I have been a BizTalk developer sometime back. I used it for one of the large B2B pilots that we did couple of years back. Obviously, I was curious to learn about WWF and figure out when and where to use it.

Yesterday I presented a quick intro on WWF at MUGH User Group Meet here at Hyderabad.

I want to explain this technology the way I understand it. I hope this helps some of you who are confused even after reading some intro articles on MSDN.

Many of us write enterprise applications that has complex business logic. This business logic will obviously have a decent chunk of code that contains some conditional branching.

Think of a scenario where an employee places an internal order for a new notebook computer. The system has to check if the employee is a full time employee before it sends a notification to the manager for his approval.

After the approval process completes, it then goes onto checking the internal inventory for that specific product.If the internal stock is empty, the system goes about generating a PO and calls a Web Service to place an order with the vendor. Then it waits till the Web Service sends an acknowledgment with the order confirmation number and a tentative date of shipping. The process is completed by sending a mail to the employee with the acknowledgment details.

Let’s translate the above scenario into a pseudo code.

public void PlaceOrder(Employee e, Product p)

{

   if(e.FTE)

   {

       if (GetManagerApproval(e,p))

       {

           Inventory i=InventoryServiceProxy.GetInventory(P.ProductID);

          if(!i.InStock)

           {

              PurchaseOrder PO=new PurchaseOrder(p,1);

              OrderAck Ack=OrderServiceProxy.SendPO(PO);

              SendMail(“Placed New Order”,”Order #” + Ack.OrderNo +” Expected on ” + ACK.ShipDate, e.EmailID);

           }

        }      

     }

     // Rest of the code goes here

}

While the above scenario looks very normal and the code looks very familiar, think of some of the possible issues that may crop up over a period of time.

• The company wants to allow even interns to place a new order.
• The approval process now involves a procurement manager’s approval even before the employee’s manager approves it.
• With the vendor providing local ware houses at each city, the company wants to do away with local inventory maintenance and wants to directly check with the vendor’s nearest warehouse.
• For some strange reasons, the acknowledgement also needs to be sent as a SMS or IM alert to the employee.

Unfortunately, our code has no capability to adapt to these requirements and align itself with the changing business requirements. Ideally we should isolate this kind of branching from core business logic.

We should let an analyst or a business manager define and re-define this kind of branching. Actually this perfectly qualifies to be a Workflow. The business logic should have ‘hooks’ to these workflows that run outside of the context of the core business logic. Whenever the workflow needs to be executed, the biz logic should invoke the current workflow definition either synchronously or asynchronously based on the scenario.

WWF efficiently lets a developer convert the decision branching part of the code into an independent and insulated workflow entity from the core business logic.

Using the intuitive designer, any business decision maker can alter the workflow and persist it back into the system. The cool thing about WWF is that the workflow designer can be shipped with your app that runs independent of Visual Studio.  

As I first mentioned in post, this is my initial understanding of WWF. If you feel I am inaccurate in conveying some of the points, drop a comment and I will be glad to go back to do my homework J

So, Here is my Step-By-Step guide to configuring a Wi-Fi network with BSNL DataOne. Though many wireless routers claim that it is a no-brainer setup to configure the wireless network, I found it to be not as easy as it looks to be. For example, NetGear comes with a wizard that never works with BSNL broadband connected via HUAWEI SmartAX 880. For those of you desperate to take your BSNL DataOne broadband wireless, follow these steps. It took me more than 2 days to figure and come out with these configuration details.

Before I start, let me share what I have:

1)     BSNL DataOne 256Kbps connection.

2)     HUAWEI SmartAX MT880 (The modem supplied by BSNL).

3)     NetGear WGR614v5

There are 2 steps to configuring your wireless network. First, you have to change the default settings of the SmartAX MT880 modem and configure it to enable PPPoE (PPP over Ethernet). Second, you have to configure the NetGear Router to talk to the modem.

Keep your modem, wireless router and your username and password from BSNL handy before you proceed to the next step.

If you want to change your existing configuration, take a backup of your configuration. This guide is to build your network from the ground-up.

