This Wrox Blox explores Service Orientated Architecture and the Enterprise Service Bus, focusing on how it can be implemented using Microsoft BizTalk Server. It explains the need for SOA Architecture in an enterprise business and looks at the key Business and IT Drivers in business, how they can interact, and where there are conflicts that SOA can help resolve. Specifically, the author discusses Microsoft ESB Guidance and how, by using BizTalk 2006, ESB implementation can provide a solid platform for SOA development; management across the IT and Business Space with the Governance and tools provided in the ESB Toolkit; pointers to online resources, including guides on installing and deploying ESB; and how to avoid common SOA pitfalls. The target audience for this Wrox Blox is IT Managers, Business Managers, Architects, Developers, and Business Analysts who want to find architectural guidance information on Service Oriented Architecture, BizTalk, and Enterprise Service Bus.