Well, we're now up to BizTalk Server 2006 R2 - which is actually the fifth version of BizTalk to be released. For those of you who started with one of the first two versions, Mick knows a good therapist... I was lucky enough to escape those trials and come on the scene starting with BizTalk Server 2004, the first reasonably integrated version (I know a few folks who were forever turned off to BTS because of their experiences with one of the earlier releases!)   

Let's see where we've come from:

BizTalk Server 2000
  •     First version shipped
  •     XML B2B
  •     Enterprise Application Integration (EAI)
  •     XLANG Schedules
  •     Document Specifications
BizTalk Server 2002
  •     EAI (partner adapters)
  •     Vertical B2B
  •     XLANG Schedule Correlation
BizTalk Server 2004
  •     First version to run on .NET 1.0 (Visual Studio 2003)
  •     Business Process Management (BPM)
  •     Partner adapters (3rd party)
  •     Business Rules Engine / Rules Composer
  •     Business Activity Monitoring (BAM)
BizTalk Server 2006
  •     First version to run on .NET 2.0 (Visual Studio 2005)
  •     Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)
  •     Enterprise Service Bus (ESB)
  •     Adapters Out of the Box
  •     Host Integration
  •     Real-time BAM
  •     Consolidated Administration Tool
BizTalk Server 2006 R2
  •     Enhanced SOA / ESB
  •     Enhanced BPM
  •     Extend B2B (+EDI/AS2)
  •     Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID) tracking
  •     Windows Communication Foundation (WCF)
  •     Windows Workflow hosting
Yes, we've come a long way in just seven years! From designing Visio-based XLANG schedules, creating specifications, and mapping data with a loosely bound collection of tools (BTS 2000/2002), to an integrated Business Process Management solution with Visual Studio development & runtime support and a Business Rules Engine (BTS 2004), to a full Enterprise Integration solution out-of-the-box (industry adapters included!) with a one-stop admin console that doesn't take a 3-day course and 100+ pages of documentation for your IT administrators to manage (BTS 2006). R2 then delivers true SOA capability via a connected systems package supporting "edge-of-the-enterprise" supply-chain scenarios and RFID, as well as interoperability with WCF and LOB access through a comprehensive adapter package.  

The bottom line:

If your only experience with BizTalk has been version 2004 or earlier, then it's high time you have a good look at 2006 R2 to see the enormous improvements in connectivity, interoperability, ease of design and implementation, and management!