converting windows service to a web service

[Billy Cormic]

Hello,
I currently have a windows service that I am considering changing
into a web service. The windows service is used to communicate with
another server on the same network. Can anyone please tell me the
advantages of moving over to a web service? I can see how a web
service is easier to install. But other than that are there any
reasons why I should do this?

Thanks,
Billy

 

[René M. Balslev]

Hi Billy,

One of the main advantages of WS is scalability, but if your service only
(need to) handle communications with one other server, this is probably not
the big seller.

Security is another advantage, but in your case it might be the exact
opposite. Most Windows services require extensive access to resources, eg.
file I/O, and providing the necessary credentials are quite easy. Doing the
same thing in a WebService is actually difficult, and requires a rather deep
knowledge of IIS and ASP.NET.

The version of IIS is also important. The Application-pool design and the
new isolation modes found in IIS 6 ensures continuing avaliability of the
other websites and -services found on the same server (providing of course,
it is set op correctly ), if/when your service fails. This however, might
not be the case in IIS 5/5.1. No doubt IIS 6 is a far better webserver than
IIS 5/5.1, so if you're running Windows 2000 or XP I would'nt consider
hosting a webservice at all.

Automated monitoring of the health of the service (including restart) is
also easier on a windows service, but I haven't digged into this with
webservices, where the normal thing to do would be to throw an exception.

So, having a well-running windows service with no obvious need for
scalability, is probably a nice, and the right, place to be for you.

/René

 

[Billy Cormic]

René,
Thanks for your reply. It was extremely helpful.

Billy