Biztalk Server vs IBM Sterling B2B Integrator

Last Updated:

Our analysts compared Biztalk Server vs IBM Sterling B2B Integrator based on data from our 400+ point analysis of EDI Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Biztalk Server Software Tool

Product Basics

BizTalk Server is an inter-organizational middleware by Microsoft that integrates applications across the enterprise and manages business processes through automation. It exchanges business documents between different implementations, within or across the organization.

By making use of adapters to tailor communication, it acts as a message breaker and provides business activity monitoring. Implementation of maps is done with the XSLT standard, while orchestration is done with the WS-BPEL-compatible process language. Developers have the freedom to create and transform messages from one type to another.
read more...

IBM Sterling B2B Integrator stands out as a comprehensive solution designed to manage the complexities of EDI and B2B data exchange, making it particularly suitable for large enterprises and organizations with extensive supply chain networks. This software streamlines the process of integrating, transforming, and managing electronic data interchange (EDI) communications across a variety of systems and partners. One of its key benefits is the ability to reduce operational costs by automating business processes that traditionally require manual intervention. Users appreciate its robust set of features, including support for multiple communication protocols, high levels of data security, and the ability to handle large volumes of transactions efficiently. When compared to similar products, IBM Sterling B2B Integrator is often praised for its scalability and reliability, although it may come with a higher price tag. Pricing considerations typically involve a combination of upfront costs and ongoing subscription fees, which can vary based on the scale of deployment and specific needs of the business.

read more...
$10,000 Annually
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
$48.99 Monthly
Free Trial is unavailable →
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
Small
Medium
Large
Small
Medium
Large
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Receive Comprehensive Support: Get support for a wide range of protocols and data formats and ensure seamless communication across different operating systems. 
  • Handle Bad Scripts: Easily manage bad scripts with a retry mechanism or service support windows. 
  • Eliminate Third-party Implementation: Easily integrate with a wide range of programs without having to seek the help of a third-party administrator. 
  • Integrate Diverse Programs: Connect people and information together and get the freedom to conduct B2B communication and EDI transactions. 
  • Enhance Security: Utilize seamless hybrid integration and a new level of security by being closely aligned to Azure. 
read more...
  • Streamlined Operations: IBM Sterling B2B Integrator automates and consolidates EDI processes, reducing manual tasks and enabling teams to focus on strategic activities rather than routine data entry.
  • Enhanced Visibility: It provides real-time insights into transaction statuses and partner activities, allowing businesses to proactively manage operations and address issues before they escalate.
  • Improved Accuracy: By automating data exchanges, the software minimizes human errors, ensuring that transactions are processed correctly and efficiently, leading to fewer disputes and chargebacks.
  • Scalability: As your business grows, IBM Sterling B2B Integrator scales with you, supporting an increasing number of transactions and partners without compromising performance.
  • Compliance Assurance: It helps businesses stay compliant with industry standards and regulations by automatically updating data exchange protocols and formats as required.
  • Cost Savings: By streamlining operations and reducing the need for manual intervention, businesses can significantly lower operational costs associated with B2B transactions.
  • Enhanced Security: IBM Sterling B2B Integrator employs robust security measures, including encryption and secure protocols, to protect sensitive data during exchanges, mitigating the risk of data breaches.
  • Global Reach: It supports a wide range of communication protocols and data formats, enabling businesses to connect with partners worldwide, regardless of their preferred systems or standards.
  • Flexible Integration: The software can be integrated with existing ERP, CRM, and other backend systems, ensuring seamless data flow and reducing the need for custom interfaces.
  • Improved Partner Relationships: By ensuring reliable and efficient data exchanges, businesses can strengthen their relationships with trading partners, leading to better collaboration and opportunities for growth.
  • Customizable Workflows: IBM Sterling B2B Integrator allows businesses to customize workflows according to their unique processes and requirements, offering flexibility and control over how transactions are managed.
  • Disaster Recovery: With built-in disaster recovery capabilities, the software ensures that businesses can quickly recover from unexpected events, minimizing downtime and protecting against data loss.
  • Analytics and Reporting: It offers comprehensive analytics and reporting tools, enabling businesses to analyze transaction data, identify trends, and make informed decisions to optimize their B2B operations.
read more...
  • API Management:  Manage different artifacts in the server environment using REST API. Use Azure API management to publish orchestration endpoints. Unlock the potential of data and service by gaining the freedom to publish API to external partners and internal developers. 
  • Analytics: Perform deep data storage using Azure Application Insight and Event Hub and use Power BI for reporting and viewing data. 
  • Office 365 Adapters: Automate workflow and integrate with adapters to send or receive Office 365 emails, transmit Microsoft Office calendars and create contacts. 
  • Hubs Adapter: Send and receive messages with Azure Events Hub, which allows the server to function both as an event publisher and subscriber with the cloud-based, event-driven application. 
  • Application Life Cycle Management: Use Visual Studio Team Services to define multiple server deployments and maintain those systems throughout the life cycle. Utilize Azure DevOps to automatically deploy applications to different environments. 
  • Routing: Route encrypted as well as unencrypted messages to the receiver with no capping on the decryption limit. Ensure safety and security by only permitting messages from those that have a receive-authorization certificate. 
read more...
  • Visual Management: Gain visibility into workflows, cost containment, risk mitigation and trading partner activities with blockchain-enabled solutions and visual management tools like a dashboard. 
  • Role-Based Security: Limit user access to files, business processes and interfaces based on the role users have in the account. 
  • Tracking and Searching: Search for specific information, monitor processes and track the state of data in the operation cycle. 
  • Trading Profile Management: Define the business and communication capabilities of trading partners engaged in e-business with other partners. 
  • Pre-Defined Business Process Model: Pre-configure business processes for convenience. Create models which will consist of a series of softwares activities that will help accomplish the task. 
  • Dashboard Interface: Monitor workflow system, various business processes and trading partners through portlets. 
  • EBICS: Use Electronic Banking Internet Communication Standard (EBICS) to perform transactions with partners and users. Set up and manage multiple banks and users. 
  • Global Mailbox: Store messages from partners across the globe. Make use of high-availability mailboxing with an add-on component. Set up, store and manage trading partners documents using AS2 protocols. 
read more...

