PowerShell to Configure BizTalk Server Host and Host Instances according to some of the Best Practices

Personally, I like to create all my BizTalk Server installation and configuration process manually at least one time or maybe from time to time, but when we are dealing with several environments and even worse each environment with several BizTalk Servers… this can be very annoying and time-consuming. In this case, automation is the key!

One of the tasks that we need to do in all our new BizTalk environment over and over again is creating and configuring the Host, Host Instances and of course the adapter handlers.

What’s is Host, Host Instances and Adapter Handlers?

The BizTalk Host is a logical process and security boundary within BizTalk Server that represents a logical set of zero or more run-time processes in which you can deploy BizTalk Server services and artifacts (such as adapter handlers, receive locations, and orchestrations). Each host has a security group assigned to it and may contain multiple host instances, each on an individual machine, that perform the work of the host.

In turn, a host instance is the physical instance of a host on a computer running BizTalk Server. Each host instance belongs to exactly one host, and the service account of the host instance belongs to the security group of the host. The security group may be used to grant permissions to physical resources such as databases for use by any host instances in the host.

An adapter handler is an instance of a BizTalk host in which the adapter code runs. When you specify a send or receive handler for an adapter you are specifying which host instance the adapter code will run in the context of. An adapter handler is responsible for executing the adapter and contains properties for a specific instance of an adapter. A default BizTalk Server configuration will create adapter handlers for all of the installed adapters, but you may want to create additional adapter handlers for purposes of load balancing or to provide process isolation for a particular adapter handler.

Best practices for Configuring Hosts and Host Instances

As the official documentation specify, in addition to the high availability aspects of the host instance configuration, you should separate sending, receiving, processing, and tracking functionalities into multiple hosts. This provides flexibility when configuring the workload in your BizTalk group and is the primary means of distributing processing across a BizTalk group.

This also allows you to stop one host without affecting other hosts. For example, you may want to stop sending messages to let them queue up in the MessageBox database, while still allowing the inbound receiving of messages to occur.

Separating host instances by functionality also provides some of the following benefits:

  • Each host instance has its own set of resources such as memory, handles, and threads in the .NET thread pool.
  • Multiple BizTalk Hosts will also reduce contention on the MessageBox database host queue tables since each host is assigned its own work queue tables in the MessageBox database.
  • Throttling is implemented in BizTalk Server at the host level. This allows you to set different throttling characteristics for each host.
  • Security is implemented at the host level; each host runs under a discrete Windows identity.

However, this also may bring some potential drawbacks if too many host instances are created because each host instance is a Windows service (BTSNTSvc.exe or BTSNTSvc64.exe), which generates additional load against the MessageBox database and consumes computer resources (such as CPU, memory, threads), so you need to be careful.

Normally we read that we need to create at least 4 host instances: sending, receiving, processing, and tracking, but that’s not absolutely true because, at least with the newer environments, we typically use 64-bits versions and in this case we also need to create at least one Host Instance that will run on 32-bits because FTP adapter, SQL adapter, POP3 adapter and MIME Decoder on 64-bit host instances is not supported by the product ( https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/biztalk/core/biztalk-server-64-bit-support2 )

We can define that one of the best practices for hosts and host instances is the following:

