Hate installations? Use Lightweight IIS and SQL Server

2011-04-15


When you build an ASP.NET application, you might fee some boring works which you have to install a SQL Server database , no matter you can install SQL Server Express version, but you still have to install it. and also, if you want to try your application without using Visual Studio, you have to install IIS or set the existing IIS in your Windows system.

Now you will no more hate the above 2 works: Microsoft has provided you 2 new great products:

1: IIS Developer Express (This was called by Microsoft's Scott Gu before, now the formal name is IIS Express, or include version number such as** IIS 7.5 Express**): A lightweight web server, a lightweight IIS, even it is compatible with IIS 7.5

2: SQL Server Compact Edition: A lightweight file-based SQL Server database.

About IIS Express (From Scott Gu's blog):

It’s lightweight and easy to install (less than 10Mb download and a super quick install)
It does not require an administrator account to run/debug applications from Visual Studio
It enables a full web-server feature set – including SSL, URL Rewrite, Media Support, and all other IIS 7.x modules
It supports and enables the same extensibility model and web.config file settings that IIS 7.x support
It can be installed side-by-side with the full IIS web server as well as the ASP.NET Development Server (they do not conflict at all)
It works on Windows XP and higher operating systems – giving you a full IIS 7.x developer feature-set on all OS platforms

Actually, IIS Express has been released. You have 2 ways to get it:

1: If you use WebMatrix, IIS Express has been included with WebMatrix, you just need to install WebMatrix only; 2: If you want to install IIS Express only;

All details info, please read Microsoft Official site here about IIS Express

About SQL Server Compact Edition (SQL Server CE - This was Scott Gu's called before, now the version called SQL Server Compact 3.x)

Below content copied from MS Official site:

SQL Server Compact is a free SQL Server embedded database ideal for building standalone and occasionally connected applications for mobile devices, desktops, and Web clients.

Top Features:

Free to use and distribute
<u>Supports desktops and mobile devices</u>
Small footprint for easy deployment
Fully embeddable architecture
No administration required
Single file, code-free database format
Support for ClickOnce, XCopy, MSI, CAB, and non-admin embedded installation options
Supports all Microsoft Windows embedded, mobile, desktop, and server operating systems
Supports a rich subset of Transact-SQL syntax and SQL Server data types
Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 integration
Supports ADO.NET, LINQ to SQL, LINQ to Entities, and the ADO.NET Entity Framework
Supports multiple concurrent local connections

All detail information please read MS Official site here about SQL Server Compact

BTW: DO not forget to visit Scott Gu's blog, it is always helpful very much !