Foreword

About the Authors

About the Technical Reviewer

Acknowledgments

Introduction

CHAPTER 1       RFID Background Primer

Tracking Stuff: Eyeballs and Lasers

Introducing Radio Frequency Identification

Navigating the Technology Matrix

What’s in a Tag?

Active vs. Passive

Passive Readers in Action

Active RFID Technology

Tag Memory: Reading and Writing

Printers and Applicators

Cutting Through the Hype

The Science of the Feasible vs. the Art of the Possible

The Myth of the RFID Solution

Electronic Product Code Class 1 Generation 2

Closed-Loop vs. Open-Loop Systems

Applying RFID

Conclusion

CHAPTER 2       BizTalk RFID Architecture and Installation

The BizTalk RFID Process Architecture

The Physical Layer

The Device Layer

The Device Provider Layer

Application-Level Services

LOB and Back-End Connectivity

The BizTalk RFID Device Model

Identity

Endpoint

Connection Initiation

Authentication

Discovery

Knobs

Management

Sources

The BizTalk RFID Device Model for Applications

The Device Model Assumed by DeviceConnection

The Device Security Model

The Concurrency Model for the DeviceConnection Class

The RFID Business Process Device Model

Installing BizTalk RFID

Conclusion

CHAPTER 3       The RFID “Hello World” Application

Overview

Using the Device Simulator

Configuring Settings

Configuring Notifications

Creating a Device in BizTalk RFID

Creating a Process

Conclusion

CHAPTER 4       Using RFID Manager

Overview of RFID Manager

Permissions

Connecting to Servers

Managing Server Properties

RFID Manager Server Dashboard

Managing Providers

Managing Device Groups

Managing Devices

Importing and Exporting Devices

Device Configuration

Managing Device States

Managing Processes

Understanding Logical and Physical Devices

Managing Components

Conclusion

CHAPTER 5       Asynchronous Event Processing in BizTalk RFID

What Is a BizTalk RFID Process?

Hands-On Exercises

Event Processing Application Model

Initialization

Design-Time Support

The Actual Event Handler Methods

Tear-Down and Cleanup

Deployment and Undeployment

Strong Typing

Error Handling

Binding and Deployment

Executing RFID Processes

RFID Process Runtime Architecture

Activation and Hosting

BizTalk RFID Hosting Model for Windows Server

Transactionality

Conclusion

CHAPTER 6       Command Processing

Connecting BizTalk RFID to Your Application

Processes

Devices

Device Management

Implementing Synchronous Calls from .NET Applications

Implementing Device Callbacks

Managing Device Connections

Standard Commands

Vendor Commands

Common Tasks

Simulating Tag Reads

Conclusion

CHAPTER 7       BizTalk RFID Mobile

BizTalk RFID Mobile Architecture

Installing BizTalk RFID Mobile

Creating a BizTalk RFID Mobile Application

Asynchronous Event Notification

Using Triggers to Control Asynchronous Notifications

Scanning Bar Codes from Your BizTalk RFID Mobile Application

Integration with BizTalk RFID Server

Remote Management Support

Storing Events Locally in a SQL Server CE Database

Tag Data Encoding and Translation

Conclusion

CHAPTER 8       Integrating with BizTalk Server

Publishing Events to BizTalk Server

Publishing to BizTalk Server Using MSMQ

Publishing to BizTalk Server Using SqlServerSink

Extending the Flexibility of Event Retrieval

Calling the BizTalk BRE

Logging Using the BRE

Calling a BizTalk RFID Web Service Proxy from an Orchestration

Conclusion

CHAPTER 9       Direct Communication with Enterprise Applications

Integrating with SQL Server Reporting Services

Querying the BizTalk RFID Databases

Writing the SQL Server Reporting Services Reports

Connecting to BizTalk RFID via Remote Machines

Integrating with SharePoint 2007

Developing the SharePoint Web Part Foundation

Extending the Web Part to Use the RFID Web Service Proxies

Extending the Web Part to Use a Custom Web Service

Conclusion

CHAPTER 10     Diagnostics and Troubleshooting

Setting the Stage: Tools and Techniques

Introducing PowerShell

Tailing a Log File

Peeking Inside a BizTalk RFID Application

BizTalk RFID Server Log Files

Provider Log Files

Process Log Files (Event Handlers)

WMI for RFID

Troubleshooting BizTalk RFID

RFID Devices

Tags and Objects

Communication

Service and Providers

Logical Devices and Process Binding

Event Handlers

Sinks and External Applications

Conclusion

CHAPTER 11     Enterprise Planning and Deployment

From Development to Production

Staging RFID Device Definitions and Device Properties

Planning for Disaster Recovery

BizTalk RFID Footprint

Enabling Cold Standby

Running BizTalk RFID Under Microsoft Cluster Service

Enterprise Deployment

Servicing RFID Device Providers

Servicing RFID Processes

Changing Device Bindings for a Process

Distributing and Upgrading Business Rules

Enterprise Monitoring

RFID Management Pack for BizTalk RFID

Device Versioning

BizTalk RFID Service Discovery Through Active Directory

Conclusion

CHAPTER 12     BizTalk RFID Recipes

12.1. Transport Protocols Within Event Handlers

Problem

Solution

Discussion

12.2. RFID Data, XML, and SQL Server

Problem

Solution

Discussion

12.3. Debugging Tips

Problem

Solution

Discussion

12.4. Integration with BizTalk EDI Functionality

Problem

Solution

Discussion

12.5. Creating an XSD Based on BizTalk RFID XML

Problem

Solution

Discussion

Conclusion

INDEX