1)     Configuring and testing your Broadband connection

·         Setup the modem as per the instructions mentioned in the manual. Ensure that the RJ11 (thin) cable from the splitter is connected to the ADSL port and the RJ45 cable connects your machine to the Ethernet port of the modem.

·         Change the IP properties of your Ethernet card to the following:

192.168.1.2

255.255.255.0

192.168.1.1

·         Open the browser and type http://192.168.1.1 to go to the HUAWEI configuration tool.

·         Enter ‘admin’ as username and ‘admin’ as password

·         Expand the Home node and select the WAN Setting

·         Under this web page, configure the following:

PVC Number – PVC 0

Wan Type – PPP

Connection Type – PPPoE

VPI/VCI – 0 / 35

Default Route - Enabled

User Name – <Your ISP UserName>

Password – <Your ISP Password>

Use DNS – Enabled

Max Idle Time – Always On

·         Click on Apply and allow the modem to restart.

·         Close the browser window

·         Open the browser and type http://192.168.1.1

·         Enter ‘admin’ as username and ‘admin’ as password

·         You should see the Summary page. The Status is normally Red indicating that the connection is not ON.

·         Click on the Plug icon in the Note column to connect.

·         After the Connecting message, you should see the summary page again with the Status turning Green. Notice the IP Address and the Gateway Address.

·         Expand Tools node and click on Misc.

·         Type  www.msn.com and click on Ping

·         You should see Ping Result: Successful

·         Click on the Lan Settings link under the Advanced node.

·         Configure the following:

IP Address – 192.168.1.90

Subnet Mask – 255.255.255.0(/24)

Local Domain Name – Blank

·         Click on Apply and allow the modem to restart

·         Open the Network properties of your Ethernet card and change the IP properties to the following

IP Address – 192.168.1.2

Subnet Mask – 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway – 192.168.1.90

Preferred DNS server – 61.1.96.69 (BSNL DNS Server IP)

Alternate DNS server – 61.1.96.71 (BSNL DNS Server IP)

·         Open your browser and type your favorite URL. You should be online by this time!

2)     Configuring the Wireless Router and enabling the WPA security

·         Connect the network cable from the NetGear wireless router to the machine.

·         Open the IP Properties of your Network card and Enable DHCP. Select the following on the IP properites dialog.

Obtain IP Address Automatically

Obtain DNS Server Address Automatically

·         Open the browser and type http://192.168.1.1/basicsetting.htm

·         Enter ‘admin’ as username and ‘password’ as the password

·         Click on Wireless Settings link on the navigation pane and configure with the following values

Wireless Network

Name (SSID) - <YourSSID>

Region – Asia

Channel – 11

Mode – g and b

Security Options

WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy)

Security Encryption (WEP)

Authentication Type – Automatic

Encryption Strength – 64bit

Security Encryption (WEP) Key

Passphrase - <YourPassphrase>

·         Click on Generate

·         Record the value of Key1 – This is required when you log on to your Wi-Fi network the first time.

·         Click on Apply and wait till the router reboots

     (Wireless will not be enabled till you complete the next step)

·         Click on the Basic Settings link on the left side navigation pane and configure the following

Does your Internet connection require a login? – No

Account Name – blank

Domain Name – blank

Internet IP Address

Use Static IP Address

IP Address – 192.168.1.91

IP Subnet Mask – 255.255.255.0

Gateway IP Address – 192.168.1.90

Domain Name Server (DNS) Address

Use These DNS Servers

Primary DNS – 61.1.96.69

Secondary DNS – 61.1.96.71

Router MAC Address

Use Default Address

·         Click on Apply and wait till the router restarts

·         Connect the Network Cable coming from the ADSL Modem to the Wireless Router

Few things to remember –

·         Don’t connect the ADSL Lan Cable to the Internet Uplink port of the Wireless Router. It never worked for me. Always connect it to one of the 4 ports excluding the designated Internet port.

·         IP Addresses can be anything of your choice. But it is a good idea to follow the 192.168.x.x convention

·         If you get lost any time, feel free to reset the configuration by poking a pin into the reset slot on the modem and the router.

·         Don’t compromise on the security. Always enable WPA and save your key. Don’t let your friendly neighbors ride on your network!

Have a happy Wi-Fi surfing and drop a comment in case you want more inputs.

A lot of things have changed during the last 2 months. Many of those changes kept me really busy and away from my blogging exercise.

Hope to update this space soon with some interesting news!

Today is my first day at the swanky new Microsoft Campus at Hyderabad. The whole ambience, environment is just great and my day so far has been very productive.

I got a nice cubicle that’s cozy, quiet, calm and very ergonomic. I share the workspace with the Developer Division that develops Visual J# and some components of Visual Studio Team System

I still remember the great feeling and the excitement I had when I walked into the Microsoft IDC on the 9th floor at the Cyber Towers in Hi-Tec City on the first day of my joining.

The facility here closely resembles its counterpart at Redmond. Actually, the UI, Look and Feel and the Accessibility of the campus are as per true Microsoft guidelinesJ. Those of you who visited One Microsoft Way, Redmond will wonder if one of the buildings were actually Ctrl-C’d and Ctld-V’d here ;-).

This is my second post on Apple’s iPod (You can find the first post here). Off late, I have been hearing people talk about PodCasting. It was little confusing initially which made me think of audio blogging which is recorded, posted and synchronized straight from an iPod. But PodCasting is a complex name (or a misnomer!) for subscribing to a regularly updated audio blog which can be played back on an iPod. My fundamental question is why do you need to call this a Podcast? Why can’t this be called WMPCast or RealCast or XYZCast? How is it so exclusive to an iPod? Is there a way by which an iPod can subscribe and get updates without hooking on to the USB port of my machine? Then why the heck on this planet is this called PodCasting? If you didn’t get what I really meant, find the official definition here. One more definition comes here.

I think Apple successfully managed to en-cash on the wearable cool factor that today’s teens are looking for. I also feel that suddenly iPod is given a status of that of a platform. Suddenly I started hearing and reading about iPod more than I read about Linux vs Windows! Friends, iPod is a simple MP3 player with the trademark feminine looks of Apple! It is certainly not a platform that deserves so much of attention from the geeks. There are tons of other convenient, affordable and cute looking MP3 players with better form factor. Just do a search on eBay or Baazee.com and you will get an overwhelming response.

Recently I have seen Bose come up with a docking station for iPod and a Sony Car Stereo claiming support for an iPod. When I curiously searched for a proprietary iPod extension on the Sony’s system, all it had was just a normal Aux-In socket that can as well accept input from my grandma’s two decade old pocket radio’s headphone socket! So what makes it so special for an iPod? I am worried that people will start calling MP3 (ACC and other iPod compatible formats) files as pod files!

I might be interested in an iPod the day it comes embedded with CLR. Or better a VSIP extension on VS.NET that enables me write new skins for changing the look and feel. Till then an iPod is a plain and simple digital music player for me. Please do not try to oversell the virtues of this yet another MP3 player!

I am still pretty much happy with my Creative Nomad Zen Jukebox that now supports listening and book-marking audio books. I am tuned in for a ZenCast!

Last weekend I finally managed to replace my good old Pioneer Car MP3 Player with a powerful and stylish Sony Xplod system. I bought a CDX-F7700 MP3 CD Receiver, a 600W Power Amplifier, a Sub Woofer and a pair of Speakers. This has virtually transformed my otherwise boring long drives into a great fun experience. The subwoofer flawlessly delivers extremely low frequencies while the speakers balance between the high and the mid range frequencies. What I love in this system is the fluorescent LCD that keeps the passengers (of course, not the driver!) engaged while listening to the pulsating music. Click here to see the demo of the FL display. This reminds me of the visualization features of the Windows Media Player.  While this system features almost every feature that I have been wanting to have, I sorely miss the WMA playback feature L. But that’s the tradeoff that I had to make when going for a Sony. After all, an XBox won’t let you play a PS/2 game. I have already found a workaround to playback my WMA files in this mind blowing system. I am going to get a powerful stereo FM transmitter which will be hooked on to my Creative Nomad Zen Jukebox. This will let me tune the FM radio in my Car receiver and I can enjoy the stereo transmission while just controlling the Juke Box. One feature that I thoroughly enjoy is the Digitial Soundstage processing that simulates surround sound in the car. It provides an immersive experience of the sound and brings an effect that is as close as a Dolby Digital 5.1 system.

If you are planning to be in Hyderabad, buzz me and I will give u a ride to show the power of the new system.

What a hectic month it has been! Lots of travel followed by a long vacation. I was cursing myself for taking such a long break from blogging. But it has been really tough.

Well, I did enjoy my trip to Seattle last month. The first five days of the conference was little tiring as the day started from 9AM and almost lasted till late evening. The last two days were full of fun as we explored the downtown Seattle, Bellevue and Redmond. I had great time with Fai, Pradeepa, Na and Ching who are my counterparts (ADEs) from Malaysia, Australia, Taiwan and China respectively. 28th Jan, Friday was a free day for all of us and we started the day early by hiring a Chevy from Avis. Fai has been the unofficial chauffeur J and he did a pretty decent job of it. We reached the One Microsoft Way at 9:30 AM and rushed towards Building 31 where Ivan Joseph hosted an exclusive seminar on WinCE to all the ADEs. As expected it was a great session and in particular Mike Hall ‘s presentation was superb. We enjoyed our lunch in one of the cafeterias in the same building. I managed to get some decent veg. Pizza and a cappuccino from StarBucks. After lunch we all left for a whirlwind tour of the campus. Though this is my second visit to Redmond, I could never tour the One Microsoft Way. I first watched the MS Campus on TV during the launch of Windows 95. I still remember the interview with Bill Gates outside one of the building that had flags carrying the logos of IE, Windows and of course the US national flag. For some reason I was so fascinated by that, I have been dreaming of visiting the campus and to pose at one of the flag posts J.  We were crazily searching for a prominently visible Microsoft logo for clicking some snaps. After spotting one such logo (embossed white logo on a brick wall) all of us flocked to get ourselves clicked next to it. I have added few photos to my album from this session. We also visited the Company Store where I bought some badge holders and software for my friends. If you are planning to be in Redmond, don’t forget to see the company store and also the Visitor Center which I guess was called Microsoft Museum. You will find an antique collection of things like the Altair 8800 computer on which Bill Gates wrote Basic back in 70s. You will also find shrink-wrapped boxes of good old MS-DOS, Windows 3.11 and also few modern PCs running XP and Longhorn. As you move forward, you will notice a huge collection of Windows Mobile devices followed by Tablet PCs. There is also a living room setup that has Windows Media Center PC and X-BOX. There are many other interesting things like the MSN portal center with lots PCs running MSN Explorer with a nice backdrop of MSN butterflies.

We drove down to Best Buy in Bellevue for shopping. I actually made up my mind to buy a HP 5.1 MP digital camera till I got baptized by Pradeepa. He demoed his Sony Cybershot and quickly compared the quality of Photos taken from his cam vs. the others. I was amazed at the quality of the pics that were shot from Sony and thanks to Pradeepa, I immediately bought a Sony Cybershot P-93 5.1 MP with 512MB MS. I am very happy with my decision of going for a Sony. It came in really handy during this trip.

The day ended with a Sushi dinner at an exotic Japanese Restaurant in downtown Seattle (I barely managed to nibble some peanuts here) and my colleagues were kind enough to walk down the street to join me for a meal at an Indian Restaurant.

I have updated the Photo section with pics from my Seattle trip. Take a look at them and don’t forget to drop your comments.

It is heartening to see the bloggers contributing their bit to help the Tsunami victims. I really appreciate the initiatives taken by Kiruba Shankar in helping the victims and also pointing visitors to various sites that are directly and indirectly providing the help.

Just found that the PMO is accepting donations online at http://www.sify.com/pmf.php.

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