Microsoft Corp. has made generally available Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006 R2, business-process management built around a service-oriented architecture. The new product includes advances for radio frequency identification (RFID) and electronic data interchange (EDI), as well as extended inter-operability via enterprise service bus (ESB) guidance and line-of-business adapters. According to Microsoft, the capabilities make it easier for companies to connect systems within their own organizations and across those of trading partners. Microsoft's application platform spans products and technologies to manage applications and I.T. infrastructure across the organization, the company said. The New BizTalk Server also offers integrated support for vertical industry standards such as SWIFT, HL7, HIPAA and RosettaNet. It is available in a new Branch Edition version, which supports the linking of hub-and-spoke supply-chain processes between companies.
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