  • BizTalkServerTrackingHost: A BizTalk Host that hosts tracking is responsible for moving the DTA and BAM tracking data from the MessageBox database to the BizTalk Tracking (DTA) and BAM Primary Import databases. This movement of tracking data has an impact on the performance of other BizTalk artifacts that are running on the same host that the tracking host. Thus, you should use a dedicated host that does nothing but host tracking.
    • Only the optionAllow Host Tracking” must be selected because we only will use this host for tracking.
  • BizTalkServerReceiveHost: All options (Allow Host Tracking”, “32-bits only” or “Make this default host in the group”) should be unselected. This host will be responsible for processing messages after they are picked up in a receive location. When a host contains a receiving item, such as a receive location (with a pipeline), the message decoding and decrypting occurs in a pipeline within this host.
    • All receive handlers, except the isolated ones like SOAP, HTTP, WCF-BasicHttp, WCF-WsHttp or WCF-CustomIsolated and 32-bit adapters (FTP, SQL, and POP3) will be configured for this host. This will mean also that all receive locations will run in this host instance.
  • BizTalkServerReceive32Host: has the same goal as the previous however this must have the “32-bits only” option selected so that we can run the 23-bits adapters.
    • The receive handlers for the FTP, SQL and POP3 adapters will be configured for this host.
  • BizTalkServerSendHost: All options (Allow Host Tracking”, “32-bits only” or “Make this default host in the group”) should be unselected. This host will be responsible for processing messages before they are sent out to the send port. When a host contains a sending item, such as a send port, the message signing and encryption occurs in a pipeline within this host.
    • All send handlers, except 32-bit adapters like native SQL and FTP adapter, will be configured for this host. This will mean also that all send ports will run in this host instance.
  • BizTalkServerSend32Host: has the same goal as the previous however this must have the “32-bits only” option selected so that we can run the 32-bits adapters.
    • The Send handlers for the FTP and SQL adapters will be configured for this host.
  • BizTalkServerApplication: Only the option32-bits only” should be select on this host. This host will be responsible for process messages based on the instructions in orchestrations that need to run in 32-bits.
  • BizTalkServerApplication64Host: Only the optionMake this default host in the group” should be select on this host. This host will be responsible for process messages based on the instructions in all or most common orchestrations.

Note: You can create other Application Host if you want to separate process base in some application logic.

How can I automate this task?

Windows PowerShell is a Windows command-line shell designed especially for system administrators and can be used by BizTalk administrators to help them in automating tasks.

This is a simple script to configure the Host, Host Instance and Adapter Handlers described earlier in this post.

Function that will create a new BizTalk Host

function CreateBizTalkHost([string]$hostName, [int]$hostType, [string]$ntGroupName, [bool]$authTrusted, [bool]$isTrackingHost, [bool]$is32BitOnly)
{
    try
    {
        [System.Management.ManagementObject]$objHostSetting = ([WmiClass]"root/MicrosoftBizTalkServer:MSBTS_HostSetting").CreateInstance()

        $objHostSetting["Name"] = $hostName
        $objHostSetting["HostType"] = $hostType
        $objHostSetting["NTGroupName"] = $ntGroupName
        $objHostSetting["AuthTrusted"] = $authTrusted
        $objHostSetting["IsHost32BitOnly"] = $is32BitOnly
        $objHostSetting["HostTracking"] = $isTrackingHost

        $putOptions = new-Object System.Management.PutOptions
        $putOptions.Type = [System.Management.PutType]::CreateOnly;

        [Type[]] $targetTypes = New-Object System.Type[] 1
        $targetTypes[0] = $putOptions.GetType()

        $sysMgmtAssemblyName = "System.Management"
        $sysMgmtAssembly = [System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName($sysMgmtAssemblyName)
        $objHostSettingType = $sysMgmtAssembly.GetType("System.Management.ManagementObject")

        [Reflection.MethodInfo] $methodInfo = $objHostSettingType.GetMethod("Put", $targetTypes)
        $methodInfo.Invoke($objHostSetting, $putOptions)

 Write-Host "Host $hostName was successfully created" -Fore DarkGreen
    }
    catch [System.Management.Automation.RuntimeException]
    {
 if ($_.Exception.Message.Contains("Another BizTalk Host with the same name already exists in the BizTalk group.") -eq $true)
        {
 Write-Host "$hostName can't be created because another BizTalk Host with the same name already exists in the BizTalk group." -Fore DarkRed
        }
 else{
         write-Error "$hostName host could not be created: $_.Exception.ToString()"
 }
    }
}

Function that will update an existent BizTalk Host

function UpdateBizTalkHost([string]$hostName, [int]$hostType, [string]$ntGroupName, [bool]$authTrusted, [bool]$isTrackingHost, [bool]$is32BitOnly, [bool]$isDefaultHost)
{
    try
    {
        [System.Management.ManagementObject]$objHostSetting = ([WmiClass]"root/MicrosoftBizTalkServer:MSBTS_HostSetting").CreateInstance()

        $objHostSetting["Name"] = $hostName
        $objHostSetting["HostType"] = $hostType
        $objHostSetting["NTGroupName"] = $ntGroupName
        $objHostSetting["AuthTrusted"] = $authTrusted
        $objHostSetting["IsHost32BitOnly"] = $is32BitOnly
        $objHostSetting["HostTracking"] = $isTrackingHost
 $objHostSetting["IsDefault"] = $isDefaultHost

        $putOptions = new-Object System.Management.PutOptions
        $putOptions.Type = [System.Management.PutType]::UpdateOnly; # This tells WMI it's an update.

