Microsoft

.NET Explained

What Is Microsoft .NET?
By RUBIOLO, MEIER, JEZIERSKI, MAKMAN, J.!. MEIER, E"#ar" JEZIERSKI, A$%& MAKMAN
A'stract
This article examines what the Microsoft .NET vision means to business and IT professionals and to
the future of software applications. It describes the .NET vision and explains the competitive
advantages it will bring to businesses.
This is a preliminary document and may be changed substantially prior to final
commercial release of the software described herein.
The information contained in this document represents the current view of Microsoft
Corporation on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because
Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted
to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the
accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication.
This White Paper is for informational purposes only. MC!"#"$T M%&'# ("
W%!!%(T'#, ')P!'## "! MP*'+, %# T" T,' ($"!M%T"( ( T,#
+"C-M'(T.
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33034
Microsoft 1
.NET Explained 1
1
WHAT IS MICROSOFT .NET?...................................................1
INTRODUCTION.........................................................................1
PRINCIPLES UNDERLYIN MICROSOFT .NET..........................1
Distributed omputing !ased on Internet "tandards 1
Moore#s $aw and ommunications %
Integration is &e' %
"oftware as a "ervice %
Next (eneration )ser Experience %
*utting The )ser in ontrol +
THE .NET !ISION......................................................................."
Introducing Microsoft .NET ,
The Next (eneration Internet -
Next (eneration of *roducts and "ervices .
WHAT IS MICROSOFT .NET?.....................................................#
The .NET *latform 1/
.NET Experiences 1%
$USINESS AD!ANTAES........................................................1"
0alue for the !usiness 1,
0alue for the ustomer 11
2utomating !usiness *rocesses 1-
3eacting to hange 14
IMPRO!IN TECHNOLOY.....................................................1#
Evolving 5indows DN2 %/// 14
Developing 5eb 2pplications 16
2pplication Deplo'ment 16
&nowledge and "upport with Microsoft %/
CONCLUSIONS........................................................................%&
APPENDI'................................................................................%1
(lossar' %1
$in7s to 3esources %%
CONTENTS
.NET is Microsoft#s platform for 8M$ 5eb services9 the next generation of software
that connects our world of information9 devices and people in a unified9 personali:ed
wa'.
The .NET platform enables the creation and use of 8M$;based applications9
processes9 and 5eb sites as services that share and combine information and
functionalit' with each other b' design9 on an' platform or smart device9 to provide
tailored solutions for organi:ations and individual people.
.NET is a comprehensive famil' of products9 built on industr' and Internet
standards9 that provide for each aspect of developing <tools=9 managing <servers=9
using <building bloc7 services and smart clients= and experiencing <rich user
experiences= 8M$ 5eb services. .NET will become part of the Microsoft
applications9 tools9 and servers 'ou alread' use toda' > as well as new products
that extend 8M$ 5eb service capabilities to all of 'our business needs.
This article clarifies what Microsoft#s .NET vision means to business and IT
professionals and to the future of software applications. It describes .NET and
explains its competitive advantages for businesses. ?or related explanations9 see
the other articles in the @Microsoft .NET ExplainedA seriesB
(ara"i)* Shift to !istri'+t%" o*,+ti-) O.%r th% I-t%r-%t. Describes how
new technologies9 new tools9 and new approaches to application development
are allowing a shift to an Internet;based distributed computing model. It also
discusses the mar7et conditions and technolog' advancements that have
provided the foundations for .NET.
Why Microsoft .NET? Describes the technologies that constitute the .NET
platform and the advantages the' bring to developers.
This section investigates some of the changes that are occurring within the
computing industr'. New technologies9 new tools9 and new approaches to
application development allow 'ou to adapt to these changes and ta7e full
advantage of them.
Di()*i+,)ed C-.p,)in/ $a(ed -n In)e*ne) S)anda*d(
The computing industr' is rapidl' evolving and embracing the Internet as a powerful
and rich communications infrastructure on which large scale distributed applications
can be developed. ompanies are increasingl' building solutions that integrate and
consolidate constellations of $2N;based and stand;alone mainframe s'stems9
combining them into powerful distributed applications. The various tiers of such
applications can either be connected or disconnected9 local or remote9 on the same
computer or distributed over the Internet. This provides opportunities for smart
Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
1
INTRODUCTION PRINCIPLES
UNDERLYIN
MICROSOFT .NET
design choices and more efficient processing. The rich communications
infrastructure provided b' the Internet allows 'ou to utili:e processing power where
it ma7es the most sense9 whether that#s on powerful servers9 or on rich client
application tiers.
hanges in technolog'9 especiall' increases in computing power9 networ7
bandwidth9 and the availabilit' of 8M$ and related standards9 create the
environment that ma7es the .NET platform possible. 2 platform that ta7es
advantage of the limitless possibilities of the Internet where applications can be built
independentl' or can ma7e use of existing services through a common and open
programming model.
M--*e0( La1 and C-..,ni2a)i-n(
In 16-19 (ordon Moore made a memorable observation. De reali:ed there was a
stri7ing trend in the growth of microchip performance. The capacit' of each new
microchip9 released within 14 to %, months of its predecessor9 is roughl' doubled
the processing power of the previous chip. Moore#s observation9 7nown as Moore#s
$aw9 described a trend that has continued and is still remar7abl' accurate.
2 similar trend is occurring with communication technolog'. The price of bandwidth
is plummeting9 halving roughl' ever' four months. Microsoft ;; and the rest of the
software industr' ;; has reaped these benefits over the last few decades and aims
to ensure that their future architecture is capable of exploiting both of these factors.
