Hosting features / restrictions

Hi, I'm considering using your hosting service for a couple of web apps that I'm developing. Here is the general configuration of my sites:

asp.net 3.5 sp1
development is being performed using Visual Studio 2008 Team Suite edition
csharp code-behind
- main web site (talks to the web service for login / auditing)
- web service (separate code than the web site code)
sql server 2008 standard edition, accessed by the csharp code of both the main web site as well as the web service
separate utility library (.dll) that is used by both the main web site and the web service
custom developed ajax library to obfuscate the web service usage to the web site users

So, with that config in mind...here are my questions:

1. does this config qualify as one website in your hosting plans?
2. is this a configuration that you currently support (it looks like you support this config, but I'm a paranoid guy that's been burned by other web hosting providers)?
3. the instructions that you have for publishing a website and a database are a bit different (they simply don't match) the tools that are available in the versions of Visual Studio and SQL Management Studio that I'm using...is there a user support person that will be available to me to walk me thru the differences in your published instructions (which seem to assume that I'm using the "Express" editions of the Microsoft tools) and the actual features of the tools that I'm using?
4. I'm a bit confused on whether or not you support the import and export of my databases. I have had serious problems with other hosting providers with both backup/export and restore/import and need a very solid solution before I spend time moving my web apps to a new hosting provider. Can you please be very specific on whether or not you support the following features:
a. import of my pre-existing database into your sql instance?
b. export of my Winhost hosted database to my local environment?
c. backup of my Winhost hosted database to my local environment?
d. restore of my Winhost hosted database from my local environment?
e. direct connection of my local Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Management Studio tool to my Winhost hosted SQL server database(s)?

So, hope these questions are clear...please ask for clarifications if that's not the case. Thanks very much for your time...rick

 

1. does this config qualify as one website in your hosting plans?

Yes. Base off what you described what you described does qualify as one website. But we can also host more then one web application. What you simply will do is create a subfolder via FTP and inside the control panel set it as an application folder.

2. is this a configuration that you currently support (it looks like you support this config, but I'm a paranoid guy that's been burned by other web hosting providers)?

Yes, so far base on what you said we should have no problems hosting this setup. Now, I'm a little confused on the .dll part. If you do not already know, our web servers are setup as a shared hosting environment. We have some few hard restrictions that cannot be change, such as registering .dll files directly on the server. As you know this may not only impact the server but all the other accounts/websites on the web server.

3. the instructions that you have for publishing a website and a database are a bit different (they simply don't match) the tools that are available in the versions of Visual Studio and SQL Management Studio that I'm using...is there a user support person that will be available to me to walk me thru the differences in your published instructions (which seem to assume that I'm using the "Express" editions of the Microsoft tools) and the actual features of the tools that I'm using?

The instructions for publishing a website is different from the SQL database because they are on different hardware/servers. Some hosting company will host the web server and SQL server on the same box. We don't. This helps increase performance and ensure stability and security.

4. I'm a bit confused on whether or not you support the import and export of my databases. I have had serious problems with other hosting providers with both backup/export and restore/import and need a very solid solution before I spend time moving my web apps to a new hosting provider. Can you please be very specific on whether or not you support the following features:
a. import of my pre-existing database into your sql instance?
b. export of my Winhost hosted database to my local environment?
c. backup of my Winhost hosted database to my local environment?
d. restore of my Winhost hosted database from my local environment?
e. direct connection of my local Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Management Studio tool to my Winhost hosted SQL server database(s)?


At this time we only allow a scripting type method of importing or exporting your database. I believe the kb article you found on how to publish the database to our SQL server is using the Database Publishing Wizard. This exist on Visual Studio and we wrote a KB article on it because it is fairly simple and straight forward. The SQL Server Management Studio itself has its own scripting feature. It is the Database Scripting Wizard and it is much more comprehensive but more confusing to use. You can also initiate a script using either Database Publishing Wizard that came with VS or use the Database Scripting Wizard that is built in with SSMS.
If you are wondering the method in which you move your database from your local machine to our SQL server is by scripting the databse. That means you generate a code to create all the objects and tables from your database. This should also generate the code to migrate the data as well. Then you take the SQL script which will have a .sql extension and run it against our SQL Server. This will create all the objects and tables on our SQL server and input all the data that also exist on those tables.

 

thanks for taking the time to answer my questions...couple of follow-up questions:

1. regarding the dll...the dll may be a Telerik control, a Dundas control, or a custom control. Each would be within the /bin directory of my web apps. Do you support this or not?

2. so...how do I get a copy of my data back out of your SQL server db if/when I need to operate on a local copy of the data in my database?

Thanks very much...rick

 

1. regarding the dll...the dll may be a Telerik control, a Dundas control, or a custom control. Each would be within the /bin directory of my web apps. Do you support this or not?

This should work on our servers.

2. so...how do I get a copy of my data back out of your SQL server db if/when I need to operate on a local copy of the data in my database?

Try looking at this thread from our forum for some guidelines on how to obtain a copy of your datbase from our SQL server.

http://forum.Winhost.com/showthread.php?t=2727

 

Ray, I appreciate your responses.

However, (and I address this to you and the other folks at Winhost.com) you guys have gotta do some serious credability building in order for skeptical folks like me to believe that you really know what you are doing. For instance, when you answer one of my questions with, "that should work", what the heck are you telling me? Are you saying, "yes, our site supports your custom dll's"? Or are you saying, "well, we really don't know about that, but go ahead, pay your money to use our service, take the time to push out a website and configure your database, then test the config and then we'll see if it works"?

I'm not trying to be argumentative or condescending. I just want you to give me yes or no answers, based on the facts.

Your prices are appealing. Your supported features are also appealing. However, if something will work...tell me that it will work. If it won't work...tell me that it won't work. Please don't waste my time with "it should work".

So, I ask again, if I incorporate Dundas, Telerik, and custom written (by me) dll's into my website, will they work the same way that they work when I run them from my local copy of IIS 7?

Thanks...rick

 

Again, I appreciate your responses. The main question that I had was, if a control works on IIS 7 in my local environment, will it work on IIS 7 in your environment.

It sounds like the answer is yes, but it's still up to me to experiment in your environment to make sure.

Thanks...rick

 

That's a good question and it is applicable to any platform, not just IIS7.

Shared hosting necessitates certain changes to any platform or framework, so you should always assume that the default installation on your development system is going to differ in some way from what you will find here. Those differences are usually minor, but of course a minor difference can be a major problem if something you need is not supported, so it's always best to test on the target platform.

It's pretty common for people to have problems with applications that ran on their development systems when they try to deploy them to a production server. Those problems can almost always be overcome with some adjustments. Almost always. But that is the nature of the technology. You can run a web server on a development system without worrying about most of the security or performance issues that a production machine has to take into account.

All that being said, most things will deploy without problems. But a little problem here and there shouldn't come as a surprise. We're certainly here to help if you do run in to any trouble.

 

If it'll help you at all, I use a custom set of controls that do overrides of textboxes, gridviews, formviews, etc. I've had no issues at all with this.