Pre sale

Hi - I'm looking for a new host.

I've got a few domains and a couple of asp.net web applications with 2008 sql database.

Is this a good place for reliable hosting? I've just gone through 2 hosts (EasyCGI and WebHost4Life) - both broke me beyond repair with major upgrades and migrations and I need a stable home for my web apps.

I also need SQL Enterprise Manager ability, which I read is available.

Anything I need to know?

Also, when I checked out the signup page - I'm asked to add a domain - I've got a few, does it matter which one I use to start my account?

Thanks,

Jay

 

Also, is it possible to set up hosting - have my app working with a temp address.. then move my domain over somehow?

And will support be able to assist along the way in setting this up?

Thanks,

Jay

 

Another thing to add is the domain name associated to the account. Once a site account has been provisioned the domain name used to register it cannot be altered. I suggest you register the hosting service with the domain name you want. You do not need to point the name servers to us yet. And as mentioned before you can still access our server and view your web page using the secondary url address and the secondary ftp address. Once you are ready, you can change the name servers of your domain name to point to us.

 

Thanks for the replies.

Another question - I have multiple domains. I can host multiple apps / domains from my hosting account by setting up application folders and pointing to them, is that right?

Thanks,

Jay

 

Yes. But if you want to force additional domain names that point to your site to pull up there own web pages, you will need to code a redirect script. There is nothing on our server that we can set to force additional domain names to pull up there own sites.

 

Thanks, Ray.

So I've got -

www.jay-ware.com (a DNN - asp.net app - with a portal alias that uses www.dotnetretail.com)

www.monstervox.com (an asp.net app)

Am I able to host them from the same Winhost account? I wasn't clear about the redirect script.

Thanks,

Jay

 

Try not to relate a domain name to a web page. Any domain name can pull up a web page.

But to answer your question, yes.

If you have two different domain names jay-ware.com and monstervox.com and each of them have there own web application, you can use a redirect script.

 

Thanks, Ray.

That sounds good.. do you have KB article I could take a look at regarding the redirect script.

Thanks,

Jay

 

Try looking at this kb article. It gives an example on how to setup a redirect script. The script should be inputted at the startup page. It was written for subdomain names but it can be used for a full domain name without any problems.

http://support.Winhost.com/KB/a649/how-to-redirect-a-subdomain-to-a-subdirectory.aspx

Also, IIS 7 has a nice little module that helps you redirect domain names. It has a lot more GUI if you're not into code. Try also looking at this link.

http://learn.iis.net/page.aspx/460/using-the-url-rewrite-module/

 

Thanks for the links.. quick question about the redirect code..

Would that have to go in the index page of the "main" application only?

Or would I simply have a simple redirect page at the root that sends it off to the correct folder, based on the web url?

Thanks,

Jay

 

It will go on the default page on the root. So if your default page on the root is index.aspx then it will go on that page.

 

Thanks.. sorry to be pain, but this is getting clearer for me.

Does this affect DNN and it's ability to use aliases?

 

It might, it all depends on how you are calling on your DNN application.

 

ok, thanks.. it sounds like I just have to try it.

Last question.. does the end user notice the redirect.. or does it appear seemless?

Thanks again,

Jay

 

Pretty much seemless.

 

Looking at this a little closer - I think DNN uses the incoming request url to determine how to reroute to the correct portal.

In this example:

<%
If InStr( UCase(Request.ServerVariables("SERVER_NAME")), UCase("subdomain1.HostingAccountDomain.com") ) > 0 Then
Response.Redirect("/subdomain1")
ElseIf InStr( UCase(Request.ServerVariables("SERVER_NAME")), UCase("subdomain2.HostingAccountDomain.com") ) > 0 Then
Response.Redirect("/subdomain2")
ElseIf InStr( UCase(Request.ServerVariables("SERVER_NAME")), UCase("subdomain3.HostingAccountDomain.com") ) > 0 Then
Response.Redirect("/subdomain3/home.asp")
End If
%>

The redirect would need to point to the website folder of DNN, but it's not clear, to me at least, if DNN would recognize the URL request as the appropriate domain name.

Any insight here? Are there any accounts running DNN with multiple portal alias currently?

Thanks,

Jay

 

Are you uploading DNN in its own folder under the root? Don't forget, DNN has its own redirecting capability.

 

Right.. i think it would have to be in it's own application folder under the root.

And that's what I'm wondering - if DNN will be smart enough to know the difference between 2 different redirects to the same folder, but coming from different domain names.. if it does know that the request is being triggered by domainname, the portal alias feature should work.

I'm wondering if 2 request:

www.domain1.com
www.domain2.com

both redirecting to the same folder (ie DNN application folder)

Will DNN recognize the different domains that are triggering the redirect.. if so, portal aliases will probably work.

 

I'm hoping for an answer here;

http://www.dotnetnuke.com/Community.../108/threadid/372570/scope/posts/Default.aspx

 

Let us know what they say.