In)e/*a)i-n i( 3e4
The focal point for solutions is evolving from single applications to constellations of
integrated devices9 services9 and applications. The solutions 'ou build are no longer
based on single applications running on single computers9 but instead comprise
multiple devices9 multiple applications9 and multiple services that can be distributed
all over the world. 2 platform that drasticall' simplifies the assembl' of the solution
is an essential reEuirement to reali:e this scenario.
S-5)1a*e a( a Se*6i2e
The move to service;based software is a contrasting approach to the old world of
D;based software distribution which reEuired c'clic upgrades. "oftware as a
service provides for an ongoing relationship between the manufacturer and 'ou as
end user > providing for continuous updates and improvements.
Nex) ene*a)i-n U(e* Expe*ien2e
There is a great opportunit' to improve the wa' that 'ou interact with applications.
5hile the graphical user interface represented a tremendous step forward in
enhancing 'our user experience9 the time has arrived to deliver even better user
interfaces. Interfaces that are adaptive9 smart9 and identit' based9 which allows to
personali:e the content the' deliver to 'ou. Technologies such as speech
% Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
recognition and handwriting recognition are developing rapidl' and will completel'
transform the wa' that 'ou interact with applications in the future.
P,))in/ T7e U(e* in C-n)*-l
Fou should be the focal point of the technolog' and applications with which 'ou
interact. The' should wor7 on 'our behalf and be under 'our control. This is Euite
different from toda'#s situation where 'ou have to individuall' adapt and configure
'our applications9 and act as a human bridge between the various different devices9
applications9 and 5eb sites that 'ou interact with.
2ddressing this9 Microsoft is developing a user;centric set of core 8M$ 5eb
services9 codenamed @Dail"tormA9 which will be needed b' man' applications.
Dail"torm services are oriented around people9 instead of around a specific device9
application9 service9 or networ7. The' put users in control of their own data and
information and allow 'ou to access it at an'time from an' device. The' also protect
personal information b' allowing the user to control who can have access to their
information and providing a new level of ease of use and personali:ation. More
about Dailstorm later.
Gnl' %/ 'ears ago9 the world was still in the mainframe era. ?ew people had access
to computers9 and then it was onl' via the nearest IT department. The * and the
graphical user interface changed all that9 democrati:ing computing for tens of
millions of people and transforming the computer into a trul' mass;mar7et product.
orporations soon reali:ed that networ7s of *s and *;based servers could
change the wa' the' did business. 2mong consumers the * Euic7l' established
itself as a new medium for home entertainment. 5ithin the last 1 'ears9 the Internet
revolutioni:ed the wa' people communicate9 created a rich new source of
information and entertainment9 and opened up the world of electronic commerce.
Toda'9 close to +// million people worldwide use the 5eb. 2ccording to
International Data orp.9 more than a Euarter of a trillion dollarsH worth of business
will be transacted over the Internet this 'ear.
Fet for all these wonders there is still plent' of room for improvement. Toda'Hs
Internet largel' mirrors the old mainframe model. Despite bountiful bandwidth
information is still loc7ed up in centrali:ed databases with Igate7eepersI controlling
access. )sers surfing the 5eb must rel' on 5eb servers to perform most
operations9 Just li7e the old timesharing model. 5eb sites are isolated islands and
cannot communicate with each other on a userHs behalf in an' meaningful wa'.
Toda'Hs 5eb does little more than simpl' serve up individual pages to individual
users > pages that mostl' present DTM$ IpicturesI of data9 and not the data itself
<at present9 ma7ing both available is too technicall' demanding for most 5eb sites=.
2nd the browser is in man' respects a glorified read;onl' dumb terminal. Fou can
easil' browse information but it is difficult to edit9 anal':e9 or manipulate <that is9 all
the things 7nowledge wor7ers actuall' need to do with it= that information.
Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
+
THE .NET !ISION
*ersonali:ation consists of redundantl' entering and giving up control of 'our
personal information to ever' site 'ou visit. Fou have to adapt to the technolog'
instead of the technolog' adapting to 'ou.
These problems are multiplied if 'ou use more than one * or mobile device. To
access 'our online information <e;mail9 offline files and other data= 'ou have to
struggle with multiple <and often incompatible= interfaces9 var'ing levels of data
access9 and onl' intermittent s'nchroni:ation of all the information 'ou need <i.e.9
when 'ou ph'sicall' lin7 'our device with 'our *=. Gnline data is presented in an
incomplete and predefined format9 greatl' limiting its usefulness. The concept of a
customi:ed Ipersonal information spaceI that adapts to 'our needs is still a dream.
?or the 5eb developer9 the tools currentl' available to build9 test and deplo'
engaging 5eb sites are hopelessl' inadeEuate. Man' focus more on building
attractive rather than useful 5eb sites. None of them address the entire software
lifec'cle9 from design to development to deplo'ment to maintenance9 in a wa' that
is consistent and efficient. "imilarl'9 no s'stem toda' lets developers write code for
the * and deplo' it to a variet' of other devices.
orporate users face additional challenges. 5hile the advent of farms consisting of
smaller servers has made the overall computing experience more reliable b'
eliminating single points of failure it has made s'stem management more complex.
*erformance measurement9 capacit' planning and operations management are
challenging in toda'Hs multi;tier9 multi;function 5eb sites. New e;commerce s'stems
rarel' map well or interoperate with legac' business s'stems. !uilding s'stems that
securel' span the firewall9 so customers and partners can intelligentl' engage with
'our business9 is so difficult that man' businesses resort to costl' duplicate
s'stems.
