Internet Capability for Application

[Brad Markisohn]

I have a PC connected to a network that has an application to control
complex hardware. The user wants a remote user to be able to do the
following:
- Have access to configuration parameters via Web Pages served up by the PC
attached to the hardware and
- be able to retrieve 8 to 10 mbyte data files requiring the PC to have FTP
server like functionality.

While I don't know the best approach to implement these features it seems
that there are (at least) 2 paths that I can take:
1) Write these capabilities from scratch (create a Web service that uses ASP
for Web Pages and create my own FTP server, etc...)
--or--
2) Purchase drop in .Net ready controls that supply these capabilities.

It seems that these capabilities will be best provided by a Windows/Web
Service since I don't want to require the user to log into the PC to gain
access to these features from since they could be in a "remote" location.
Is this assumption correct? Can somebody please point me to some sources
that might help me choose the best option? Are there alternatives that I
haven't thought of that might be better fits?

TIA

Brad

[Cor]

Hi Brad,

Probably I do not understand you.

If I understand you well, than can be the way of creating a window
application combined with webservice be a way to go.

Here a walkthrough from Microsoft, what I advice you to try, when it is not
the solution you want you get a good view what a webservice will do for you.
(By instance the FTP problem I would do using an HTTP webclient.downloadfile
and not using this). However also with this is that when it is on the
Internet, security is the first thing to check that every thing is save).

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...alkthrough.asp

I hope this helps?

Cor

[Cor]

Hi Brad,

Probably I do not understand you.

If I understand you well, than can be the way of creating a window
application combined with webservice be a way to go.

Here a walkthrough from Microsoft, what I advice you to try, when it is not
the solution you want you get a good view what a webservice will do for you.
(By instance the FTP problem I would do using an HTTP webclient.downloadfile
and not using this). However also with this is that when it is on the
Internet, security is the first thing to check that every thing is save).

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...alkthrough.asp

I hope this helps?

Cor

[Peter Huang]

Hi Brad,

Based on my understanding, you wants a modal as below.
http(1) control(2)
RemoteUser------------------->PC---------------------->hardware.

(1)RemoteUser needs to post some configuration data to the PC and need to
download some data from the PC am I right?
(2)the Application on PC will apply the configuration posted by RemoteUser
to the hardware.

Have I fully understood you? If there is anything I misunderstood, please
feel free to let me know.

Based on the senario, I think a ASP.NET application is just OK but I think
a user authentication is necessary or how did the ASP.NET appliation know
who is changed the configuration which may caused security issue.

When the RemoteUser access the ASP.NET application the user will fill in
the configuration data in a Webform of the asp.net application and then
post the data to the PC. The PC can write the configuration data into a
file so that the application which will control the hardware will know what
to apply.

When the RemoteUser need to download some data from the PC, we can just put
the downloaded file in the asp.net directory, and build a link for the
remote user to download.

Please apply my suggestion above and let me know if it helps resolve your
problem.
Best regards,

Peter Huang
Microsoft Online Partner Support

Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

[Peter Huang]

Hi Brad,

Based on my understanding, you wants a modal as below.
http(1) control(2)
RemoteUser------------------->PC---------------------->hardware.

(1)RemoteUser needs to post some configuration data to the PC and need to
download some data from the PC am I right?
(2)the Application on PC will apply the configuration posted by RemoteUser
to the hardware.

Have I fully understood you? If there is anything I misunderstood, please
feel free to let me know.

Based on the senario, I think a ASP.NET application is just OK but I think
a user authentication is necessary or how did the ASP.NET appliation know
who is changed the configuration which may caused security issue.

When the RemoteUser access the ASP.NET application the user will fill in
the configuration data in a Webform of the asp.net application and then
post the data to the PC. The PC can write the configuration data into a
file so that the application which will control the hardware will know what
to apply.

When the RemoteUser need to download some data from the PC, we can just put
the downloaded file in the asp.net directory, and build a link for the
remote user to download.

