Microsoft’s Business Solutions division previewed the .NET based web-services-capable Microsoft Business Network, the platform that will underpin the next generation of its applications, and provide the technology to facilitate collaboration between businesses, partners and customers. A key facet of the integration platform will be the ability to support data flow between applications without having to re-enter it, which is a huge source of error in business operations.
It is part of Microsoft’s wide-ranging SMB initiative through which it plans to offer a complete software stack from OS, middleware, database and back-office business applications to desktop applications such as Internet Explorer and Office. Microsoft Business Network uses the messaging and collaboration facilities of Outlook, and the integration facilities of BizTalk Server.
Although it will use XML, the Business Network will also provide built-in support for the various EDI standards and EDI data transports, and Microsoft is working with Covast, eBridge Software, and vSync on EDI and other areas of extension and enhancement. These and other partners will be critical in helping extend the Business Network. Their role will be to add industry-specific functionality, a strategy that is designed to maximize its appeal, taking it into as many niches as possible while simultaneously lowering the cost of implementation.
The Microsoft Business Network is the current working name for the technology platform, which has also been referred to as the Microsoft Business Framework and represents the next stage in the evolution of bNexus, which was developed in Latin America. Microsoft hopes to release a beta version in April this year with a release to manufacturing in North America and Brazil in June, with further releases following afterwards.
Subsequent versions will be enabled for Web Services integration with Navision VIP that is due to ship later this year. Ultimately Microsoft Business Solutions plans to move all its applications to the platform with the aim that the next generation of applications from the company will be based on a single code base managed via the new platform.
The conference was also the official launch pad of the Business Portal that is scheduled for launch in North America in April, and is designed to provide users with browser-based access to business applications and processes. It uses the .NET Framework to provide secure role based portal functionality and integrates with Great Plains and Solomon application suites, and can be extended to access external data sources. The company also highlighted Great Plains 7.5, which is due to ship in April and will combine with Microsoft Business Solutions Dynamics and eEnterprise applications to form a single solution; and Solomon 5.5 which will come with improved data integration capabilities and tighter integration with Office when it arrives in the second quarter of 2003, as well as Professional Services Automation Enabler which incorporates Microsoft Project and the Solomon Project Series.
Source: Computerwire