In)*-d,2in/ Mi2*-(-5) .NET
Microsoft is creating an advanced new generation of software that melds computing
and communications in a revolutionar' new wa'9 offering ever' developer the tools
the' need to transform the 5eb and ever' other aspect of the computing
experience. This initiative is called Microsoft .NET9 and for the first time it enables
developers9 businesses and consumers the abilit' to harness technolog' on their
terms. Microsoft .NET will allow the creation of trul' distributed 5eb "ervices that
will integrate and collaborate with a range of complementar' services to serve
customers. Microsoft .NET will drive the Next (eneration Internet. It will ma7e
information available an' time9 an' place and on an' device.
The fundamental idea behind Microsoft .NET is that the focus is shifting from
individual 5eb sites or devices connected to the Internet9 to constellations of
computers9 smart devices and services that wor7 together to deliver broader9 richer
solutions. *eople will have control over how9 when and what information is delivered
to them. omputers9 smart devices and services will be able to collaborate with
each other to provide rich services9 instead of being isolated islands where the user
provides the onl' integration. !usinesses will be able to offer their products and
, Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
services in a wa' that lets customers seamlessl' embed them in their own
electronic fabric. It is a vision that extends the personal empowerment first offered
b' the * in the 164/s to this new Internet;based distributed computing model.
Microsoft .NET will help drive a transformation in the Internet that will see DTM$;
based presentation augmented b' programmable 8M$;based information. 8M$ is a
widel' supported industr' standard defined b' the 5orld 5ide 5eb onsortium9 the
same organi:ation that created the standards for the 5eb browser. It was
developed with extensive input from Microsoft9 but is not a proprietar' Microsoft
technolog'. 8M$ provides a means of separating actual data from the
presentational view of that data. It is a 7e' to the Next (eneration Internet and
offers a wa' to unloc7 information so that it can be organi:ed9 programmed and
edited9 a wa' to distribute data in more useful wa's to a variet' of digital devices9
and allows 5eb sites to collaborate and provide a constellation of 8M$ 5eb
services that will be able to interact with each another.
Microsoft .NET will ta7e computing and communications far be'ond the one;wa'
5eb to a rich9 collaborative9 interactive environment powered b' advanced new
software. Microsoft .NET will harness a constellation of applications9 services and
devices to create a personali:ed digital experience. 2n experience that constantl'
and automaticall' adapts itself to 'our needs and those of 'our famil'9 home and
business. It means a whole new generation of software that will wor7 as an
integrated service to help 'ou manage 'our life and wor7 in the Internet 2ge.
?or consumers that means the simplicit' of integrated services including unified
browsing9 editing and authoringK access to 'our files9 wor7 and media both online
and offK a holistic experience across devicesK and a more personali:ed wa' of
computing. It means9 for example9 that an' change to 'our information ; whether
input via 'our *9 handheld or smart credit card ; will be available for use on an'
other smart device. ?or 7nowledge wor7ers and businesses it means access to the
information the' need9 when and where the' need itK rich coordinated
communicationK a seamless mobile experienceK and powerful information;
management and e;commerce tools that will transparentl' move between internal
and Internet;based services9 and support a new era of d'namic trading
relationships.
?or independent software developers9 it means the opportunit' to create advanced
new services. "ervices that are able to automaticall' access and ma7e use of the
information exposed b' users either locall' or remotel'9 wor7ing with an' smart
device or programming language9 without having to rewrite code for each
programming environment. Ever' service and application on the Internet becomes a
potential building bloc7 for this new generation of 8M$ 5eb services.
The Microsoft .NET vision means empowerment for consumers9 businesses9
software developers and the entire industr'. It means unleashing the full potential of
the Internet.
Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
1
T7e Nex) ene*a)i-n In)e*ne)
!uilt on Internet standards such as 8M$ and "G2*9 Microsoft .NET is a platform
for building next generation distributed applications > 8M$ 5eb services.
*reviousl'9 programming models mainl' focused on a single s'stem9 even ma7ing
interactions with other s'stems to wor7 as if the' were local interactions9 such as
DGM. Microsoft .NET is explicitl' designed to allow the integration or orchestration
of an' group of resources on the Internet and local application code into a single
solution. Toda'9 if possible at all9 this t'pe of integration is extremel' complex and
costl'. Microsoft .NET will ma7e it intrinsic to all software development.
The loosel' coupled 8M$;based Microsoft .NET programming model introduces the
concept of creating 8M$;based 5eb services. 5hereas toda'Hs 5eb sites donHt
wor7 with other sites without significant additional development9 the Microsoft .NET
programming model provides an intrinsic mechanism to build an' 5eb site or
service so that it will federate and collaborate seamlessl' with an' others. Lust as
the introduction of interchangeable components accelerated the industrial
revolution9 Microsoft .NET promises to hasten the development of distributed
computing over the Internet.
None of this will be possible without man' partners and the millions of independent
and corporate developers who have helped build toda'Hs computer industr'. 2s
2lexander (raham !ell put it9 I(reat discoveries and improvements invariabl'
involve the cooperation of man' minds.I 5hen the dis7 operating s'stem <DG"=
became popular on the *9 it created opportunities for a new generation of
independent developers to build businesses around DG";based applications. The
Microsoft 5indows operating s'stem too7 those opportunities to an even higher
level. The opportunities for ever' developer afforded b' Microsoft .NET will be
greater still.
