[BizTalker] RE: Config options (was BizTalker test message)

[Scott Colestock]

Just a comment on the spreadsheet approach that Greg mentions below -

The nice thing about it is that the spreadsheet allows you to maintain a
matrix - that is, "token" names down the left-hand side (first column) and
environment names (like dev, qa, production, etc.) across the top (first
row.)  

This allows config information to vary by environment.  This same
spreadsheet can be used to drive the contents of your SSO as well as a means
of merging environment-specific values into your bindings file (via
xmlpreprocess.exe).   That way, everything that varies by environment is
captured in one place.

The command line tool for importing SSO settings allows for changing
individual values on the fly (for production support) -




SSOSettingsFileImport.exe v1.0.2669.24394
Import a settings file (as generated by SettingsFileGenerator.xls) into the
SSO.

affiliateAppName: Required argument not found

Usage: SSOSettingsFileImport.exe [@argfile] <affiliateAppName>
       [/settingsFile:<value>] [/list[+|-]] [/deleteApp[+|-]]
[/userGroupName:<value>]
       [/adminGroupName:<value>] [/propToModify:<value>]
[/propValue:<value>]
       [/help|?|h] [/version|v]


@argfile                 Read arguments from a file.
affiliateAppName         Affiliate application name
/settingsFile:<value>    Settings filespec
/list[+|-]               Just list name/values for existing application
/deleteApp[+|-]          Delete application
/userGroupName:<value>   User group name
/adminGroupName:<value>  Admin group name
/propToModify:<value>    Property name to modify
/propValue:<value>       Property value to modify
/help                    Show usage.
/version                 Show version.




-----Original Message-----
From: biztalkerlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:biztalkerlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
gregory.vandewiele
Sent: Monday, August 20, 2007 3:18 AM
To: BizTalker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [***SPAM***] RE: [BizTalker] test message

Andrew

I have implemented solutions using almost all different configuration
approaches, in production.

The BRE approach I used was based upon calling the rules engine with a
xml-message and letting the rule engine fill in certain nodes with values
based on the configuration. What you need to do next is read the xml node
values from inside the orchestration. If you make your vocabulary simple
enough you can very easily learn an admin how to update the values.

Another possibility is to use the excel file from Scott to enter the
configuration and the accompanying tool from
http://www.traceofthought.net/CategoryView,category,Deployment%20Framework.a
spx
Briefly it works like this: a SSO application is created and the values
exported from excel are deployed there using a command line tool. You can
use another supplied library to read the values from orchestration. The
values are not strongly typed so you have to cast them.

There is also a tool from Jon Flanders, which I have never used, that does
basically the same but is strongly typed. You can find more about it on his
blog.

The enterprise library is another option - but not a trivial one. You will
have to invest some time to learn it.
If you want to have different BizTalk servers share the same configuration
then you need a central place to keep it such as inside the SSO DB. There is
only a sample available from MS that shows how this can be done. Remember
it's only a sample - not as thoroughly tested as other MS code and not
supported for production. We have used this sample code and discovered some
issues with it, which were later fixed by the author (but not a short time
span). Now it looks to be stable for our scenario's and we have incorporated
the deployment of the SSO apps into our installation scripts. 

So far about configuration. 

For logging you can go for LOG4NET (or also the EL) or the default .NET
System.Diagnostics tracing for simple cases.

For exception handling I would personally advise to use the default shapes
from orchestration and do some additional logging there. Do not try to
combine the EL exception handling approach with orchestrations, it is
targeted at .NET apps.

Hope this helps...

Br,
Gregory van de Wiele

-----Original Message-----
From: biztalkerlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:biztalkerlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Andrew Hatch
Sent: maandag 20 augustus 2007 7:39
To: BizTalker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; BizTalker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [***SPAM***] RE: [BizTalker] test message

Thanks Bill
 
I have been researching storing .NET Configuration information in the BRE
but can't seem to find any reliable source that demonstrates how to do it.
The only two options available appear to be to use SSO or modify the
BTNTSvc.exe.config file. 
 
The latter solution I am trying to avoid as a bit of a risk mitigation
strategy for developers inadvertently wrecking the file!

