Advantages of using the Visual Studio Development Server (VSDS)compared to IIS

[jeeji]

Hi

I have just installed Visual Studio 2005, and ported a 2003 Web
Application to VS 2005. I noticed that I can choose to debug my
application using either the IIS Web Server or the Visual Studion
Development Server (VSDS)
- Are there any advantages in using the VSDS
- Where can I find anything about that on the internet. I have
searched the whole internet for documents that compare both, but I
found nothing.

Thanks in advance
Jeeji

 

[Eliyahu Goldin]

- Are there any advantages in using the VSDS
Only that you don't have to setup IIS. Setting up IIS in most cases is
straightforward but sometimes may turn to be a headache. I may want to avoid
IIS also for security reasons if you don't want to care about limiting
access to your computer.

Sometimes you have to use IIS. An example is if you need to create a virtual
directory on your site that will point to some location outside of your
site. I don't know how it can be done with the development server.

--
Eliyahu Goldin,
Software Developer
Microsoft MVP [ASP.NET]
http://msmvps.com/blogs/egoldin
http://usableasp.net

 

[BobF]

Maybe this will help:

<http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/58wxa9w5(VS.80).aspx>

 

[Cowboy \(Gregory A. Beamer\)]

Hi

I have just installed Visual Studio 2005, and ported a 2003 Web
Application to VS 2005. I noticed that I can choose to debug my
application using either the IIS Web Server or the Visual Studion
Development Server (VSDS)
- Are there any advantages in using the VSDS

You don't have to install IIS. That is pretty much it.

It is also a bit easier, as you do not have to type in
http://localhost/{SiteName} when you create a site, as it can go on the
default directory.

BTW, you can work with both at the same time. Create a file based web site
in one instance of VS. Then, open Windows Explorer, right click the
directory and go to the web sharing tab and share it. Now, open a website
via http://localhost/{SiteName} in another instance. Same site, two ways.

Would I do the above in real life? Only to illustrate that it can be done.

I, personally, do everything in IIS. Not quite true. When speaking, I will
sometimes create a file based web, as I can share it easier (primarily
zipping it up without having it under Inetpub). As I can switch it to IIS at
any time, it is not an issue.

- Where can I find anything about that on the internet. I have
searched the whole internet for documents that compare both, but I
found nothing.

Not sure. If you want to see how it works, or at least how a previous
incarnation worked, look up Cassini. You can download it from here:
http://www.asp.net/downloads/archived/cassini/

Cassini was the original file based server for ASP.NET before it was
included with VS.

 

[Juan T. Llibre]

re:
!> the IIS Web Server or the Visual Studio Development Server (VSDS)

Two observations :

1.
The "NETWORK SERVICES" account referenced in that article doesn't exist.

I have added a note to that MSDN article which makes clear that the correct account,
when IIS runs under Windows 2003 Server, is NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE,
unless ASP.NET impersonation is configured.

2.
The security context varies.

The ASP.NET identity, when IIS runs under Windows 2003 Server, is NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE.

The ASP.NET identity, when the ASP.NET Development Server is used, is the machine's logged-in account.
That account usually is the machine's administrator, but can be a different account.

 

[jeeji]

Hi

And thank you all for the nice replies. This link was all that I
wanted.

I have however one last question:
Is it true that the VSDS enables you to debug using "Edit and
Continue" whereas IIS does not have that feature?

Jeeji