?or developers9 Microsoft is evolving its set of development tools specificall' for the
5eb9 spanning client9 server and services. These tools will enable developers to
transform the 5eb from toda'Hs static presentation of information into a 5eb of rich
interactive 8M$ 5eb services. MicrosoftHs brea7through next;generation 0isual
"tudio tool suite automates development of 8M$ 5eb services via the drag;and;
drop rapid;application development paradigm pioneered b' the 0isual !asic
development s'stem. These 8M$ 5eb services can be consumed on an' platform
that understands 8M$. 0isual "tudio even automaticall' generates the 8M$ code
necessar' to turn applications into 8M$ 5eb services..
The Microsoft .NET programming model gives developers the opportunit' to focus
fewer resources on where or how an application runs and focus more resources on
what the application does ; where the' can add real value. Microsoft .NET
addresses some of the biggest challenges facing developers9 particularl' the
tradeoff between functionalit' and manageabilit'. It ta7es application service
providers <2"*s= and application hosting to a new level. This enables the
integration of hosted applications with other applications9 the customi:ation of those
applications9 the abilit' to program against those applications9 and the option to run
- Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
the applications offline.
In addition9 developers will be able to leverage and customi:e a range of core
Microsoft .NET building bloc7 services in their own applications and services9
reducing the effort reEuired to create compelling products. These include
@Dail"tormA ;; the codename for a set of user;centric 8M$ 5eb services ;; that will
provide for identit'9 notification9 calendar functions9 storage and other services. !'
allowing developers to leverage these core set of 8M$ 5eb services9 the' free the
amount of plumbing the' would normall' have to create > such as authentication
services > while providing for the personali:ation that is inherent from the .NET
platform.
5ith the option of subscribing to these core .NET 8M$ 5eb services off the shelf9
developers can ma7e a Ibu' or buildI decision as to where the' want to spend their
development resources. "ome ma' elect to build basic service capabilities
themselves. Man' will li7el' opt for a well;pac7aged solution with strong
development tools support9 as man' developers choose not to write their own
printer drivers or windowing s'stem with 5indows and instead focus their resources
on differentiating their own higher;level products.
Nex) ene*a)i-n -5 P*-d,2)( and Se*6i2e(
In the long run man' applications will be available or delivered as a service
subscribed to over the Internet. "oftware as a service allows the following
competitive advantagesB
better customer service9
transparent installations9 repairs and updates9
a tighter feedbac7 loop into the product life;c'cle9
faster responses to software issues such as anti;virus protection.
Microsoft envisions the maJorit' of its software applications evolving into .NET
experiences that will be offered as services over time9 while continuing to offer its
existing platforms and applications. ?rom the outset Microsoft will offer a range of
.NET products and experiences including the followingB
5indows 8* is the new 5indows des7top operating s'stem for home and
business computing. 5indows 8* will set the standard for dependabilit' and
performance and will unloc7 the power of the * for all users. It will deliver an
intelligent9 connected and dependable engine to power experiences on the
.NET platform. ?or home users9 5indows 8* will enable ever'one to have the
power of digital photos9 video9 music and a connected home. !usiness users
will enJo' communications9 mobilit' and Internet support experiences.
M"N ; !' combining the leading content and services of M"N with the new
.NET platform9 future versions of M"N will enable consumers to create a single
digital personalit' and leverage smart services to ensure consistent9 seamless
and safe access to the information9 entertainment and people the' care about
an' time9 an' place and on an' device.
*ersonal "ubscription "ervices ; In addition to M"N9 Microsoft will build a set of
Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
.
premium consumer;oriented services on the .NET platform that will build on
existing Microsoft entertainment9 gaming9 education and productivit' products.
These services will give people the power of traditional des7top applications
with the flexibilit'9 integration and roaming support of the new .NET famil' of
user experiences.
?uture versions of Gffice ; 2dvanced communications and productivit' tools9
including universal canvas technolog' that combines communication9 browsing
and document authoring into a single environment. This will enable users to
s'nthesi:e and interact with information in a unified wa'. )niversal
collaboration services will enable collaboration with people both inside and
outside their respective companies. Microsoft will also continue to offer and
support versions of Gffice without .NET services.
0isual "tudio.NET ; 0isual "tudio.NET represents the complete development
environment for building applications on the Microsoft .NET platform. 5ith
0isual "tudio.NET9 developers can build 5eb applications and 8M$ 5eb
services that render in an' browser and on virtuall' an' device. !' using the
language of their choice9 developers can leverage their existing investments in
s7ills and s'stems. The result is increased productivit'9 end;to;end 5eb
development9 and a shorter time to deliver'.
bentralMN bentral presents a cutting;edge range of subscription;based
services and tools for small and growing businesses. ?uture improvements
include hosted messaging and e;mail9 enhanced commerce services9 and a
new customer relationship management <3M= service built on the .NET
platform. The enhanced commerce and customer management services will
enable small businesses to better serve their customers online. ?unctionalit'
will include support for rich hosted catalogs and the abilit' to trac7 interactions
with customers to enable personali:ed service.
.NET is Microsoft#s platform for 8M$ 5eb services9 the next generation of software
that connects our world of information9 devices and people in a unified9 personali:ed
wa'.
The .NET platform enables the creation and use of 8M$;based applications9
processes9 and 5eb sites as services that share and combine information and
functionalit' with each other b' design9 on an' platform or smart device9 to provide
tailored solutions for organi:ations and individual people.
Microsoft .NET aims to accelerate the IT industr'#s shift to an Internet;based
distributed computing model.
!ased on open Internet standards9 Microsoft .NET is the 8M$ 5eb services
platform for empowering applications9 services9 and devices to wor7 together to
enable access to and action on information an'time9 an' place9 from an' deviceK
providing simplified development and rich user experiences9 and unprecedented
opportunities for businesses.
