This book is broken into two distinct parts. The first is a general introduction to BizTalk Server 2010 as well as the patterns commonly used in solutions built on the platform. It also includes explanations and motivations for these core patterns and practices. The second part is a hands-on real world example presented in a step-by-step manner that takes the reader through a multiphase solution and builds this simple project into a robust and complex middleware integration solution. This book is targeted at the professional developer or architect tasked with creating solutions that leverage BizTalk Server 2010. It assumes experience with Visual Studio and at least a minimal exposure to any version of BizTalk Server from 2004 to the present. Development managers with a technical background will also find this book useful in guiding their implementation teams. Cursory knowledge of XML, although useful, is not required; the text does include an XML primer in the appendix. Advanced BizTalk developers will learn many tips and techniques to improve the solutions they develop on the BizTalk 2010 platform.