Biztalk 2013 to pick files from webdav

Question

Hi Guys,
Can anyone let me know whether Biztalk 2013 will work with webdav to pick files? I am thinking to use webdav and host an endpoint in IIS to store the files created by different applications. The reason would be just to avoid sharing of windows file paths
and use a consistent authentication mechanism at the IIS level.
So if any application puts a file in to the webdav, Can we configure Biztalk to pick those files? If so, do we get same message context properties as FILE adapter?
Thanks
JB

Answer 1

Hi Janardhan,
Before I validate this approach of using WebDav as file share for BizTalk, let me just answer your question directly.
While configuring WebDav, you would create a file share for WebDAV and map this file
share to your virtual directory. And if you want to use WebDav as file share (for files created by different applications) then you can use BizTalk file adapter to access the files, so in this case since you have used the File adapter you will have file adapter
related context properties to the message published in to BizTalk message box db. You have to ensure, BizTalk host instance’s credentials uses by the file Receive location to pick the files from file share of WebDav has access to receive the files.
Following article can help you on creating file share in WebDav
MSDN
Blog:Setting up WebDAV on IIS using Windows Authentication and a UNC, mapped drive or file share
But instead of considering this option did you consider the following options through which you can still control the access at IIS level.:
BTSHTTPReceive.dll:
You can configure virtual directory with BTSHTTPReceive.dl in IIS.
Once IIS is configured for
BTSHTTPReceive.dl
BizTalk listens to this URL and, through the use of BTSHTTPReceive.dll and the HTTP receive adapter message posted to this URL is passed to the BizTalk MessageBox
Following article shall help to know details about this and how to configure it
http://tech.movie-stars.us/windows_server/biztalk-2010-recipes---adapters---configuring-http-receives.aspx
http://soa-thoughts.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/using-btshttpreceive-in-x64-environment.html
http://www.biztalkbill.com/Home/tabid/40/EntryId/66/Configuring-BTSHTTPReceive-dll-to-work-on-IIS-7.aspx
Publish schema as WCF Service:
You can build a single schema that has a child node of type “any.”  Then, you can use the “publish schemas as WCF service” option of the publishing wizards to create a general
purpose service which can be used to receive different types of message from different applications. Here different application/customer client call this WCF service upload their data document in the <Any> section of the schema, If you’re using
WCF receive locations, you can always strip out the wrapper node before publishing to the MessageBox.
For more options, read the following article:
Four Ways to Accept Any XML Data Into BizTalk Web
Services
I would certainly consider other option before using WebDav as file share for BizTalk to process the file.
The above methods are suggested since you want to control the access level at IIS, other obvious options are FTP..
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