Product Ranking

#5

among all
EDI Software

#20

among all
EDI Software

Find out who the leaders are

Analyst Rating Summary

93
100
92
100
96
100
100
100
Show More Show More
EDI Transaction and Community Management
EDI Translation and Mapping
EDI Protocols and Standards
Document Management
Integrations and Extensibility
Document Management
EDI Protocols and Standards
EDI Transaction and Community Management
EDI Translation and Mapping
Integrations and Extensibility

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

82%
9%
9%
100%
0%
0%
92%
0%
8%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%

Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

82%
0%
18%
100%
0%
0%
83%
0%
17%
100%
0%
0%

Awards

No awards.

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated IBM Sterling B2B Integrator and concluded it deserves the award for the Best Overall EDI Software available today and earns best-in-class honors for EDI Protocols and Standards and Platform Capabilities and Security.

Analysts' Pick Award
EDI Protocols and Standards Award
Platform Capabilities and Security Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Robust EDI Capabilities: Users appreciate BizTalk Server for its strong support for Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) standards, enabling seamless data exchange with trading partners.
Integration Flexibility: The platform is lauded for its ability to integrate with a wide range of systems and technologies, making it a versatile choice for complex IT environments.
Scalability: Businesses value BizTalk's scalability, which allows them to start small and expand their use of the server as their needs grow, without significant re-investment.
Reliable Messaging: The guaranteed delivery feature ensures that messages are never lost, providing peace of mind for critical business transactions.
Comprehensive B2B Support: Users find the built-in support for B2B transactions and protocols to be a major advantage, streamlining operations with partners.
Advanced Monitoring and Tracking: The ability to monitor and track data flows in real-time helps businesses quickly identify and resolve issues, enhancing operational efficiency.
Extensive Adapter Library: BizTalk's wide range of available adapters simplifies the process of connecting to various applications and services, reducing development time.
Strong Community and Support: The active BizTalk community and Microsoft's support services are highly valued for providing assistance and sharing best practices.
Show more
Extensive Protocol Support: Handles various protocols like AS2, SFTP, FTPS, and HTTPS, ensuring smooth data exchange with diverse partners.
Robust Partner Management: Simplifies onboarding and managing trading partners, streamlining communication and collaboration.
Scalability and Performance: Adapts to growing business needs, accommodating increasing transaction volumes and complex workflows.
Data Transformation Capabilities: Efficiently translates data between different formats, ensuring compatibility and seamless integration.
Enhanced Visibility and Control: Provides real-time insights into transactions, enabling proactive monitoring and issue resolution.
Show more
Complex Setup: Users often find the initial setup and configuration of BizTalk Server to be complex and time-consuming, especially for those with specific EDI needs.
Steep Learning Curve: New users report a steep learning curve, making it challenging to fully leverage BizTalk Server's capabilities without significant training.
Cost: The total cost of ownership, including licensing, hardware, and maintenance, can be prohibitively expensive for small to medium-sized businesses.
Performance Issues: Some users experience performance bottlenecks, particularly in high-volume transaction environments, leading to delays and decreased efficiency.
Limited Agility: The platform's architecture can sometimes hinder rapid changes or updates, making it less agile in response to evolving business needs.
Dependency on Windows: Being tightly integrated with Windows, BizTalk Server limits cross-platform capabilities, which can be a drawback for businesses operating in diverse IT environments.
Outdated UI: Users often cite the user interface as being outdated and less intuitive compared to more modern integration solutions.
Show more
Steep Learning Curve: The software's complexity can overwhelm new users, requiring significant time investment to understand its functionalities and effectively build and manage B2B integrations. This can lead to frustration and delays in implementation.
Resource-Intensive: IBM Sterling B2B Integrator often demands substantial hardware resources, especially for high-volume transaction processing. This can translate into higher infrastructure costs and potential performance bottlenecks for organizations with limited resources.
Costly Licensing: The licensing structure can be expensive, particularly for smaller businesses or those with limited integration needs. The cost factor may deter some potential users from adopting the platform.
Show more

