Beginning SQL Server™ 2005 Administration

Chapter 15. Introduction to the Service Broker

SQL Server 2005 introduces a new feature known as the Service Broker that allows you to build more robust applications without having to rely on external technologies. Similar in concept to the Microsoft Message Queuing Service (MSMQ), Service Broker allows you to define services within one or more SQL databases that can all interact with one another, and build communication paths for more complete end-to-end connectivity using native SQL features.

This chapter examines the basics of how the Service Broker features operate, and how they can be leveraged to provide you with a mechanism for building inclusive application solutions. This chapter covers the following topics:

• Service-Oriented Architecture

• Service Broker overview

• Service Broker elements

• Service Broker security

• A Sample Service Broker application

Service-Oriented Architecture

In SQL Server 2005, Service Broker employs a model that uses Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) for defining how data is treated by the variety of applications that will interact with it. SOA is based on the idea of separating data from the different processes that will view or manipulate that data. This allows you to build applications that do one thing, and do it well, without having to format the data to fit the application.

A good example of SOA in action is email. Many of us use email every day without thinking about what happens behind the scenes when we send an electronic message to someone. When I open ...