Pricing and Licensing FAQ

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Microsoft offers BizTalk Server 2006 R2 in several editions. BizTalk Server 2006 R2 Enterprise Edition (ENT) is designed for customers with enterprise-level requirements for high volume, reliability, and availability. BizTalk Server 2006 R2 Standard Edition (STD) is designed for businesses with moderate volume and deployment scale requirements. In addition, BizTalk Server 2006 R2 Developer Edition (DEV) is available for development and testing purposes, and BizTalk Server 2006 R2 Evaluation Edition (EVAL) is for free evaluation purposes.

BizTalk Server 2006 R2 Branch Edition (BR) is a specialty version of BizTalk Server designed for hub and spoke deployment scenarios. Branch Edition (at the spoke) is used in conjunction with Enterprise Edition (at the hub) to support the distributed intra-enterprise connectivity needed for RFID scenarios, host gateway connectivity, and hub and spoke deployments.

Customers that need a highly available solution for mission-critical processes should consider BizTalk Server 2006 R2 ENT. For customers that do not require high availability, BizTalk Server 2006 R2 STD may be the best option; however, BizTalk Server 2006 R2 STD is limited to five BizTalk applications. For customers that have distributed hub and spoke topologies (such as deployments in branch offices or warehouses) should consider BizTalk Server 2006 R2 BR at the spoke and BizTalk Server 2006 R2 ENT at the hub (for centralized coordination, and aggregation of process and information).

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In BizTalk Server 2006 R2, an application is a logical grouping of all the BizTalk Server design-time artifacts (schemas, maps, pipelines, orchestrations), messaging components (receive ports, receive locations, send ports) and other related items, such as policies that comprise an integrated business process. BizTalk Server applications simplify the deployment and management of BizTalk Server–based solutions.

For example, if you are deploying a 401K solution using BizTalk Server 2006 R2, the related orchestrations, schemas, and artifacts would constitute a single BizTalk Server application.

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In a large BizTalk Server 2006 R2 deployment, two key considerations ensure redundancy in all areas of the architecture and manage significant message volume:

First, on the front end (the machines running the BizTalk Server 2006 R2 services that are actually performing the business document transformation, routing, and business process management work), it is usually best to have two or more computers pulling from the centralized processing queue, so that if one fails, the remaining computers are still processing work. This provides both “scale-out” and “failover” for the BizTalk Server 2006 R2 computers. The BizTalk Server 2006 R2 machines often do not need to use Microsoft Cluster Server (MSCS), as fault tolerance is automatically provided in redundant configurations. BizTalk Server 2006 R2 ENT boxes may be clustered using MSCS to enable specific scenarios. If customers choose to cluster (using MSCS) the BizTalk Server 2006 R2 machines, CPU licenses must be purchased for every server, regardless of whether they are clustered as active/active or active/passive mode. Whether customers choose to cluster using MSCS or redundant configuration, BizTalk Server 2006 R2 ENT is the only edition that supports using more than one computer to share a BizTalk Server 2006 R2 load.

Second, on the back end (the computer[s] on which the Microsoft SQL Server processing queue is located, and from which one or more front-end computers are pulling), it is also desirable to have “failover” should the computer running the SQL Server service fail. This is a standard active/passive SQL Server clustering scenario utilizing MSCS and, logically, is completely separate from the BizTalk Server 2006 R2 computer(s) in operation. This is what we are referring to as “failover” clustering. SQL Server Enterprise Edition and Standard Edition offer failover clustering ability. Note that you may use BizTalk Server 2006 R2 ENT or STD with SQL Server Enterprise Edition or Standard Edition for failover capability on the back end. It is also often desirable to “scale-out” the SQL Server installations by providing more than one computer running SQL Server to support multiple message boxes. BizTalk Server 2006 R2 ENT is the only edition that offers scale-out ability and multiple message boxes.

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BizTalk Server 2006 R2 ENT will naturally use all of the CPUs in the server. The number of BizTalk Server 2006 R2 ENT licenses that must be purchased is always the exact number of CPUs in the server, except for processors that are made inaccessible to any operating system copy upon which BizTalk Server 2006 R2 is set up to run (through hardware partitioning solutions).

The BizTalk Server 2006 R2 STD engine can technically use only two processors on the server, even if it consists of more processors. For deployments where BizTalk Server 2006 R2 is used, you need to buy the same number of processor licenses that Windows Server will utilize on that server. For example, if you have BizTalk Server 2006 R2 STD installed on a four-processor server and the Windows operating system is utilizing all four processors, because the server’s performance is benefiting from all four processors running the operating system, you need to purchase four licenses of BizTalk Server 2006 R2 STD.