________________________________

From: biztalkerlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx on behalf of Bill Chesnut
Sent: Mon 20/08/2007 10:56 AM
To: BizTalker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [BizTalker] test message



Andrew,

 

I have a sample BizTalk application that used most of what I spoke of in the
download section of my website, www.biztalkbill.com
<http://www.biztalkbill.com/> , I have an update for the sample that should
be on my site when I get back to Melbourne on Wednesday, currently in
country Victoria without very good internet connect.

 

Regards,

Bill Chesnut
Readify - Senior Consultant 

M: +61 404 063 648 | C: bill.chesnut@xxxxxxxxxxx 

From: biztalkerlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:biztalkerlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Andrew Hatch
Sent: Monday, 20 August 2007 10:52 AM
To: BizTalker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [BizTalker] test message

 

Thanks Bill

 

Is there a good example/best practice sample somewhere on the web that I can
take a look at?

 

 

________________________________

From: biztalkerlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx on behalf of Bill Chesnut
Sent: Mon 20/08/2007 10:13 AM
To: BizTalker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [BizTalker] test message

Andrew,

I have seen the SSO implementation of a configuration store, it seems to
require lots of work to me.

I have been using the Business Rules Engine to store all my BizTalk
configuration since BizTalk 2004, I like the visibility and external tools
to manage it without Visual Studio.

I also think that Enterprise Library is an overkill for managing exception
and logging in BizTalk, I typically use a very simple logging mechanism is a
.net help and make sure that BizTalk handles most of it own exceptions, that
way your administration people have visibility to these exceptions.

So, my quote for the day is "think like a BizTalk developer not a .Net
developer". :)

Bill

-----Original Message-----
From: biztalkerlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:biztalkerlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Andrew Hatch
Sent: Monday, 20 August 2007 8:17 AM
To: BizTalker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; BizTalker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [BizTalker] test message

Okay I'll bite as well.

I am planning to make use of the Microsoft Enterprise Library to do my
exception and logging management in a new BizTalk project I am currently
designing.

I found an excellent post on MSDN in the server code samples about
incorporating Version 2.0 and using SSO as the config store.

However has anyone actually done this in a production environment and would
they recommend using 3.1 as opposed to 2.0?

I would like to use 3.1 but am planning on erring on the side of caution and
using 2.0 as I have used it before without too many dramas.


________________________________

From: biztalkerlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx on behalf of Bradley, Peter
Sent: Sun 19/08/2007 8:19 PM
To: BizTalker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [BizTalker] test message



I think it got taken over and people just stopped posting.  I guess the list
is unmoderated.  Either that, or the moderator's gone AWOL.  There was a
time when this list was very useful.

It would be great if the list could re-establish itself.  In the meantime,
the best resources I know of are the microsoft.public.biztalk.general list
and Jan Eliasens blog.

HTH


Peter


-----Original Message-----
From: biztalkerlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx on behalf of Kent Wallace
Sent: Fri 8/17/2007 4:51 PM
To: BizTalker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [BizTalker] test message
 
You know people; I am disappointed in this list server.  I am on other
list servers that have a great conversation about technical issues.  

I see more porn request and job opportunities on this list.

Kent Wallace

Boise, Id

________________________________

From: biztalkerlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:biztalkerlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bradley,
Peter
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2007 8:21 AM
To: BizTalker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [BizTalker] test message

Works for me.

Just to prove someone is listening

Peter

________________________________

From: biztalkerlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:biztalkerlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bill Chesnut
Sent: 17 August :44
To: biztalker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [BizTalker] test message

Hello All,

Just a test message to make sure the list is still working.

Regards,

Bill Chesnut
BizTalk Server MVP
Readify - Senior Consultant

Suite 206 Nolan Tower | 29 Rakaia Way | Docklands | VIC 3008 | Australia

M:  | E: bill.chesnut@xxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:bill.chesnut@xxxxxxxxxxx>  | C: bill.chesnut@xxxxxxxxxxx
<sip:bill.chesnut@xxxxxxxxxxx>  | W: www.readify.net
<http://www.readify.net/> 

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