BizTalk Server is a powerful tool for businesses needing a robust and adaptable solution for Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and application integration. Users appreciate its ability to handle complex data formats and its scalability, making it suitable for large organizations with diverse integration requirements. Its versatility allows for connecting various systems and applications, streamlining business processes. However, some users find BizTalk Server's complexity and steep learning curve to be drawbacks, especially for those seeking a simpler EDI solution. Additionally, while BizTalk Server offers a range of features, it may not be the most cost-effective option for smaller businesses with less complex integration needs. Compared to other integration platforms like MuleSoft Anypoint Platform or Boomi, BizTalk Server stands out with its deep integration with the Microsoft ecosystem, making it a natural choice for organizations heavily invested in Microsoft technologies. Its strength lies in handling complex integrations and orchestrations, but it may not be as user-friendly or cloud-native as some competitors. Ultimately, BizTalk Server is best suited for enterprises requiring a comprehensive and scalable solution for EDI and application integration, particularly those already utilizing Microsoft products and services. Its ability to manage intricate data formats and automate business processes makes it a valuable asset for organizations with complex integration challenges.

Show more

Over the past year, IBM Sterling B2B Integrator has been consistently praised for its robustness and reliability in handling complex B2B transactions and integrations, particularly in environments that demand high levels of data security and compliance. Users have highlighted its comprehensive suite of features, including powerful EDI capabilities, as a significant strength, allowing for seamless integration with a wide range of systems and protocols. This versatility makes it a go-to solution for enterprises looking to streamline their B2B communications and operations. However, some users have pointed out its steep learning curve and the need for substantial technical expertise to fully leverage the platform. This aspect, while indicative of its advanced capabilities, contrasts with some competitors that offer more user-friendly interfaces at the expense of customization and depth of functionality. What sets IBM Sterling B2B Integrator apart from similar products is its exceptional scalability and the ability to handle massive volumes of transactions without compromising performance. This capability is crucial for large enterprises and organizations in industries like finance, retail, and manufacturing, where the volume and complexity of B2B transactions can be overwhelming. Additionally, its strong security features and compliance tools are often cited as key differentiators, providing peace of mind for businesses operating in regulated sectors. Despite its advantages, the product's complexity and resource requirements may pose challenges for smaller businesses or those with limited IT support. IBM Sterling B2B Integrator is most suited for large enterprises and organizations that prioritize security, compliance, and the ability to handle complex, high-volume B2B transactions. Its comprehensive feature set and scalability make it an ideal choice for industries such as finance, manufacturing, and retail, where these capabilities can translate into significant efficiency gains and cost savings. However, businesses with simpler needs or limited technical resources might find it more challenging to adopt, making it less suitable for small to medium-sized enterprises looking for a plug-and-play solution.

Show more

Screenshots

Top Alternatives in EDI Software


Adeptia Connect

Anypoint Platform

ArcESB

B2B Data Exchange

B2Bi

Babelway

Boomi

Cleo Integration Cloud

Comarch EDI

DataTrans Solutions

IBM Sterling B2B Integrator

Oracle B2B

SPS Commerce Fulfillment

TrueCommerce

Head-to-Head Comparison

WE DISTILL IT INTO REAL REQUIREMENTS, COMPARISON REPORTS, PRICE GUIDES and more...

Compare products
Comparison Report
Just drag this link to the bookmark bar.
?
Table settings