BizTalk 2013 Installation and Configuration – Important considerations before set up the server (Part 1)

Posted: May 5, 2013  |  Categories: BizTalk

BizTalk Server Installation Scenario

This article explains how to install and configure Microsoft BizTalk Server 2013 on a single computer (development standalone machine) running Windows Server 2012. This information will help you plan the installation and configuration of BizTalk Server 2013, applications and components on which it depends.

BizTalk Server Standalone topology

We will assume that the machine already has installed the operating system: Windows Server 2012 and the latest critical Windows updates from Microsoft.

In this scenario, I will perform a full installation of Microsoft BizTalk Server, with the exception of the deprecated SharePoint Adapter (SharePoint Services Service Side Object Model (SSOM)). The following components will be installed:

  • Enterprise Single Sign-On (SSO).
  • BizTalk Group.
  • BizTalk Runtime.
  • Business Rule Engine.
  • BAM Tools and Alerts.
  • BAM Portal.
  • BizTalk EDI/AS2 Runtime
  • Microsoft BizTalk Adapters for Enterprise Applications (BizTalk Adapter Pack)
  • Microsoft UDDI Services
  • Microsoft BizTalk ESB Toolkit

Important considerations before setting up the server

There are some important considerations or suggestions, since some of these operations are not mandatory, that we can set before starting the installation and configuration of the server.

One of the downsides of dealing with a new version of Windows Server is figuring out where things have moved in the new release.

Join the Local Administrators Group

To be able to install and configure BizTalk Server 2013, you have to log on the server using an administrator account on the local computer.

To add a member to a local group using the Windows interface

  • Press the “Windows key” to switch to Metro UI.
  • Type “Computer Management” and click in “Computer Management” option on Apps menu.
BizTalk Server 2013 Computer Management
  • Right-click the group to which you want to add a member, click “Add to Group”, and then click “Add”.
BizTalk Server 2013 Computer Management Add to Group
  • In the “Select Users, Computers, or Groups” dialog box, do the following:
    • To add a user account or group account to this group, under “Enter the object names to select”, type the name of the user account or group account that you want to add to the group, and then click “OK”.
    • To add a computer account to this group, click Object Types, select the Computers checkbox, and then click “OK”. Under “Enter the object names to select”, type the name of the computer account that you want to add to the group, and then click “OK”.

Change the Machine Name

An important consideration that you take into consideration is: if your computer name is longer than 15 characters, BizTalk Server Configuration will not work.

  • Start by running the Server Manager from either the Start Screen or the Desktop.
  • In the Server Manager Dashboard, click on “Local Server” on the left side.
BizTalk Server 2013 Server Manager Computer name
  • In the Server Properties for the Local Server, click on the “Computer name” property to be able to change it
BizTalk Server 2013 Server Manager Computer name System Properties
  • Click on the “Change” button to edit computer name and domain information, which will pop up this dialog:
BizTalk Server 2013 Server Manager Computer name domain changes

Now you can finally change the name of the computer. You’ll have to reboot after you make this change.

Disable IPv6

IPv6 is the latest address protocol that will eventually replace IPv4. Windows Server 2012 kept this protocol enabled by default, but it is also a fact that IPv6 is not yet common and many software, routers, modems, and other network equipment do not support it yet. So it may be a wise approach to disable it for now. Also by turning off, it will facilitate the process of detecting which port certain application are listening.

IPv6 can be disabled either through the DisabledComponents registry value or through the checkbox for the Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) component in the list of items on the Networking tab for the properties of connections in the Network Connections folder. The following figure shows an example:

BizTalk Server 2013 Internet Protocol Version 6

Turn off Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration

Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration established a configuration for your server and for Microsoft Internet Explorer that decreases the exposure of your server to potential attacks that can occur through Web content and application scripts. As a result, some Web sites may not display or perform as expected.

By default, Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration is enabled on Windows Server 2012 and can be configured through Server Manager.

To disable Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration (IE ESC) in Windows Server 2012

  • Start by running the Server Manager from either the Start Screen or the Desktop.
BizTalk Server 2013 Server Manager IE ESC
  • In the Server Manager Dashboard, click on Local Server on the left side.
BizTalk Server 2013 Server Manager Local Server IE ESC
  • In the Server Properties for the Local Server, you’ll see the option for IE Enhanced Security Configuration. Click “On” to change the option.
BizTalk Server 2013 IE ESC Configuration
  • A dialog box appears, letting Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration be enabled/disable separately for normal users and administrators, turn off both. After disabling both options, click “OK”.
  • Click the Refresh button at the top of the Server Manager and the IE Enhanced Security Configuration should now show as “Off”

Disable User Account Control (UAC)

User Account Control (UAC) is a security component that allows an administrator to enter credentials during a non-administrator’s user session to perform occasional administrative tasks.

Whenever you need to configure a Windows Server 2012 setting, even if you are logged on as the administrator – you need elevated privileges.  This is by design, and part of the fierce security initiative in Windows Server 2012. Before you can complete any administrative task, the User Account Control manager pop-up with a ‘Continue’ message.

To Disable User Account Control (UAC):

  • Press the “Windows key” to switch to Metro UI.
  • Type “Change User Account Control Settings” or “UAC” and click on “Change User Account Control Settings” option on the Settings menu.
BizTalk Server 2013 UAC
  • Select “Never notify me when…” to disable UAC.
BizTalk Server 2013 UAC Settings

Turn Windows Firewall Off

I always advise you to turn Windows Firewall on BizTalk Server.