        [Type[]] $targetTypes = New-Object System.Type[] 1
        $targetTypes[0] = $putOptions.GetType()

        $sysMgmtAssemblyName = "System.Management"
        $sysMgmtAssembly = [System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName($sysMgmtAssemblyName)
        $objHostSettingType = $sysMgmtAssembly.GetType("System.Management.ManagementObject")

        [Reflection.MethodInfo] $methodInfo = $objHostSettingType.GetMethod("Put", $targetTypes)
        $methodInfo.Invoke($objHostSetting, $putOptions)

 Write-Host "Host $hostName was successfully updated" -Fore DarkGreen
    }
    catch [System.Management.Automation.RuntimeException]
    {
        write-Error "$hostName host could not be updated: $_.Exception.ToString()"
    }
}

Function that will create a new BizTalk Host Instance

function CreateBizTalkHostInstance([string]$hostName, [string]$serverName, [string]$username, [string]$password)
{
    try
    {
        [System.Management.ManagementObject]$objServerHost = ([WmiClass]"root/MicrosoftBizTalkServer:MSBTS_ServerHost").CreateInstance()

        $objServerHost["HostName"] = $hostName
        $objServerHost["ServerName"] = $serverName
        $objServerHost.Map()

        [System.Management.ManagementObject]$objHostInstance = ([WmiClass]"root/MicrosoftBizTalkServer:MSBTS_HostInstance").CreateInstance()

        $name = "Microsoft BizTalk Server " + $hostName + " " + $serverName
        $objHostInstance["Name"] = $name
        $objHostInstance.Install($username, $password, $true)

 Write-Host "HostInstance $hostName was mapped and installed successfully. Mapping created between Host: $hostName and Server: $Server);" -Fore DarkGreen
    }
    catch [System.Management.Automation.RuntimeException]
    {
 if ($_.Exception.Message.Contains("Another object with the same key properties already exists.") -eq $true)
        {
 Write-Host "$hostName host instance can't be created because another object with the same key properties already exists." -Fore DarkRed
        }
 else{
         write-Error "$hostName host instance on server $Server could not be created: $_.Exception.ToString()"
 }
    }
}

Function that will delete an existent host handlers in the adapters

function DeleteBizTalkAdapterHandler([string]$adapterName, [string]$direction, [string]$hostName)
{
 try
    {
 if($direction -eq 'Receive')
 {
 [System.Management.ManagementObject]$objHandler = get-wmiobject 'MSBTS_ReceiveHandler' -namespace 'root\MicrosoftBizTalkServer' -filter "HostName='$hostName' AND AdapterName='$adapterName'"
         $objHandler.Delete()
 }
 else
 {
 [System.Management.ManagementObject]$objHandler = get-wmiobject 'MSBTS_SendHandler2' -namespace 'root\MicrosoftBizTalkServer' -filter "HostName='$hostName' AND AdapterName='$adapterName'"
         $objHandler.Delete()
 }

 Write-Host "$direction handler for $adapterName / $hostName was successfully deleted" -Fore DarkGreen
    }
    catch [System.Management.Automation.RuntimeException]
    {
        if ($_.Exception.Message -eq "You cannot call a method on a null-valued expression.")
        {
 Write-Host "$adapterName $direction Handler for $hostName does not exist" -Fore DarkRed
        }
        elseif ($_.Exception.Message.IndexOf("Cannot delete a receive handler that is used by") -ne -1)
        {
 Write-Host "$adapterName $direction Handler for $hostName is in use and can't be deleted." -Fore DarkRed
        }
 elseif ($_.Exception.Message.IndexOf("Cannot delete a send handler that is used by") -ne -1)
        {
 Write-Host "$adapterName $direction Handler for $hostName is in use and can't be deleted." -Fore DarkRed
        }
 elseif ($_.Exception.Message.IndexOf("Cannot delete this object since at least one receive location is associated with it") -ne -1)
        {
 Write-Host "$adapterName $direction Handler for $hostName is in use by at least one receive location and can't be deleted." -Fore DarkRed
        }
        else
        {
            write-Error "$adapterName $direction Handler for $hostName could not be deleted: $_.Exception.ToString()"
        }
    }
}

