At one end, we have BizTalk. The full-monty, all singing all dancing workflow server, with oodles of integration to other systems. Downside: It costs a fortune - prohibitively expensive, complex, requires SQL Server (so no use to Oracle only shops).
At the other end, we have windows workflow foundation. The building blocks for a workflow system, free. Downside: There is no "out-of-the-box" server. Everyone ends up building their own mini-server, persistence layers, designer hosting etc. OK, there are demos that go some way to addressing this, but you still have a fair bit of work to do yourself.
It seems we are missing the middle-ground. A sort of Workflow Lite, or "BizTalk Express", if you like. An out of the box, ready built "standard" solution from Microsoft, available for nominal cost. Could provide a stepping stone to the full-blown Microsoft products later (perhaps a marketing strategy to increase MS share of workflow space ). So, any thoughts on whether a such a Workflow Express product is on the cards, or is this never going to happen
"Workflow Express" server ?
bigjimslade
Hmm Bingo I am thinking about same for some time now , well Andrew I think its the way Microsoft Build thier Strategy , I think in some scenarios Biztalk Server is overkill and in other its jell perfectly . I think behind inovation of WF their is very imporant point and that is other Vendors making move into it at framework level (very good example is JBoss JBPM (http://www.jboss.org/products/jbpm) . Microsoft have to go deep and come up with some thing at very granular level which allows vast auduence to build things on top of it. I most well groomed and sucessfull ISV's in WorkFlow market (K2.NET and Captaris comes to mind right now ..) are already building thier core engine on top of it . I think its just a matter of time that we gona see community based development for making some light weight product which sits between biztalk and simple out of box WF features .
Koo Ofori
On the other hand... the framework provides you with everything necessary, including examples of how to build everything.
Build a Windows Service as a Workflow host, add a persistence service of your choice, add a communication pipeline, e.g. over MSMQ, add a global correlation (if the clients do not necessarily know the WF instance id) and you are done. Maybe expose the message inputs/outputs on the comm pipeline with a wrapper, e.g. a WebService that inserts a message and waits for the response for synchrnonous communication or a file listener that does the same asynchronously. If you would now go ahead and even insert a configurable converter between the exposed interfaces and the communication pipeline - you got mini BizTalk.
Bob W
AlvinTheUnready