Thursday 9 October 2014

Deploying asp.net applications on IIS web server

Excellent step by step article by Thamilselvan Jagadeesan

This article describes step by step process of how to host the asp.net application on the IIS web server and configure application pool in a simple way. I’m using Windows 7 enterprise edition and IIS 7.5 for this demonstration.                       


Introduction



Assume you have completed the development process and testing and want to deploy in a server, here I’m providing few steps to deploy the application. Actually every developer wants to deploy their application but opportunities can’t get for everyone however see the below steps.

IIS server installation

First we need to make sure that the all IIS related components are installed properly in the system. To verify this, go to Control Panel à Click Get programs as below
You will reach the below screen and click àTurn Windows feature on or off on left side panel

Once you clicked the above link you will get Windows feature screen as like below and need to verify whether IIS related components are installed or not. Below highlighted rectangle box shows IIS related components and should be checked necessary components. If not then needs to check the checkboxes and install it using windows 7 CD.


Build setup

So now you have verified IIS components and everything installed perfectly then we need to prepare application build to deploy in the server. So publish the build from application solution as shown below and provide path to place the build.

Right click on the project and click publish the you will get Publish Web window, here we need to provide the build target location to store then click publish.

Once publish is done, you will get the application build in specified path as like below

Open IIS


So now we have application build in the specific location and deploy this build in IIS. To open/access the IIS web server, go to Run window and type “inetmgr “ as like below
Or Control PanelàAll Control Panel ItemsàAdministrative Tools and click Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager then you will reach IIS web server as shown below

Add Application Build

Right click on the left side Default Web Site under Sites and click again Add application in the menu to add the application build in IIS web server. Once you clicks Add application, you will get Add application windows as shown below and provide application Alias name and map the physical location of build where we placed the application build and click OK.

Add Application Pool

After added the application, you will see the application name under Default Web Site. Now we have to configure Application pool for the application. A web server may contain more then one application and each application belongs to application pool. Actually application pool isolates the application from other application. So click Application pool Under TESTAPP as shown below and click Add Application Pool in the menu
Here we need to provide the Application pool name and click Ok
Once done the above and go to Defult Web site and right click on “myfirsthosting” application àManage Application à Advanced Settings.. then you will get below window
Click top right side small button rectangle box showing opposite to Application pool then you will get Select Application pool window and select existing Application pool name which we created earlier in the application pool section and click Ok, that’s it now we have configured the Application pool, Remaining part is browse application through IIS web server.

Browse Application

All setup is ready now and need to browse the application from IIS, for that right click on application name in IIS and click Manage Application in the menu and click Browse option as shown below.

See the below snapshot, displaying the default page of the application successfully
So now you have deployed the application in IIS web server and hope this will help for developers to deploy the application in development or test machine. Please priovide your feedback and suggestions.


Reference:

http://www.dotnetgallery.com/kb/resource7-Deploying-aspnet-applications-on-IIS-web-server.aspx


Other Good Articles

http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/28693/Deploying-ASP-NET-Websites-on-IIS

http://www.brainbrushups.com/2013/05/how-to-deploy-or-publish-aspnet-website.html

http://www.msdotnet.co.in/2013/05/how-to-host-aspnet-website-on-iis-server.html

http://www.beansoftware.com/ASP.NET-Tutorials/Set-Up-IIS-ASP.NET.aspx

http://www.aspdotnet-suresh.com/2012/04/aspnet-host-website-on-local-machine.html