At Home Server

[antonio622]

Does anyone hsve any ideas or references on how to create a small home server on my computer so I can test my database apps from other computers?

And also; Ive been created database programs in VB.net for a while without multi-user function on a sole computer. The last time I created a database program for use by multiple computers on a network I used ASP. And got free asp webhosting for testing my project.

Is this still the way VB users write database programs for use over the internet? Or is this embedded in VB.net TODAY?

Its been about 8 years since Ive done DB programming for a network.

Thanks

 

[Aptitude]

There are lots of possibilities for this. Can you tell us what your application is going to do? It might give us a clue as to what the appropriate answer to this is.

 

[antonio622]

I am setting up a small online business to service Home Owners who need contractors: Framers, Plumbers, HVAC, Flooring, etc.

There will be a page for Contractors to Join and a page for Home Owners to join. Including UserNames and Passwords. And of course their info will be stored in a database.

When the Home Owner Logs In:
Home Owner will go to a page to request for certain service(s) to be done. They will start a new project and there info including: Name, Address, Phone Number, Job Needed, etc will be stored in Database.

When the Contractor Logs In:
The specific Contractor will search the Home Owner Table to view request for services in the various types of jobs needed and they will see ONLY the Home Owners job description needed, the location(City), Home Owners planned budget.

The Contractor will have a choice to buy the lead to contact the Home Owner to come out and give an estimate.

When the Contractor buys the lead they will have access to Home Owners contact information: Phone Number, Address, Name, etc.

I have plenty of experience with database programming and ASP.net. I really havent been around for awhile and I know things have changed since then. So Im just asking for some resources to guide me on the best way to accomplish my task.

And Id rather setup a small Home Server to store the Database and accept the visits to my site.

For now I just want to write the software and I'm not worried about the payment methods. Its basically a project I'm creating for educational purposes with high expectations to actually put this business in affect in the future.

I have recently tried: Apache HTTP server
I had some success setting up the server but couldnt get through the router firewall. And I dont thing it supports ASP.net.

I'm aware of Microsoft IIS but dont know if its the right way to go!

I plan to use SQL Server Databases or even Access Databases!

 

[dglienna]

Vista Pro has a great version of IIS, and Windows 2008 Server looks the same. Windows 2003 Server is rock solid.
You can use SQL Express to test your apps locally, and they will work the same with SQL Server.

SBS2003 gives you a few tools.

-David
2006 & 2007 Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP)
2006 Dell Certified System Professional (CSP)

 

[cjelec]

This is really an asp.net question (if thats what you are looking to use).

I take it that you have checked with you ISP about static IP address. I had to upgrade my internet package to a business one so that I could have a static and have no bandwidth limits...

Have you looked into a hosting grade firewall? I use smoothwall as it is very good at this kind of task, its free and it installs on most ages of computers:

http://www.smoothwall.org/

I would use SBS2003 as its designed for this type of task. Any normal version of windows (pro) will only allow one website hosted using IIS.

MS do a free db server called SQL Server Express, which you could use to build your site's db:

http://www.microsoft.com/sql/editions/express/default.mspx

If you are using VS.net 2005, you can use the db tools to connect to the db and just drag'n'drop the tables required on to the page, and it will create the connections string and sql commands automatically. If you have 2003 I think you have to do the connections and commands manually, as there maybe compatibility issues...

Another totally different option not going with .net or IIS, would be using WAMP/LAMP (win/linux) server and Joomla.
WAMP is Apache, MySQL, and PHP all rolled into one and can be found at:

http://www.wampserver.com/en/

Joomla is a content management system that uses templates and modules to help you build and run your site. It uses MySQL to store every thing in and is the fastest option to build your site. But if you want the fun in building your own I would go with asp.net

 

[antonio622]

Thanks to all. I definately want to accomplish this using ASP.net.

As for the Home Server I've just been accepted at AspSpider for hosting my ASP for free for now.

The only question I have left is the database? Should I use Access or SQL Server?

 

[cjelec]

From my experience Access is a bit limiting and can have problems when there is more than one connection to it, when two people are viewing your site that will be two connections to the database.

I personally have gone with MS SQL Server. I'm currently using 2000 Desktop edition, but am moving to 2005 Express slowly. It does have a limit of (I think) 4GB but that is more than enough space for storing names and addresses...

 

[dglienna]

You have to ask your host what you can run on their server. I pay extra for SQL Server 2005 access. Otherwise, I use XML files, which you can read from VB.Net

-David
2006 & 2007 Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP)
2006 Dell Certified System Professional (CSP)

 

[cjelec]

Just had a look at their free package, it includes MS SQL Server 2005 so you may as well use that as its free

 

[chiph]

Have you looked at any of the virtual machine software?

Microsoft's Virtual Server is free, and lets you load any other (legally licensed!) version of Windows as a virtual machine. You can turn on undo-disks, so when you shut down the VM, you can rollback any changes that were made, so the next time you start it up you're right back to a pristine machine again.

Chip H.


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