Function that will create a handler for a specific adapter on the host

function CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler([string]$adapterName, [string]$direction, [string]$hostName, [string]$originalDefaulHostName, [boolean]$isDefaultHandler, [boolean]$removeOriginalHostInstance)
{
 if($direction -eq 'Receive')
 {
 [System.Management.ManagementObject]$objAdapterHandler = ([WmiClass]"root/MicrosoftBizTalkServer:MSBTS_ReceiveHandler").CreateInstance()
 $objAdapterHandler["AdapterName"] = $adapterName
     $objAdapterHandler["HostName"] = $hostName
 }
 else
 {
 [System.Management.ManagementObject]$objAdapterHandler = ([WmiClass]"root/MicrosoftBizTalkServer:MSBTS_SendHandler2").CreateInstance()
 $objAdapterHandler["AdapterName"] = $adapterName
     $objAdapterHandler["HostName"] = $hostName
     $objAdapterHandler["IsDefault"] = $isDefaultHandler
 }

    try
    {
        $putOptions = new-Object System.Management.PutOptions
        $putOptions.Type = [System.Management.PutType]::CreateOnly;

        [Type[]] $targetTypes = New-Object System.Type[] 1
        $targetTypes[0] = $putOptions.GetType()

        $sysMgmtAssemblyName = "System.Management"
        $sysMgmtAssembly = [System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName($sysMgmtAssemblyName)
        $objAdapterHandlerType = $sysMgmtAssembly.GetType("System.Management.ManagementObject")

        [Reflection.MethodInfo] $methodInfo = $objAdapterHandlerType.GetMethod("Put", $targetTypes)
        $methodInfo.Invoke($objAdapterHandler, $putOptions)

        Write-Host "$adapterName $direction Handler for $hostName was successfully created" -Fore DarkGreen
    }
    catch [System.Management.Automation.RuntimeException]
    {
 if ($_.Exception.Message.Contains("The specified BizTalk Host is already a receive handler for this adapter.") -eq $true)
        {
 Write-Host "$hostName is already a $direction Handler for $adapterName adapter." -Fore DarkRed
        }
 elseif($_.Exception.Message.Contains("The specified BizTalk Host is already a send handler for this adapter.") -eq $true)
        {
 Write-Host "$hostName is already a $direction Handler for $adapterName adapter." -Fore DarkRed
        }
 else {
         write-Error "$adapterName $direction Handler for $hostName could not be created: $_.Exception.ToString()"
 }
    }

 if($removeOriginalHostInstance)
 {
 DeleteBizTalkAdapterHandler $adapterName $direction $originalDefaulHostName
 }
}

Function that will have the logic you want to implement to create the default hosts and host instances and add configure the host instances to the various handlers

function ConfiguringBizTalkServerHostAndHostInstances
{
	# Separate sending, receiving, processing, and tracking functionality into multiple hosts.
	# This provides flexibility when configuring the workload and enables you to stop one host without affecting other hosts.
	# you can use a common well use convention to define the name of the host:
	#  - <Job>_<bit support>_<seq>_<adapter/functionality>_<throughput>_<priority>_<clustered>
	# Sample 'Rcv_x32_1_FTP_L_Critical_Clustered'
	# But I will use a more simple convencion
	# Defining the names of the hosts
	[string]$receiveHostName = 'BizTalkServerReceiveHost'
	[string]$sendHostName = 'BizTalkServerSendHost'
	[string]$processingHostName = 'BizTalkServerApplication64Host' # use this to create another processing host
	[string]$trackingHostName = 'BizTalkServerTrackingHost'
	# Note: why we need to create 32bits hosts? FTP, POP3 and SQL doesn't support 64bits
	[string]$receive32HostName = 'BizTalkServerReceive32Host'
	[string]$send32HostName = 'BizTalkServerSend32Host'

