xWeb: Install

Server Setup

xWeb is a ASP.NET web service that runs on a web server. It will need a connection to the SQL Server. All it needs open to the outside world is port 80 or 443. Abila highly recommends against putting xWeb outside the firewall as we are almost 100% sure it will experience significant performance issues going through the firewall.

Technically, however, this is not a problem provided the connectivity can be established with the database server.

Issues to consider with putting the xWeb server outside the DMZ:

  • We will need to punch a hole through the firewall to the database.
  • The bin folder (all assemblies) will be compromised.
  • We may want to protect the connectionstring section in the web.config.

IIS Setup

Ensure that xWeb application is an application in IIS. Someone needs to go out of their way to do this as this is not an IIS default. Often this is not configured as an application unless client asks for it.

Do not enable anonymous access for the root folder of xWeb. Enable a default page and make it netForumXML.asmx.

In the secure subfolder of xWeb, DO enable anonymous access. Make the default start page netForumXML.asmx. A user should be able to navigate to this page without authenticating to the web server. The user will not, however, be able to operate any web methods; they will fail when run from a browser but will work from a program that can use SOAP and which can properly call the Authenticate method in a SOAP header..

Ensure that connectionstring setting in /xweb/web.config is the same as the connection string in iWeb (unless you want to use a different SQL Login for xWeb, which is not necessary but is an option).

Make sure that you can load the xWeb URL which will look something like this: 

http://<<netforumsite>>/xweb/secure/netForumXML.asmx
   

NetForum User setup

In order for a vendor/integrator to call xWeb, they will need an xWeb User account. See xWeb User Administration for instructions on setting up the xWeb user.

Testing xWeb

Run these steps to confirm that the xWeb site has been set up properly and will function.

Root folder To load this page, you MUST log in to webserver using Windows authentication (same way as iWeb). This URL can be used by developers for general understanding of xWeb, but this URL cannot be used in production because an application will not be able to authenticate. 

http://<<netFORUMSite>>/xweb/netForumXML.asmx
   

Secure folder This web service allows anonymous access but you cannot invoke any of the methods from the browser because you must authenticate using SOAP (which you cannot do in a browser right now). This is the web service that an application will use in production.

http://<<netFORUMSite>>/xweb/secure/netForumXML.asmx
   

Testing xWeb Through SOAP

See SoapUI for tips on how to test xWeb.