AS400- Sql Server

[Bhavin78]

I am new to Biztalk server and I am not sure what exactly it does. I tried to read different articles and watch webcast but still not clear.

Here's my first question.
Right now in our company we download data from clients AS400 system to our SQL server manually.
Will Biztalk server able to automate this process and how?

 

[philhege]

What format is the data that is exported from the AS400? What procedure are you using for the manual upload to SQL Server? Do any rules apply for manipulating or changing data at upload?

If you have to apply business rules to the data, and process the transformed data in a series of transactions, then look into Biztalk.

However, if this is a straight data transformation, use SQL DTS (or SSIS if you've taken the SQL2K5 plunge). There's no reason to use a $20K business process package for simple data transforms.

My $.02

Phil Hegedusich
Senior Programmer/Analyst
IIMAK

http://www.iimak.com

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Eschewing obfuscation diurnally.

 

[Bhavin78]

We use DTS to download data with ODBC connection.

We need to change date criteria every month when we download data?

We want to do some type of automation, what are your thoughts on this?
I will appreciate if you tell me little bit more on BizTalk serve as my knowledge is zero on Biztalk server?

 

[philhege]

DTS is able to accept dynamic parameters, so you can submit your criteria in a call.

BT is a business process facilitator. We use it presently for processing EDI orders from our partners. The BT workflow translates the data from their format to ours, applies business rules against the data, and submits the orders to our fulfillment system. This is all hands-off automation.

Read more about
Biztalk 2006:

http://www.microsoft.com/biztalk/default.mspx

We're still on BT2002 so I can't speak with any authority to the latest-and-greatest (still taking labs).

HTH,


Phil Hegedusich
Senior Programmer/Analyst
IIMAK

http://www.iimak.com

-----------
Eschewing obfuscation diurnally.

 

[Bhavin78]

Will BT work in this case?
we have a website in which we download data downloaded from as400 to sql.
we want to use same concept of website and create one more website with same asp code but data is not very similar but almost similar. we need to bring data from as400 to sql.

your suggestion on this, does biz talk server be any help int this type of senario?

 

[philhege]

I'm not sure I understand the process flow behind what you're trying to do. You have AS400 data; what format is it in? Has it been exported from the AS400 to some sort of flat-file or delimited form? "Download" means you bring the data from the Web site to the browser client; is this really what you're doing? Unless I'm misinterpreting this, it sounds like something that could use some process automation.

Biztalk can help with this process, but, like I said, I think it's serious overkill for simple data transformation tasks.

Phil Hegedusich
Senior Programmer/Analyst
IIMAK

http://www.iimak.com

-----------
Eschewing obfuscation diurnally.