	# 'BizTalkServerApplication' is the default host instance created when you install the biztalk on your box.
	# This application will be running on "32-bit only".
	[string]$defaultHostName = 'BizTalkServerApplication'

 	##############################
	# Creating hosts for receiving
	# HostType: Invalid: 0, In-process:	1, Isolated: 2
	CreateBizTalkHost $receiveHostName 1 $ntHostGroupName $false $false $false
	CreateBizTalkHost $receive32HostName 1 $ntHostGroupName $false $false $true

	# Create a host instances for receiving associated with the previous hosts created
	CreateBizTalkHostInstance $receiveHostName $bizTalkServerName $hostCredentials.UserName $hostCredentialsPassword
	CreateBizTalkHostInstance $receive32HostName $bizTalkServerName $hostCredentials.UserName $hostCredentialsPassword

	# Set adapters that should be handled by receiving host instance
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'FILE' 'Receive' $receiveHostName $defaultHostName $false $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'MQSeries' 'Receive' $receiveHostName $defaultHostName $false $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'MSMQ' 'Receive' $receiveHostName $defaultHostName $false $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'WCF-Custom' 'Receive' $receiveHostName $defaultHostName $false $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'WCF-NetMsmq' 'Receive' $receiveHostName $defaultHostName $false $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'WCF-NetNamedPipe' 'Receive' $receiveHostName $defaultHostName $false $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'WCF-NetTcp' 'Receive' $receiveHostName $defaultHostName $false $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'Windows SharePoint Services' 'Receive' $receiveHostName $defaultHostName $false $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	#32 bits adapters
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'FTP' 'Receive' $receive32HostName $defaultHostName $false $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'POP3' 'Receive' $receive32HostName $defaultHostName $false $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'SQL' 'Receive' $receive32HostName $defaultHostName $false $removeOriginalAdapterHandler

 	##############################
	# Creating hosts for sending
	# HostType: Invalid: 0, In-process:	1, Isolated: 2
	CreateBizTalkHost $sendHostName 1 $ntHostGroupName $false $false $false
	CreateBizTalkHost $send32HostName 1 $ntHostGroupName $false $false $true

	# Create a host instances for sending associated with the previous hosts created
	CreateBizTalkHostInstance $sendHostName $bizTalkServerName $hostCredentials.UserName $hostCredentialsPassword
	CreateBizTalkHostInstance $send32HostName $bizTalkServerName $hostCredentials.UserName $hostCredentialsPassword

	# Set adapters that should be handled by sending host instance
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'FILE' 'Send' $sendHostName $defaultHostName $true $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'HTTP' 'Send' $sendHostName $defaultHostName $true $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'MQSeries' 'Send' $sendHostName $defaultHostName $true $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'MSMQ' 'Send' $sendHostName $defaultHostName $true $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'SOAP' 'Send' $sendHostName $defaultHostName $true $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'SMTP' 'Send' $sendHostName $defaultHostName $true $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'WCF-BasicHttp' 'Send' $sendHostName $defaultHostName $true $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'WCF-Custom' 'Send' $sendHostName $defaultHostName $true $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'WCF-NetMsmq' 'Send' $sendHostName $defaultHostName $true $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'WCF-NetNamedPipe' 'Send' $sendHostName $defaultHostName $true $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'WCF-NetTcp' 'Send' $sendHostName $defaultHostName $true $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'WCF-WSHttp' 'Send' $sendHostName $defaultHostName $true $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'Windows SharePoint Services' 'Send' $sendHostName $defaultHostName $true $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	#32 bits adapters
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'FTP' 'Send' $send32HostName $defaultHostName $true $removeOriginalAdapterHandler
	CreateBizTalkAdapterHandler 'SQL' 'Send' $send32HostName $defaultHostName $true $removeOriginalAdapterHandler

