Question

What are the things to be done before hosting the website in internet server? All kinds of testing and defect fixing work are over for the website which is currently hosted in intranet server. We have the server informations for hosting the website and also the database details. We also have the list of third party controls/softwares which should be installed before going live!! What else to be done? The website is developed using Visual Studio 2008, SQL server 2008, ASP.Net framework 3.5 and C# language.

Answer 1

What thinks you need to do before go live:

1. create a new web.config for the live server with the “release mode on” and the new setup strings for the database connections.
2. Make sure that the web server is configure for the right asp.net version from your control panel of your web site or from iis if you have access to the server.
3. Check the temporary/database dir/upload/other directories that have permissions for write.
4. Check also that the dll files that you going to upload on bin, is the release versions.
5. Check how many pools you give to your app. I suggest to give 1 pool at the start, and more only if you have simple web application or you have take care for the synchronization.
6. Check the machineKey on web.config and make sure that is a fresh new one.
7. Check the authentication on web.config and make sure that you have setup it correct.
8. The database must have permission for your asp.net app to read/write ether on directory, ether on user name and you must setup it according.

Start the upload with the app_offline.htm present, after all your uploading remove it.

Hope this help.