4 Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
WHAT IS MICROSOFT
.NET?
To full' understand what Microsoft .NET represents9 it helps to brea7 down part of
the above definition9 anal':ing it from several perspectivesB
@Microsoft .NET aims to accelerate the IT industr'#s shift to an Internet;based
distributed computing model.AB
2 silent shift to a distributed computing model based on the Internet is
occurring. Microsoft have been providing tools and technologies for distributed
computing for several 'ears <such as GM9 DGM9 GMO=9 but the' have
been optimi:ed for Intranets and $2N usage scenarios. 5ith the rapid
expansion of the Internet over the last few of 'ears9 high bandwidth is
becoming cheaper and more widel' available than ever before. ombined with
Moore#s $aw9 'ou now have the opportunit' to build distributed applications
using the Internet as a communications infrastructure. !ecause of the power at
the edge of the networ7 and the abundance of bandwidth9 'ou can perform
processing wherever it is most advantageous and optimal to do so. Moreover9
'ou can now plan new scenarios that were unthin7able before9 such as rapid9
flexible and relativel' inexpensive integration of businesses processes between
partner companies.
@!ased on open Internet standardsAB
.NET is built from the ground up on open Internet#s standards9 such as 8M$9
DTT*9 and "G2*. 2lso9 the .NET ommon $anguage 3untime and the P
language have been submitted to the EM2 <European omputer
ManufacturerHs 2ssociation= for standardi:ation. Microsoft is committed to these
open industr' standards. Microsoft#s challenge is to provide the best
implementation in the mar7et for these standards using Microsoft products and
tools.
@Microsoft .NET is the 8M$ 5eb services platformAB
entral to the .NET platform are 8M$ 5eb services. These are software
components9 programmaticall' accessible over the 5eb9 that use 8M$ and
"G2*. 8M$ 5eb services can be accessed from multiple client applications
and device software to enable a far more connected experience for users and
for businesses.
@for empowering applications9 services9 and new devicesAB
The platform supports des7top applications9 centrali:ed services9 Internet
applications9 integration of business processes9 wireless devices9 smart
phones9 and provides extensibilit' for new appliances. The .NET ?ramewor7
provides this empowerment. In addition to des7tops9 servers and Internet
clients9 new wireless and phone protocols such as 4/%.11 and 52* <5ireless
2pplication *rotocol= will be supported. Man' other devices such as *oc7et
*s9 smart phones9 and entertainment devices9 will also supported.
@to wor7 togetherAB
.NET is integration b' design. Integration is one of the 7e' goals of .NET9
allowing solutions to be delivered with broader scope that can be easil'
accessed from more devices and clients9 whether the' are internal or exposed
via the Internet. 8M$ and "G2* provide a common programming language
Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
6
that ma7es this seamless cooperation possible.
@to enable access to and action on informationAB
The .NET platform delivers accessibilit' to information and data sources across
s'stems9 clients9 and devices. !ut access to information and data is not enough
if it can#t be updated9 manipulated9 and integrated. The platform delivers read
and write capabilities to information and data. The creation of 8M$ 5eb
services allows processing to occur on either clients or servers9 bringing
enhanced abilities to a broad range of devices.
@an'time9 an' place9 from an' deviceAB
It doesn#t matter if 'ou are at the airport with onl' 'our smart cell phone in
hand. If 'ou need information about a customer9 the platform provides
applications with the opportunit' to deliver this 7ind of information to mobile
devices9 again through 8M$ 5eb services and rich communication.
@providing simplified development and rich user experiencesAB
The enhancements that ma7e information readil' accessible are the foundation
for solutions that provide complete experiences for users9 irrespective of when9
how or from which device the information is being accessed. Developers#
experiences will also be greatl' improved through the tools of the .NET
platformB the .NET ?ramewor7 and 0isual "tudio.NET. ?or more information
about how developers will benefit from these technologies9 see the related
article @5h' Microsoft .NETMQA
@and unprecedented opportunities for businessesAB
!usiness benefits include increased integration <within and among businesses
and their customers=9 through rapid development and deplo'ment of business
applicationsK creating new revenue streams b' turning existing processes into
8M$ 5eb services as well as finding new business b' exposing those servicesK
and b' empowering emplo'ees through accesses to the information the' need
when and where the' need it.
T7e .NET Pla)5-*.
?rom a technolog' standpoint9.NET is the . platform and the .NET experiences built
on top of the platform. The platform includesB
Tools > to build applications and 8M$ 5eb services < .NET ?ramewor7 and
0isual "tudio.NET=9
"ervers > on which to build9 host and deplo' those applications and services
<5indows %/// "erver and the .NET Enterprise "ervers=
"ervices > a core set of .NET building bloc7 services <@Dail"tormA services=9
lient software > the software that powers smart devices9 allowing users to
interact and experience the .NET platform
Experiences > the combination of the above components of the .NET platform
allow for more personal9 integrated user experiences ;; .NET experiences.
2nal':ing each of these componentsB
1/ Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
De6el-pe* )--l(
These are the programming model9 development environment and tools for building
the next generation of distributed applications. Developer tools such as 0isual
"tudio.NET ma7e writing 8M$ 5eb services and 5eb applications as simple and
as eas' as possible. The .NET ?ramewor7 and 0isual "tudio.NET9 offer the best9
easiest9 fastest9 and least expensive wa' to write 8M$ 5eb services.
