ESB Toolkit 2.1 Training Kit

I was browsing through the BizTalk Server Downloads section on MSDN recently and came across an excellent resource for BizTalk Server professionals looking to learn and leverage the capabilities of the ESB Toolkit.

BizTalk Server 2010 ESB Toolkit Training Kit

I wasn’t aware of it’s release and it doesn’t appear to be publicised anywhere on Microsoft’s site but I highly recommend you check it out.

The kit contains hands-on labs, PowerPoint slides and instructor-led videos. There is also the option to download two virtual machines for use with the labs.

The topics covered are:

1. Understanding the BizTalk ESB Toolkit
2. Installing the BizTalk ESB Toolkit
3. Processing Messages Using the ESB Itinerary Mechanism
4. ESB Pipeline Processing
5. The ESB Resolver and Adapter Provider Framework
6. Using ESB External Services
7. Exception Management and the ESB Management Portal
8. Modifying and Extending the ESB Toolkit

Enjoy!

ESB Toolkit 64-bit Issue

One of the issues I came across recently running the ESB Toolkit on a 64-bit server was the following.

Error details: The send adapter for this send port is not supported on 64-bit host instances. Please make sure that the send adapter is associated with a 32-bit only handler.

This occurred while sending a fault message to the exception management frameworks’ “All.Exceptions” send port. The “All.Exceptions” send port utilises the legacy SQL Adapter which does not support 64-bit mode.

To resolve this issue the send handler that the “All.Exceptions” send port is configured with must be running in 32-bit only mode.

I created a new 32-bit only Host and Host Instance for the legacy SQL Adapter and added a Send Handler for the Host.

1. Create a 32-bit Host

2.Create a Host Instance

3. Create a Send Handler

Given that the legacy SQL Adapter is planned for removal in future releases of BizTalk Server I suspect the WCF-SQL Adapter will be used in the next release of the ESB Toolkit. Although it was hoped that would be the case for the 2.1 release.