Please apply my suggestion above and let me know if it helps resolve your
problem.
Best regards,

Peter Huang
Microsoft Online Partner Support

Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

[Brad Markisohn]

Cor,

Thanks for the information and the link. The distributed application
example was very helpful.

Brad

"Cor" <no*@non.com> wrote in message
news:u5*************@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...

Hi Brad,

Probably I do not understand you.

If I understand you well, than can be the way of creating a window
application combined with webservice be a way to go.

Here a walkthrough from Microsoft, what I advice you to try, when it is not the solution you want you get a good view what a webservice will do for you. (By instance the FTP problem I would do using an HTTP webclient.downloadfile and not using this). However also with this is that when it is on the
Internet, security is the first thing to check that every thing is save).

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...alkthrough.asp
I hope this helps?

Cor

[Brad Markisohn]

Cor,

Thanks for the information and the link. The distributed application
example was very helpful.

Brad

"Cor" <no*@non.com> wrote in message
news:u5*************@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...

Hi Brad,

Probably I do not understand you.

If I understand you well, than can be the way of creating a window
application combined with webservice be a way to go.

Here a walkthrough from Microsoft, what I advice you to try, when it is not the solution you want you get a good view what a webservice will do for you. (By instance the FTP problem I would do using an HTTP webclient.downloadfile and not using this). However also with this is that when it is on the
Internet, security is the first thing to check that every thing is save).

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...alkthrough.asp
I hope this helps?

Cor

[Brad Markisohn]

Peter,

As usual, thanks for the great feeback.

Brad

""Peter Huang"" <v-******@online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:sC**************@cpmsftngxa06.phx.gbl...

Hi Brad,

Based on my understanding, you wants a modal as below.
http(1) control(2)
RemoteUser------------------->PC---------------------->hardware.

(1)RemoteUser needs to post some configuration data to the PC and need to
download some data from the PC am I right?
(2)the Application on PC will apply the configuration posted by RemoteUser
to the hardware.

Have I fully understood you? If there is anything I misunderstood, please
feel free to let me know.

Based on the senario, I think a ASP.NET application is just OK but I think
a user authentication is necessary or how did the ASP.NET appliation know
who is changed the configuration which may caused security issue.

When the RemoteUser access the ASP.NET application the user will fill in
the configuration data in a Webform of the asp.net application and then
post the data to the PC. The PC can write the configuration data into a
file so that the application which will control the hardware will know what to apply.

When the RemoteUser need to download some data from the PC, we can just put the downloaded file in the asp.net directory, and build a link for the
remote user to download.

Please apply my suggestion above and let me know if it helps resolve your
problem.
Best regards,

Peter Huang
Microsoft Online Partner Support

Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

[Brad Markisohn]

Peter,

As usual, thanks for the great feeback.

Brad

""Peter Huang"" <v-******@online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:sC**************@cpmsftngxa06.phx.gbl...

Hi Brad,

Based on my understanding, you wants a modal as below.
http(1) control(2)
RemoteUser------------------->PC---------------------->hardware.

(1)RemoteUser needs to post some configuration data to the PC and need to
download some data from the PC am I right?
(2)the Application on PC will apply the configuration posted by RemoteUser
to the hardware.

Have I fully understood you? If there is anything I misunderstood, please
feel free to let me know.

Based on the senario, I think a ASP.NET application is just OK but I think
a user authentication is necessary or how did the ASP.NET appliation know
who is changed the configuration which may caused security issue.

When the RemoteUser access the ASP.NET application the user will fill in
the configuration data in a Webform of the asp.net application and then
post the data to the PC. The PC can write the configuration data into a
file so that the application which will control the hardware will know what to apply.

When the RemoteUser need to download some data from the PC, we can just put the downloaded file in the asp.net directory, and build a link for the
remote user to download.

Please apply my suggestion above and let me know if it helps resolve your
problem.
Best regards,

Peter Huang
Microsoft Online Partner Support

Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.