Se*6i2e(
The first of the core .NET building bloc7 services that will be offered include the
@Dail"tormA services that are centered around the user. Microsoft is developing a
user;centric set of core 8M$ 5eb services9 codenamed @Dail"tormA9 which will be
needed b' man' applications. @Dail"tormA services are oriented around people9
instead of around a specific device9 application9 service9 or networ7. The' put users
in control of their own data and information and allow 'ou to access it at an'time
from an' device. The' also protect personal information b' allowing the user to
control who can have access to their information and providing a new level of ease
of use and personali:ation. @Dail"tormA services are Just the first set of the 8M$
5eb services being built b' Microsoft.
Clien) (-5)1a*e 5-* (.a*) de6i2e(
lient software enables *s9 laptops9 wor7stations9 smart phones9 handheld
computers9 Tablet *s9 game consoles9 and other smart devices to operate in
the .NET universe.
2 smart device isB
"mart about 'ou. It uses 'our .NET identit'9 and profile data to simplif' 'our
user experience.
"mart about the networ7. It is responsive to bandwidth constraints9 provides
support for both online and offline use of applications and understands what
services are available.
"mart about information. It can access9 anal':e9 and act on data an'where
an'time.
"mart about other devices. It discovers other *s9 smart devices9 servers9 and
the Internet9 and 7nows how to provide services to other devices. It#s also smart
about accessing information from the *.
"mart about software and services. 2pplications and data are presented
optimall' for the current form factor. Input methods and connectivit' is
appropriate for the current device providing great end;user interaction. It
consumes 5eb services using 8M$9 "G2*9 and )DDI and is programmable
and extensible b' developers.
"ome of the software for smart devices Microsoft is wor7ing on includes 5indows
8*9 5indows E9 5indows Embedded9 the .NET ?ramewor79 and the .NET
ompact ?ramewor7.
Se*6e*(
Through the .NET platform9 businesses and others will be able to turn 7e'
processes into 8M$ 5eb services. ?rom the schedule for a doctor#s office to the
Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
11
catalog for a boo7 seller or a mechanism to determine the proper exchange rate for
world currencies > 8M$ 5eb services created and hosted b' one compan' or
individual can be used b' millions of others in an' number of combinations to
produce a variet' of highl' personal9 intelligent computing experiences.
This distributed model of computing will put increasing demands on server
infrastructures9 reEuiring an agile9 highl' reliable platform.
5indows %/// "erver and the .NET Enterprise "ervers with their built;in securit'9
their support for 8M$ and their abilit' to Euic7l' scale;out to meet increased
demands provide the best solution to host and deplo' 8M$ 5eb services and the
.NET platform.
Microsoft#s .NET Enterprise "ervers represent the fastest and most reliable wa' to
integrate9 manage9 and 5eb;enable applications within the enterprise. Microsoft is
delivering enterprise;read' server offerings with the reliabilit'9 performance9
scalabilit'9 and manageabilit' reEuired b' enterprise solutions. 2 global support
networ7 bac7s this9 which together with a rich set of industr' partners provides
complete Internet and Intranet based solutions. The following list provides a brief
overview of each .NET Enterprise "erver. ?or more information about each product9
seeB httpBCCwww.microsoft.comCservers.
.NET Expe*ien2e(
.NET experiences are the means for end users to interact with .NET applications.
.NET experiences are combinations of the @Dail"tormA user;centric services9 other
8M$ 5eb services and local application code that are presented via a smart device.
Microsoft is transitioning four popular products into .NET experiencesB
Microsoft Gffice 8* is ta7ing the first steps towards providing a .NET
experience for 7nowledge wor7ers. ?uture versions of Gffice will full' integrate
8M$ 5eb services while exposing 7e' functionalit' to other applications as
8M$ 5eb services as well.
M"N9 including the use of the M"N Explorer local client9 is on the wa' to
creating a consumer;focused .NET experience.
The bentralM small business portal will provide necessar' 8M$ 5eb services
for small business <such as inventor' management= and eventuall' consume
important 8M$ 5eb services <such as auction services=
The 0isual "tudio development s'stem will provide a .NET experience for
developers9 exposing M"DN information and compan';specific coding
guidelines directl' in the tools that developers will use.
The .NET user experiences have the following characteristicsB
The' are delivered across multiple devices. Instead of writing a different 8M$
5eb service and a different .NET application for each possible device .NET
applications can read the characteristics of the device the end user chooses for
access9 and deliver an appropriate interface.
1% Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
The' use 8M$ 5eb services .NET experiences ta7e advantage of 8M$ 5eb
services when the' are connected to the networ79 aggregating additional and
relevant information for users9 to solve da' to da' problems.
The' are user;centric. .NET experiences are focused on end users9 using
identit';based building bloc7 services <@Dail"tormA= for user identification9
preferences9 notifications9 and user data. !ecause the user#s data is managed
b' building bloc7 services rather than b' the application9 users are in control of
their own data9 can ensure its accurac'9 and can coordinate data between
different applications and services.
In addition to the business pressures that most businesses are currentl' facing <for
example9 time to mar7et pressures9 acEuisitions and mergers9 increased reliance on
outsourcing9 the move towards %,x. global businesses=9 the technolog'
environment in which businesses operate is also undergoing some fundamental
transformations. The ongoing increases in computing power and connectivit'9 the
proliferation of devices9 and the desire for standardi:ation are combining to create a
tidal wave of fundamental change that will sweep over virtuall' ever' industr' and
change the underl'ing structures and assumptions of ever' business.
The enormous potential of the Internet9 coupled with its pervasive nature is opening
up man' new opportunities9 and is offering hitherto unheard of potential for
innovation. ?or example9 new innovations are occurring in the music industr'9 with
5eb sites offering download and music sharing services9 within the travel industr'9
in bro7erages9 in real estate and in man' other industr' sectors.