	# Create a host for tracking
	CreateBizTalkHost $trackingHostName 1 $ntHostGroupName $false $true $false

	# Create a host for orchestrations
	CreateBizTalkHost $processingHostName 1 $ntHostGroupName $false $false $false

	# Create a host instance for orchestrations
	CreateBizTalkHostInstance $processingHostName $bizTalkServerName $hostCredentials.UserName $hostCredentialsPassword

	# Create a host instance for tracking
	CreateBizTalkHostInstance $trackingHostName $bizTalkServerName $hostCredentials.UserName $hostCredentialsPassword

	# Remove "Allow Host Tracking" options from BizTalkServerApplication Host
	UpdateBizTalkHost $defaultHostName 1 $ntHostGroupName $false $false $true $true

	# Updating the processinh host to be the default host
	UpdateBizTalkHost $processingHostName 1 $ntHostGroupName $false $false $false $true
}

And in the last the…

Main script

Write-Host "Starting configure the BizTalk Server environment..." -Fore DarkGreen

# General variables
# Defining the BizTalk Server Name, this line will read the Server name on which the script is running
$bizTalkServerName = $(Get-WmiObject Win32_Computersystem).name

# STEP 1
# The Windows group is used to control access of a specif host and associated host instances to databases and other
# resources. Each instance of this host must run under a user account that is a member of this group.
# Note that you can change the Windows group only if no instances of this host exist.
# Defining the name of the group the BizTalk hosts should run under
[string]$ntHostGroupName = Read-Host -Prompt "Please enter windows group to control access to Hosts and ssociated Host Instances"

# STEP 2
# This account must have SQL Server permissions. The recommended way to grant these permissions is to add this account
# to the BizTalk Server Host Windows group.
# BizTalk Server will add this account to the "Log on as a service" security policy.
# For domain accounts, use "domain\user" format
# Defining the credentials in witch the host instance should run under.
try
{
	$domain = [System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectory.Domain]::GetCurrentDomain()
	$domainName = $domain.name
}
catch
{
	$domainName = $(Get-WmiObject Win32_Computersystem).name
}
$hostCredentials = $Host.ui.PromptForCredential("Logon Credentials","This account must have SQL Server permissions. The recommended way to grant these permissions is to add this account to the BizTalk Server Host Windows group.

BizTalk Server will add this account to the 'Log on as a service' security policy", $domainName + "\", "");
[String]$hostCredentialsPassword = [Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::PtrToStringAuto([Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::SecureStringToBSTR($hostCredentials.Password));

# STEP 3
# Defining the option if you want to automatically try to remove the BizTalkServerApplication Host Instance from
# the Adapters handlers
$windowsShell = new-object -comobject wscript.shell
$questionResult = $windowsShell.popup("Do you want to try to remove the BizTalkServerApplication Host Instance from the Adapters handlers?

Note: The script cannot remove the default host instances if there are any receiveports, sendports or orchestrations configured.",
						  0,"BizTalk Applications, Receive and Send Ports",4)

If ($questionResult -eq 6) {
	$removeOriginalAdapterHandler = $true
}
else {
	$removeOriginalAdapterHandler = $false
}

# STEP 4
# Create default hosts, host instances and handlers
Write-Host "Creating hosts and host instances..." -Fore DarkGreen
ConfiguringBizTalkServerHostAndHostInstances

# STEP 5
# This configurations changes requires host instances restart for the changes to take effect.
# Check if you want to restart the Host Instances
Write-Host "Host and Host Instance configuration is almost completed..." -Fore DarkGreen
$questionResult = $windowsShell.popup("This configurations changes requires host instances restart for the changes to take effect.

Do you want to restart the Host Instances now?", 0,"Please restart Host Instances",4)
If ($questionResult -eq 6) {
	get-service BTS* | foreach-object -process {restart-service $_.Name}
	Write-Host "Restart Host Instance completed..." -Fore DarkGreen
}

# STEP 6
# Check if you want to properly configure BizTalk Services and Enterprise Single Sign-On Service 'Startup type' property
# to Automatic (Delayed Start)
$questionResult = $windowsShell.popup("By default, the 'Startup type' propriety of BizTalk Services and Enterprise Single Sign-On Service are set as 'Automatic', however BizTalk Server services may not start automatically after a system restart, to avoid this behavior you must config the 'Startup type' to 'Automatic (Delayed Start)'.

