use."

Motivation for REST

The motivation for REST was to capture the characteristics of the Web which made the Web successful. Subsequently these characteristics are being used to guide the evolution of the Web.

REST - An Architectural Style, Not a Standard

REST is not a standard. You will not see the W3C putting out a REST specification. You will not see IBM or Microsoft or Sun selling a REST developer's toolkit. Why? Because REST is just an architectural style. You can't bottle up that style. You can only understand it, and design your Web services in that style. (Analogous to the client-server architectural style. There is no client-server standard.)

While REST is not a standard, it does use standards:

HTTP
URL
XML/HTML/GIF/JPEG/etc (Resource Representations)
text/xml, text/html, image/gif, image/jpeg, etc (MIME Types)

See rest of this article @ http://www.xfront.com/REST-Web-Services.html

Security Best Products

BizTalk + WWF Visionary — Sun, 30 Apr 2006 17:27:00 GMT

I will survive:

1. Hardware firewall. For small-office Wi-Fi networking, the most affordable secure firewall is the Linksys Wireless-G WRT54G router (left, about $60 USD street), which also offers four ports for wired Ethernet. If you wish to install third-party Linux firmware, get the WRT54GL ($70). To cover more than a few adjacent rooms, consider the Linksys WRT54GX ($160), which doubles the usual "g" range. Be sure to enable WPA or WPA2, either of which provide strong Wi-Fi security. The WRT54G and WRT54GX are PC Magazine Editors' Choice winners.

2. Security suite. ZoneAlarm Security Suite 6 (left, $60 street) is rated as the best all-in-one software firewall, antivirus program, and antispam filter — now with antispyware scanning and Windows OS kernel protection. It's received Editors' Choice awards from both PC Magazine and CNET. With the ZA Security Suite, there's no longer any reason to purchase separate antivirus, antispam, and software-firewall applications. (Turn off ZA's real-time spyware protection so this can be handled by your antispyware program, shown below.) Note: One magazine, PC World, recently rated Panda Platinum Internet Security 2005 higher than ZA Security Suite.

3. Antispyware program. For individual PC users, the most effective remover of spyware is Webroot Spy Sweeper 4.5 (left, under $35 per year), according to comparative tests published by PC Magazine. The previous version, 4.0, was also top-rated in tests by PC World. (Note: PC Mag has also given an Editors' Choice to Encore PC Tools Spyware Doctor 3.2.) For businesses that are looking for a centrally managed solution for 10 or more seats, Webroot's Spy Sweeper Enterprise ($240 per year for 10 users) has won the latest comparative review by Windows IT Pro and was rated a Best Buy by SC Magazine.

4. Update management. Individual users should opt into the new, free Microsoft Update, an improvement over Windows Update. You should also turn on the auto-download features of any installed apps you may have. For small to medium networks, Microsoft provides the free WSUS (Windows Server Update Services), which automates the downloading of critical patches for Windows, Office, and Exchange. For larger businesses, GFI LANguard Network Security Scanner (left, $375 for 25 users) is a broader product, top-rated by WindowSecurity.com and MCSE World. The latter site also publishes a helpful tutorial on LANguard NSS and Shavlik's HFNetChkPro ($900 for 25 users).

Sorry prices for US!

Developing a solid foundation for delivering transaction services

BizTalk + WWF Visionary — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 20:16:00 GMT

Walking on the moon:

Developing a solid foundation for delivering transaction services

Andy James, Chief Technology Officer, describes Solidsoft’s approach to delivering a common architecture for creating end-to-end business processes – the Solidsoft Solution Foundation

http://www.valuefromitingovt.com/oct05/article_solution.php

Fedirated Security in Local Governement

BizTalk + WWF Visionary — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 20:10:00 GMT

Something:

Facilitating joined up government with federated security

This article examines the benefits of creating a federated security environment.

http://www.valuefromitingovt.com/article_fedsec.php

MS responds to VMWare

BizTalk + WWF Visionary — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 20:06:00 GMT

I'm Free!:

Virtual Server 2005 R2 Enterprise Edition for Free

The full software for 32-bit and 64-bit versions is available as a free download !!!

This is the full Virtual Server 2005 R2 Enterprise edition available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. This is not a trial or limited version !

Virtual machines created today with Virtual Server will be able to migrate into our hyper visor based Windows virtualization.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/virtualserver/software/default.mspx

Get Back (again): Day 2 Insight Conf

BizTalk + WWF Visionary — Fri, 24 Mar 2006 19:48:00 GMT

Day 2 built on the excellent start of day 1.

Good business view of SOA kicked of my day, followed by the SQL workshop with Keith and Eric and then a fine BizTalk 2004 Session from John Plummer and Kevin Smith (both of MS). In the afternoon I enjoyed an excellent presentation from Martin Fowler (Thoughtworks not Eastenders!)

Lots of networking and hob knobing before winding my weary way home!

Overall and excellent 2 days. Well done the two Matts!

Get Back: (Slight Welsh reference if said with lots of phlem!)) Day 1 of the Microsoft Architects Insight Conference

BizTalk + WWF Visionary — Thu, 23 Mar 2006 02:20:00 GMT

Location : Celtic Manor - http://www.celtic-manor.com/

Agenda: Good in parts

Best Session of the Day: Eric Nelson's SQL Server 2005 Application Architecture. First 15 mins very funny...

Introduced 7 new products:

1. SOA Server

2. XML server

3. Application Server

4. ETL Server

5. OLAP Server

6. Diamond Reporting Server (SIC)

7. Deep Thought Server

Guess what only sold as a suite of programs, and every copy gets a free SQL 2005 license....think about it.

Intresting stuff today on SoBI, MSF 4, Indentity, and of course SQL 2005

How can I be sure?: Improve your web security

BizTalk + WWF Visionary — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 18:54:00 GMT

Quote

Threats and Countermeasures: Improve Your Web Application Security

This guide gives you a solid foundation for designing, building, and configuring secure ASP.NET Web applications. Whether you have existing applications or are building new ones, this guide is for you.

Minor Ad:
Great DVD rental offer!

Welcome to my nightmare: Interesting use of Amazon's Web Services

BizTalk + WWF Visionary — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 10:34:00 GMT

Amazon's Mechanical Turk Project

In 1769, Hungarian nobleman Wolfgang von Kempelen astonished Europe by building a mechanical chess-playing automaton that defeated nearly every opponent it faced. A life-sized wooden mannequin, adorned with a fur-trimmed robe and a turban, Kempelen’s "Turk" was seated behind a cabinet and toured Europe confounding such brilliant challengers as Benjamin Franklin and Napoleon Bonaparte. To persuade skeptical audiences, Kempelen would slide open the cabinet’s doors to reveal the intricate set of gears, cogs and springs that powered his invention. He convinced them that he had built a machine that made decisions using artificial intelligence. What they did not know was the secret behind the Mechanical Turk: a human chess master cleverly concealed inside.

Amazon have created a web service usage project that is based on this principle of having humans behind a mechanical façade - have a look at http://www.mturk.com/mturk/welcome