The latest version of Microsoft’s integration server product entered beta testing in June 2003 and was originally scheduled for release at the end of the year. With Microsoft saying only that the availability of the product has not been announced, it appears unlikely that it will meet that schedule, although the release of packaging details indicates there should not be too long to wait.
Existing BizTalk users will be familiar with the packaging for BizTalk Server 2004, with four editions available: Enterprise, Standard, Partner, and Developer. The pricing will also be familiar with Enterprise Edition starting at $25,000 per CPU, Standard Edition at $7,000 per CPU, Partner Edition at $1,000 per CPU, and Developer Edition at $750 per CPU.
Only the Developer Edition of BizTalk Server 2002 is priced differently. That product is currently listed at $499 per CPU and is used for development and testing purposes only.
While the pricing remains the same, the number of internal and external connections that can be made using BizTalk Server has been increased in the Standard and Partner Editions. Standard Edition allows customers to connect to 20 trading partners and 10 internal applications, up from 10 partners and five internal applications in the current version.
The 2004 version of Partner Edition allows customers to connect to three trading partners and five internal applications, up from two trading partners and two internal applications in the current version. Enterprise Edition enables unlimited trading partners and applications, as before.
BizTalk Server 2004 is the first phase of Microsoft’s Jupiter set of server technologies and provides foundation services and technologies for Microsoft’s forthcoming server technology releases. Jupiter is Microsoft’s project to enable customers to mix and match e-commerce and business process products and select the functionality they desire.
This article is based on material originally produced by ComputerWire.
