Web Farm Implementation

[Hidden Desi]

Hi all,
I am implementing a .NET web application and extensively used the session
variables to store data. But today my manager told me that we will be
running that application in a web farm !!!! I guess I am screwed.

Could you please help me out here guys? I have following question: if you
know answer of any of these, pls let me know.

(1) What should I do now?
(2) I know that ASP.NET session state management supports two out of process
session state management options but will that work in web farm environment?
(3) If so, how ASP.NET associates users with their respective session?
(4) Any recommendations for implementing such applications?
(5) Does any Microsoft sample enterprise applications (FMCorp, etc etc)
supports web farm implementation?

Any thoughts, help, links to resources, etc would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Desi

 

[bruce barker]

1) switch to sqlserver for storing the session state. this will require that
all objects stored in session be serializable, and may require recoding.

2) be sure the machine keys match for viewstate processing.

 

[Justin Dutoit]

State server and SQL server session state work in a web farm. SQL server is
more secure but slower. You know already to enablesessionstate=false or
readonly where appropriate hopefully.

Justin D

 

[Rolf Enidsson]

As stated by others you can use the "out of proc sessions" of ASP.NET.

But take some time to examine the data you store in Sessions. Sometimes the
Cache is a better place for it. And if you setup the items in Cache to
expire at the same time (one an hour or one a day) on each server and
syncronize their time, you can use it on webfarms.

More to read on cache at :
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...y/en-us/dnbda/html/CachingArch.asp?frame=true

If you explain what kind of data you store in your sessions you might get
futher help on the issue....

 

[Hidden Desi]

Thx for your responses guys.

I am storing just basic data types (int, string, etc). What other options
are available now?

 

[Rolf Enidsson]

Thx for your responses guys.

I am storing just basic data types (int, string, etc). What other options
are available now?

No, not the actual datatype... What kind of data, how do you use and update
the data. Like a value that seldom changes. Or a value that change often,
but from exterior sources in a predictable way. Or a value that the owner of
the session can change at will.

For example, a list of countries almost newer changes. That is a good
candidate to put in the Cache instead....