?ar be'ond merel' adding a 5eb interface to 'our existing and essentiall'
unchanged business applications9 these transformations will reinvent some of the
basic assumptions of 'our business model. ompanies that want to survive the
transformation to the digital econom' need to prepare themselves b' re;evaluating
their business in light of three imperatives.
reating a connected infrastructure This means not onl' extracting the
maximum value out of 'our internal s'stems b' using the full range of data
available across those s'stems in an integrated and coherent wa'9 but also
extending that connected infrastructure be'ond the walls of 'our business to
'our partners and suppliers. The integrated flow of data across entire business
processes <regardless of organi:ational boundaries= provides significant
opportunit' for refining and reinventing those business processes for massive
increases in efficienc'. In addition to bottom line improvements9 the
opportunities exist for creating whole new businesses that were previousl'
inconceivable because of the friction in non;integrated infrastructures.
Empowering 'our emplo'ees. This means ta7ing all of the data that 'ou have
that would allow 'our emplo'ees to ma7e better decisions and to ta7e more
effective actions on 'our behalf9 and placing that data in the right context at the
right times for the right emplo'ees9 however and wherever the' are connected
to 'our networ7. !e'ond mere browsing and providing access to information9
this means determining what the relevant information is for each emplo'ee in
Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
1+
$USINESS AD!ANTAES
ever' phase of their da'9 regardless of where that information is <which internal
s'stem9 or which external source= and bringing it together into a place where
emplo'ees can efficientl' ma7e the right choices and act immediatel'.
Integrating into the ever'da' lives of 'our customers. This has one of the
biggest implications for businesses. 3e;examine9 across 'our entire industr'9
who the end customer is and what fundamental value is being delivered. Now
imagine the ideal user experience for that end user9 delivering exactl' the value
the' need directl' to them in the most convenient possible wa'9 full' integrated
into their da';to;da' life and environment. Imagine offering that value to exactl'
the right customers at the right moments for them9 customi:ed in exactl' the
right wa' for them. This is radicall' different from the wa' businesses operate
toda'.
Microsoft is creating the .NET platform to help 'ou transform 'our business to
respond to these imperatives. It is based on the 8M$ 5eb services model9 which is
a natural outgrowth of the increases in computing power9 connectivit'9 and
movement towards standards that characteri:e the whole technolog' industr'.
Microsoft .NET is designed to help 'ou ma7e 'our business agile enough to survive
the transformation of 'our industr' b' giving 'ou the means to rapidl' respond to
changes in 'our business and the industr' around 'ou9 while helping 'ou to thrive
b' ta7ing advantages of opportunities the' present. "upport for flexible integration
within and across companies is a core part of the platform. Microsoft leads the
industr' in creating tools that ma7e it possible for emplo'ees to create and
manipulate information. The evolution of some of these tools will help 'ou
significantl' with the tas7 of empowering 'our emplo'ees. .NET technologies will
also enable 'ou to utili:e 'our 7nowledge of 'our customers9 to offer them exactl'
the right products and services at the right times and in the most effective contexts.
Ever' business is going to pla' in this digital econom'9 and the Euestion 'ou should
be as7ing isB @how should m' business interact with other digital businessesQA
Microsoft has a methodolog'9 a computing model and a platform that is going to
allow 'ou to build 'our solutions profitabilit'.
!al,e 5-* )7e $,(ine((
The Internet provides companies with a growing platform to build sites that
advertise9 promote and sell goods and services. Microsoft .NET extends the
platform b' allowing sites to be interconnected using 8M$ 5eb services. These will
allow 'ou to achieve high degrees of s'nerg' with 'our clients and partners and
integrate 'our suppl' chains.
'ML We+ Se*6i2e(
onsider an example scenario9 where a customer searches for a product9 compares
alternative vendors using various 5eb sites9 bu's the product from a selected
vendor9 and then waits for its deliver'. In this example9 the chosen vendor ma' have
provided the customer with the details of the deliver' compan' that will deliver the
goods. In this event9 the customer is able to use the deliver' compan'#s 5eb site to
1, Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
trac7 the order.
Microsoft .NET allows this process to be ta7en one step further. 5ith 8M$ 5eb
services the vendor compan' is able to connect directl' to the deliver' compan'#s
order trac7ing application and obtain information such as the current deliver' status9
the current location of the goods and the scheduled deliver' date and time. This
integration between the vendor and deliver' compan' allows the vendor to provide
this additional information via its 5eb site and directl' to its customer. This is a
great benefit to the customer9 who can now trac7 the deliver' directl' from the
vendor#s 5eb site <and not from several 5eb sites=9 providing a superior and more
efficient bu'ing experience.
Microsoft .NET not onl' allows 'ou to publish information about 'our goods and
services using 'our 5eb site9 but also to publish 8M$ 5eb services to be used b'
other companies from their 5eb sites <and vice;versa=. ?or example9 if 'our
compan' sells music Ds9 'ou can publish an 8M$ 5eb service through 'our 5eb
site that allows 'our own or a partner store to reEuest stoc7 information on;line over
the Internet. If a customer in 'our partner store subseEuentl' places an order9 the
store can use another of 'our 5eb services to place an automatic order. )pon
receipt of the order9 'ou will be able to automaticall' call 'our deliver' compan'#s
8M$ 5eb service to complete the business process.
8M$ 5eb services will help with the implementation of the industr'#s LIT <Lust;in;
time= provision model9 adding more flexible integration and agilit' to the suppl'
chain. Efficient LIT management can help lower costs9 reduce production times for
'our customers9 and maintain optimum stoc7 levels. This coupled with automated
suppl' and deliver' processes9 results in better financial management and improved
customer service.
