ASP.NET
Development
Server (“Cassini”)
Internet
Information
Services (IIS)
Hosted Web
Core (HWC) on
IIS 7.0 and later
Pros
• Simple, lightweight
• Does not require administrator privileges
Cons
• Does not support all server features
• Inconsistencies with the target platform
Pros
• Powerful, complete set of features for production Web hosting
• Consistent with server deployment targets
Cons
• Requires Administrator privileges for debugging, configuration and setup
• Versions and features varies depending in the Operating system version
Pros
• Custom-built server
Cons
• Required parts of IIS
• Required custom code
The features of IIS 7.5 with the
simplicity of Cassini
• Matches closely set of IIS 7.5
features
• Does not require administrator
privileges for common
operations, like site creation,
running, debugging, etc.
Lightweight, simple and
redistributable
• Small download size (< 6MB)
• Installs in seconds
Available on client
operating systems
• Works on Home editions
• Installs side-by-side with
full IIS
Allows you to develop
ready to deploy sites
• Develop and Test using
the full set of features
• Create and test
configuration before
deployment
Supports the following
Windows editions
Supported by the following
developer suites
• Windows 7
• Windows Server 2008 R2
• Windows Server 2008
• Windows Vista SP1 or later
• Windows Server 2003 SP2
• Windows XP SP3
• Visual Studio 2010 SP1 or
later *
• WebMatrix
Too Small
Just Right
Too Big
But it’s not a replacement for IIS!
Remote Browsing
SSL Support
Host names
Multiple Sites and
Applications
Virtual Directories
URL Rewrite
Static and Dynamic
Compression
Customizable Mime
Types
Custom Headers and
Errors
Request Filtering
W3C Logging
Failed Request
Tracing
Directory Browsing
Default Document
Collection
URL Authorization
Modular Design
Support for Classic
and Integrated
Pipeline
Support for
frameworks like
ASP.NET, WCF,
Classic ASP and PHP
Authentication:
Basic, Windows,
Client Certificates,
etc.
IP Restrictions, ISAPI,
and more…
X64 Support
• Installs both 64bit and 32-bit
versions
Shares features and
binaries with IIS 8.0
• Application
Initialization
• WebSocket
support (only
available on
Windows 8) *
• Consolidated
HTTP status &
substatus codes
Changing the User
Home Directory
Support for editing
multiple config files
• CustomUserHome
registry property
• "/userhome"
parameter
• AppCmd’s
"/AppHostConfig"
parameter
Supports the following
Windows editions
• Windows 8
• Windows Server 2012
• Windows 7
• Windows Server 2008 R2
• Windows Vista SP1 or later
• Windows Server 2008
Supported by the following
developer suites
• Visual Studio 2010 SP1 or
later *
• WebMatrix
Worker Process (W3WP.EXE)
Worker Process (W3WP.EXE)
Service Host (SVCHost.EXE)
Read Configuration
Authenticate
Machine-global
apphost.config
Windows Process
Activation Service
(WAS)
Authorize
Map Request
Handle Request
World Wide Web Service
(W3SVC)
Send Response
Log Request
HTTP.SYS Kernel-Mode Listener
IISEXPRESS.EXE
Read Configuration
Authenticate
Per-User
apphost.config
Authorize
Map Request
Handle Request
Send Response
Log Request
HTTP.SYS Kernel-Mode Listener
No Process Recycling
• IIS Express is a user-mode application, not a service
Module/Handler Differences
• IIS Express ships with URL Rewrite built-in
• WebDAV handler is disabled in configuration
Extra Environment Variables in Config
• %IIS_BIN%, %IIS_USER_HOME%, and %IIS_SITES_HOME%
Failed Request Tracing is Enabled
• Easier tracing experience
Sites are persistent, similar to IIS
Template located at: %ProgramFiles%\IIS
Express\config\templates\PersonalWebServer\applicationHost.config
Syntax:
iisexpress.exe [/config:config-file] [/site:site-name]
[/systray:true|false] [/siteid:site-id] [/userhome:user-home]
Temporary configuration file generated when IIS Express starts
Template located at: %ProgramFiles%\IIS Express\AppServer\applicationHost.config
Syntax:
iisexpress.exe /path:app-path
[/port:port-number] [/clr:clr-version]
[/systray:true|false]
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http://www.hanselman.com/blog/WorkingWithSSLAtDevelopmentTimeIs
EasierWithIISExpress.aspx
Application
Initialization
Centralized SSL
Certificate Support
FTP Logon Attempt
Restrictions
Configuration
Optimization
Multicore Scaling
on NUMA
Hardware
CPU Throttling
Server Name
Indication (SNI)
Dynamic IP Address
Restrictions
SSL Scalability via
the new Web
Hosting Certificate
Store
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