To turn Windows Firewall off:

  • Press the “Windows key” to switch to Metro UI.
  • Type “Windows Firewall” and click on “Windows Firewall” option on the Settings menu.
BizTalk Server 2013 Windows Firewall
  • Select “Turn Windows Firewall on or off” option
BizTalk Server 2013 Windows Firewall control panel
  • And select the option “Turn off Windows Firewall (not recommended)” in both settings
BizTalk Server 2013 Windows Firewall Customize Settings

Configure the Application Event Log

BizTalk Server setup keeps a record of events in the Application Event Log. Depending on the BizTalk Server features installed, the amount of space required in the log may exceed its limit. If the application event log runs out of space during BizTalk Server setup, the installation will fail. To prevent this from happening, you can change the settings in the Application Event Log.

To change settings in the Application Event Log:

  • Press the “Windows key” to switch to Metro UI.
  • Type “Event Viewer” and click on “Event Viewer” option on Apps menu.
BizTalk Server 2013 Event Viewer
  • In the Event Viewer, expand Windows Logs.
  • Right-click Application, and then click Properties. This opens the Log Properties dialog box.
BizTalk Server 2013 Event Viewer Application
  • To see how much available space your log has, compare the Log Size field with the Maximum log size field.
  • To provide more space in the event log, enter a higher number in the Maximum log size field.
  • To enable overwriting of old events when the log becomes full, select Overwrite events as needed.
  • To clear the log events, click Clear log.
BizTalk Server 2013 Event Viewer Application Properties
  • Click OK, to close the Event Viewer.

Install Critical Windows Updates

Before installing BizTalk Server or its prerequisites, make sure you have installed the latest critical Windows updates from Microsoft.

To install Windows updates:

  • Press the “Windows key” to switch to Metro UI.
  • Type “Windows Update” and click on “Install optional updates” option on the Settings menu.
BizTalk Server 2013 Windows Update
  • Click “Check for updates” and if exist new updates available, install them
BizTalk Server 2013 Windows Update Check for updates
  • If prompted, restart your computer

Related links

Author: Sandro Pereira

Sandro Pereira lives in Portugal and works as a consultant at DevScope. In the past years, he has been working on implementing Integration scenarios both on-premises and cloud for various clients, each with different scenarios from a technical point of view, size, and criticality, using Microsoft Azure, Microsoft BizTalk Server and different technologies like AS2, EDI, RosettaNet, SAP, TIBCO etc. He is a regular blogger, international speaker, and technical reviewer of several BizTalk books all focused on Integration. He is also the author of the book “BizTalk Mapping Patterns & Best Practices”. He has been awarded MVP since 2011 for his contributions to the integration community.

17 thoughts on “BizTalk 2013 Installation and Configuration – Important considerations before set up the server (Part 1)”

    1. It’s be very hepful if you could write about installing the ESB Toolkit – the instructions coming with the product is outdated. I’m a BizTalk expert, and have run into multiple issues. Troubleshooting is very time consuming. And, you can help everyone!

      Thanks!

      1. I’m still publishing this series of articles on installing and configuring BizTalk Server 2013, one of the post will be about “Installing and Configuring the Microsoft BizTalk ESB Toolkit”. Thanks for you comments

    1. Hi abain,
      It all depends in your infrastructure, normally my environments are protected by network firewalls and so on… so I really don’t need the additional firewall in my machine. However you can have them active without a problem.

      The only concern about that is that you need to open for example Inbound and Outbound Rules for the Distributed Transaction Coordinator.

  1. Hi Mr. Sandro,

    First, I really thank you for this post, because I could setup a Biztalk server in our development server successfully.

    The reason why I try to contact you now is because I keep on failing on configuring Biztalk Runtime, on my 10th trial of installing Biztalk on my VMware in my laptop. And trust me, I wont bother you if its not the 10th times.

    I wonder why I can setup Biztalk in our dev server but I cannot do it on a VM in my laptop???

    The event viewer shows something like these:

    1) Source Biztalk:
    The description for Event ID 12385 from source BizTalk Server cannot be found. Either the component that raises this event is not installed on your local computer or the installation is corrupted. You can install or repair the component on the local computer.

    If the event originated on another computer, the display information had to be saved with the event.

    The following information was included with the event:

    An exception occurred while uninstalling. This exception will be ignored and the uninstall will continue. However, the application might not be fully uninstalled after the uninstall is complete.

    the message resource is present but the message is not found in the string/message table

    2) Source ENTSSO:
    Could not import a DTC transaction. Please check that MSDTC is configured correctly for remote operation. See documentation for details.
    Error Code: 0x8004D00E, The transaction has already been implicitly or explicitly committed or aborted

    Please help ….
    Thanks in ADVANCED…

  2. Hi Sandro,

    we have a Biztalk environnement and i have a question : what do you do with “Windows Update”, active or not ?

    If they are active, you install all Windows Update in your Biztalk Server and SQL ?
    I don’t see anything about this subject : the maintenance of a biztalk server after installation.

    Thanks you for a reply.

    Regards
    Joao

  3. Hi Sandro, I have been searching for the hardware requirements for installing Biztalk in Microsoft web site, but really what Microsoft says is very absurd (I can’t imagine Biztalk running in a machine with 1 GB of RAM); Could you please tel us which are the real Hardware requirements that should met a machine with the enogh environment for develop Biztalk Applications ?

    1. Hi Edward,
      I understand your point of view but 1GB of RAM is probably the very minimum requirement, it will work but very slowly.

      I normally use a minimum of 4GB, 2 virtual CPUs, 50GB drive C and 50 to 70GB in another drive for source code, backups and so on in my DEV machines.

      Because we need Visual Studio if you have more RAM I think is better.

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