Do you want to configure BizTalk Services to 'Automatic (Delayed Start)'?", 0,"Configure BizTalk Services to Automatic (Delayed Start)",4)
If ($questionResult -eq 6) {
	#=== Name of the Enterprise Single Sign-On Service. ===#
	$entSSOServiceName = 'ENTSSO'

	#=== Change the startup type for BizTalk services to Automatic (Delayed Start) ===#
	get-service BTSSvc* | foreach-object -process { SC.EXE config $_.Name start= delayed-auto}

	#=== Change the startup type for Enterprise Single Sign-On Service to Automatic (Delayed Start) ===#
	SC.EXE config $entSSOServiceName start= delayed-auto

	Write-Host "BizTalk Services and SSO configured successfully..." -Fore DarkGreen
}

Write-Host "Your BizTalk Server environment is now properly configured" -Fore DarkGreen

Download

THIS POWERSHELL IS PROVIDED “AS IS”, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.

You can download PowerShell to Configure BizTalk Server 2013/2013 R2 Host and Host Instances from GitHub here:

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.

6 thoughts on “PowerShell to Configure BizTalk Server Host and Host Instances according to some of the Best Practices”

  1. Hi Sandro,
    This is very helpful. Thank you very much! I have a question about BizTalkServerApplication host instance. You said “Only the option “32-bits only” should be select in this host. This host will be responsible for process messages based on the instructions in orchestrations that need to run in 32-bits.”. I understand why we need separate 32 bit receiving and sending host instances to support 32 bit adapters (FTP, SQL, POP3), but why do we need the a dedicated host instance for processing when it has nothing to do with adapters? What would be the orchestrations that need to run in 32-bits?

    Thanks in advance!

    1. Hi Peter,
      I was hoping for that kind of question 🙂

      In the best case scenario I don’t want to use this host instance (BizTalkServerApplication that will run 32 bits) for nothing! And I just let it created (and I advise you to leave, you can leave that host stopped if you want) to prevent possible problems or needs.

      So why do I need to run orchestration in 32 bits? Well, is not only adapters that run 32 bits, another great example is MIME Decoder that only support 32 bits, so, and I have seen some of these scenarios, if you call one pipeline inside orchestrations that have some king of custom component that run only 32bits, or call from orchestrations external DLL or other component that run 32bits you will have to have a host instance that runs orchestration in 32 bits mode.
      So why my strategy to leave the BizTalkServerApplication in 32 bits only? This is the default host and host instance created by the BizTalk configuration tool, and to change that you need to delete the host instance, change the properties of the host to run in 64 bits and recreated the host instance again. Even more problems we have, if it’s already have some artifact (port or orchestration) associated with this host instance, then we must unbind first and then do the previous steps. For that reason I like to create all my Host and Host instance architecture and leave the BizTalkServerApplication for prevention.

      And again in best case scenario I don’t want to use the default BizTalkServer Application host for any of my applications in any of my environment.

  2. Very good article!

    Interestingly enough I was was just recently doing automation of the send and receive handlers for the list of adapters in our BizTalk environment. We used an XML file to configure which handlers were needed based on the host configuration which also worked well as it was just the XML file that needed to be tweaked for new BizTalk environments.

    Your approach looks to be more thorough!

  3. Hi Sandro,

    I am wrote a similar method for Creating an Host, and tried yours which is almost the same (based on the following MSDN article :http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa510297.aspx), I receive the following error message:

    Exception calling “Invoke” with “2” argument(s): “Incomplete class ”
    At C:UsersvidiansDesktopBizTalk Export-ImportbiztalkHostSettingsExportImport.ps1:226 char:27
    + $methodInfo.Invoke <<<< ($objHostSetting, $putOptions)
    + CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [], MethodInvocationException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : DotNetMethodTargetInvocation

    Have you ever faced this issue. I cannot find why it is happening. Your code generates the same issue.

    Thanks for any help you could provide.

    Vid

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