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You are required to have a valid processor license for each processor on which you install any component of the “server software.” However, you may install “additional software” on any number of internal devices for use solely in conjunction with the server software or other additional software. Additional software includes (but is not limited to):

Any components not specified “additional software” in your licensing materials are considered server software and require a valid processor license when utilized.

Please see "May I install the 'Master Secret Server' SSO component on a separate server?" for more information regarding the “Master Secret Server” Single Sign-On (SSO) exception.

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In certain cases, the preferred or recommended architecture may require you to install the “Master Secret Server” Single Sign-On (SSO) component on a separate server for security purposes. Hence, for each BizTalk Server 2006 R2 processor license you own, you may install a single instance of the Master Secret Server component on a separate server (in a 1:1 processor ratio).

For example, you may acquire four processor licenses of BizTalk Server 2006 R2 ENT, install the Master Secret Server on two, two-processor boxes (four processor BizTalk Server licenses equal four processor Master Secret Servers), and cluster the two Master Secret Server boxes for increased reliability.

For BizTalk Server 2006 R2 STD, the Master Secret Server cannot be clustered or shared by multiple BizTalk Server 2006 R2 servers. For example, for each BizTalk Server 2006 R2 STD processor license, you can install the Master Secret Server on a separate one-processor box. However, no more than one BizTalk Server 2006 R2 STD instance can point to the same Master Secret Server. Nor can you cluster any instance of the Master Secret Server.

BizTalk Server 2006 R2 ENT is the only edition that supports clustering of the Master Secret Server.

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No. Only server-side usage of the Microsoft BizTalk Server Rules Engine (BRE) is available. Examples of server-side usage include using the BRE inside Microsoft BizTalk Server orchestrations, ASP.NET applications, and Microsoft Windows Services that run in a server environment. However, the Rules Composer is considered a client tool and may be installed on a separate internal client device to support development and testing of your BRE server solution as part of your BizTalk Server 2006 R2 processor license (see tools installation above). For example, you may install the Rules Composer tool on a computer to create and test business rules against your server-side BRE solution. All technical support and licensing for the BRE is only for server-side solutions. Note that you need to acquire a BizTalk Server 2006 R2 license to utilize the Rules Engine, as the Rules Engine is considered server software requiring a valid processor license. The Rules Engine is not licensed separately from BizTalk Server.

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For more information about specific system requirements, see BizTalk Server 2006 R2 System Requirements.

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BizTalk Server 2006 R2 is available through the ISV program. Go to the Microsoft Independent Software Vendor Royalty and Distribution Licensing Program.

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BizTalk Server 2006 R2 ENT, STD, and BR Editions are available through the SPLA program. Go to the Microsoft Service Provider License Agreement for more information on the SPLA program.

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To upgrade from BizTalk Server 2006 to BizTalk Server 2006 R2, you need to acquire Microsoft Software Assurance for BizTalk Server 2006. Acquiring Software Assurance for BizTalk Server 2006 will ensure you receive BizTalk Server 2006 R2 at no additional cost. Otherwise, customers will pay full price for BizTalk Server 2006 R2 if they want to upgrade. Microsoft recommends covering all of your server products with Software Assurance. Customers with coverage enjoy comprehensive technology protection, predictable budgeting, and the ability to upgrade without the need to make additional purchases. In addition, Software Assurance provides additional technical support, training, and tools to help customers deploy and administer their solutions. A detailed overview of Software Assurance benefits can be found at Microsoft Volume Licensing Software Assurance.

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White papers explaining licensing in a virtual server environment are located at Volume Licensing Brief Downloads.

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All Microsoft adapters, including Line of Business (such as SAP, PeopleSoft, or Siebel) and transport (such as FTP or HTTP), are included with a license of BizTalk Server 2006 R2.

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BizTalk Server RFID is now included as part of the BizTalk Server 2006 R2 offering and is available in all editions of BizTalk Server. The edition that customers choose depends on the implementation scenario. There are two basic scenarios:

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All Microsoft adapters, including HIPAA, HL7, SWIFT, RosettaNet are included with a license of BizTalk Server 2006 R2 ENT or STD.

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Host Integration Server 2006 is included as part of the BizTalk Server 2006 R2 offering. It is available in all editions of BizTalk Server. See more details on HIS deployment scenarios in the Host Integration Server 2006 Pricing and Licensing Frequently Asked Questions.

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Similar to SQL Server Enterprise, BizTalk Server 2006 R2 ENT can be licensed for unlimited virtualized processors that are available on a single physical server. The customer will be required to license the number of physical processors on a server.

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Because BizTalk Server 2006 R2 BR is specifically intended for intra-enterprise spoke scenarios, it has a subset of the full functional capabilities of BizTalk Server 2006 R2 ENT or STD that is most relevant for spoke scenarios. In particular, the capabilities that are not part of BR include: