This is something I'm glad about - the R2 numbering system just confuses people.

Following is list of key capabilities that have been added to BizTalk Server 2010.

  1. Enhanced trading partner management that will enable our customers to manage complex B2B relationships with ease
  2. Increase productivity through enhanced BizTalk Mapper. These enhancements are critical in increasing productivity in both EAI and B2B solutions; and a favorite feature of our customers.
  3. Enable secure data transfer across business partners with FTPS adapter
  4. Updated adapters for SAP 7, Oracle eBusiness Suite 12.1, SharePoint 2010 and SQL Server 2008 R2
  5. Improved and simplified management with updated System Center management pack
  6. Simplified management through single dashboard which enables IT Pros to backup and restore BizTalk configuration
  7. Enhanced performance tuning capabilities at Host and Host Instance level
  8. Continued innovation in RFID Space with out of box event filtering and delivery of RFID events

One interesting result of the renaming is that the lifecycle clock resets. For BizTalk 2009 R2, the 5 and 10 year support bands would have started with the release of BizTalk Server 2009 "R1" so you would effectively lose a year. For BizTalk 2010, the support bands start from its release ... some time in 2010.