To configure BizTalk Server with script you need a configuration file that describes your choices. You can export it from an existing environment or run Configuration.exe do your selections and export. To reuse the file, you will need to edit it to match the new environment. Generally, I create template files with tokens that I replace at configuration time. You can read about the configuration framework here.

The configuration files differ slightly between the first server in which you create the group and the secondaries that joins the group. In the image below you see that the Selected Attribute differs. The same kind of change for SSO if you create the group on the first server.

Handling secrets

In the configuration files you will enter passwords for service accounts and SSO Backup. One alternative could be to use KeePass files that are encrypted or Azure KeyVault. That said at some point you will have secrets in clear text so ensure you delete the configuration file when you’re done. Below a sample function to extract the secrets from a KeePass database using the PoShKeePass module. You can find information extracting KeyVault secrets here.

The execution itself is quite straight forward starting Configuration.exe with /S parameter

Other configurations

Something I see quite often is that customers forget to configure Backups and DTA Purge jobs in a timely manner which leads to unnecessary database growth. You don’t need many lines of code to configure them.

Other potential targets are to register the BizTalk PowerShell provider, WinSCP setup for the SFTP adapter and third-party software.

Sample scripts can be found here: https://github.com/skastberg/biztalkps/tree/master/ScriptedInstallSamples

Feature installation

When installing BizTalk Server with script you will need to tell the setup program what features to install. You can use the /ADDLOCAL parameter using a list of features as described here or use a configuration file with the /S parameter. I prefer to use the later by exporting the features from a reference installation or a previous version installation (Compare an export from previous versions with the list below since some features are no longer valid).

This table shows an export for features from the msi-files, I have matched them with a configuration export from a fully installed BizTalk Server. The feature column is the name that must be used, and it is case sensitive.

Example of an installation execution in PowerShell

Start-Process -FilePath $fullPathToBTS -ArgumentList "/S $fullPathToConfig /CABPATH `"$FullPathToCab`" /norestart /l $logFullname /companyname CONTOSO /username CONTOSO" -Wait

Adapter Pack installation

The adapter pack can also be installed silently. The process consists of several steps since you have the SDK and adapters and for each one of them 32 and 64 bit to include. In the setups I do with customers we tweak the installation to match the features that will be used on the specific installation. Detailed description on the parameters can be found here. In the samples you find a function that installs both the SDK and the adapters.

Example of an installation execution in PowerShell that will install WCF-SQL and Oracle DB adapters.

Start-Process -FilePath "$cmd" -ArgumentList "/qn ADDLOCAL=SqlFeature,DbFeature CEIP_OPTIN=false" -Wait

CU and Feature Packs

Keeping your systems updated is a good practice and you can install both CUs and Feature packs silently. In the samples you find a function that installs CU. Scripted installation of CUs and Feature pack is straight forward and you can get the required parameters running the installer with /?.

Example of an installation execution in PowerShell that will install a CU or Feature pack.

Start-Process -FilePath $fullPathToCu -ArgumentList "/quiet /s /w /norestart /log $logFullname" -Wait

Good to remember

Add a check to see if your Virus scanner is enabled. The installation process will try to stop WMI which many scanners use thus protect from an it will lead the installation to fail.

While doing your test installations, you will probably want to do some retries. Most features can be uninstalled so you can write another script to uninstall, then you can start over with your installation.

$installedMsiObject = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Product | Where-Object { $_.Name -like "*BizTalk*"

if ($installedMsiObject) {

try {
$installedMsiObject.UnInstall() | Out-Null
}
catch {
  Write-Error "Error occurred: $_"
}
}

Sample scripts can be found here: https://github.com/skastberg/biztalkps/tree/master/ScriptedInstallSamples