Microsoft News Tracker

BizTalk Server 2006 was “launched” last year with a promise that it would ship in 1H2006 and today was the day:

LONDON — March 27, 2006 — Following on the global launch of Visual Studio® 2005, SQL Server™ 2005 and BizTalk® Server 2006 in November, Microsoft Corp. today announced the release to manufacturing of Microsoft® BizTalk Server 2006, Microsoft’s core business process management and application integration technology connecting employees, trading partners, processes and information. The release to manufacturing of BizTalk Server 2006 underscores Microsoft’s continued efforts to deliver extensive business process management capabilities as part of the overall Microsoft application platform.

BizTalk Server’s industry-leading installed base of more than 6,000 customers continues to grow. BizTalk Server 2006 early adopter customers include the UK supermarket chain Tesco and German-based electrical engineering and electronics company Siemens AG. In addition, over 1,100 systems integrators and 20 independent software vendors (ISVs) are building solutions and software on top of BizTalk Server 2006, including global systems integrators such as HP and Accenture and regional systems integrators and ISVs such as Sapient Corporation and Covast.

Update: Elizabeth Montalbano has more details at InfoWorld. Among other things, this release has some of the application adapters purchased last year from iWay Software.