8M$ 5eb services also provide an opportunit' to build new partnerships and foster
new relationships9 to create new and innovative business models and to improve
'our competitiveness in the mar7et. Microsoft .NET aims to ma7e this realit'.
We+ Si)e(
?or traditional Internet 5eb sites9 Microsoft .NET provides 5eb developers and
designers with improved tools that greatl' assist in the speed' generation of 5eb
sites. "upport for multiple browser t'pes9 traditionall' a difficult and time;consuming
problem to solve9 is built in. This results in creating applications and 5eb sites in
less time9 and more importantl'9 faster than 'our competitors and to a bigger
mar7et. "uch time savings allow 'ou to improve services to new customers.
!al,e 5-* )7e C,()-.e*
Microsoft .NET is important to end;users because it ma7es applications easier to
use and far more functional. "pecificall'9 it frees users from the artificial constraints
of hardware. The user data lives on the Internet or a corporate networ79 not onl' on
the user#s personal laptop or smaller device. It can be accessed from an' smart
device ;; des7top9 laptop9 smart phone9 or *oc7et * > and is full' integrated
Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
11
across applications.
Microsoft .NET allows users to Euic7l' establish connections and complete
transactions9 that up until now have reEuired hours of time and the frustrating re;
entr' of data from one application to the next. !' allowing multiple secure data
feeds to be merged into a single user interface <or even a programmable decision
engine= the .NET architecture frees users from the limitations imposed b' the data
silos that populate the 5eb toda'.
*roviding users or emplo'ees with complete freedom to access their data9 from
an'where at an' time creates an ama:ing environment that will inspire new
business opportunities.
A,)-.a)in/ $,(ine(( P*-2e((e(
Fou can automate business processes toda' using the Microsoft !i:Tal7 %///
"erver. 5ith its orchestration technolog' and 2pplication Designer tool9 provides
significant benefits for business anal'sts9 allowing them to graphicall' define and
model business processes. ?ar be'ond being able to create static models of
business processes9 the 2pplication Designer tool allows d'namic process models
to be created. These models define data flows between internal and external
applications and9 with the help of business logic9 define precisel' how those
applications should be lin7ed together. ?urthermore9 the orchestration engine can
ta7e the model and execute it9 in order to implement the defined business process9
using a variet' of developer specified implementation technologies9 including
among others9 5eb services.
The 2pplication Designer is built on top of Microsoft 0isio %///. This is a big
advantage for man' business anal'sts who are alread' familiar with this tool and
are using it toda' for business diagramming. ?igure 1 shows a t'pical business
process diagram that business anal'sts are creating toda'.
Fig. 1: Business Process described with Visio
1- Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
The 2pplication Designer ta7es this approach one significant step further b'
allowing business anal'sts to create executable applications directl' from their
process models9 using familiar methodologies and toolsK illustrated in ?igure %.
Gn the left hand side9 business anal'sts create the definition of the business
process b' creating a seEuence of action shapes that define the seEuence of steps
reEuired to fulfill the business process.
Daving defined the model9 the business anal'st hands it over to the developer.
Developers use the right hand side to specif' implementation shapes that define
how each action shape <defined b' the business process model= is to be
implemented when the application is running.
Fig. 2: BizTalk Development Environment
The developer can choose from a variet' of technologies including GM
components9 5indows "cript omponents9 5indows Message Rueuing9 !i:Tal7
Messaging9 and also an 8M$ 5eb service to implement a particular action defined
within the business model.
Daving chosen how the various actions within the business process are to be
implemented9 the developer then connects the implementation shapes on the right
to the action shapes on the left. 2t this point9 he can also define how the data
<usuall' 8M$ messages= should flow through the process model. ?inall'9 the model
is compiled.
This radicall' new approach to constructing applications illustrates a 7e' concept.
Toda'9 application development usuall' involves integrating existing applications.
Fou donHt want to have to develop lots of new code. Instead9 application
development involves the integration of existing applications such as email9
ustomer 3elationship Management <3M= s'stems9 Enterprise 3esource
*lanning <E3*= applications9 mainframe applications9 and so on. It also often
Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
1.
involves technologies such as message Eueuing9 components9 and 5eb services
that 'ou might develop using 0isual "tudio.
Rea2)in/ )- C7an/e
Gne of the huge challenges faced b' IT professionals toda' is the d'namic and
constantl' evolving nature of the business processes the' are attempting to model
and implement. ompanies must compete on their abilit' to adapt Euic7l' to
changing business conditions.
The !i:Tal7 orchestration approach ma7es handling business process changes
eas'. ?or further information about orchestration9 see www.microsoft.comCbi:tal7.
Microsoft .NET supports high levels of integration with existing infrastructures and
applications. It provides new technologies and evolves existing ones9 enabling 'ou
to draw upon the existing experience of 'our staff. It also uses 'our existing
hardware and supports scaling up and scaling out as 'our needs demand.
Developers can start building 5eb services toda' using the "G2* Tool7it for 0isual
"tudio -./ even before 0isual "tudio .NET is released. This will enable them to gain
experience wor7ing with 5eb services prior to the release of 0isual "tudio.NET.
E6-l6in/ Wind-1( DNA %&&&
The infrastructure and platform that .NET provides is an extension of toda'#s
5indows Distributed iNternet 2rchitecture <5indows DN2 %///=. 2s a result9 'our
existing investments9 including 'our developer expertise and existing software base
are being complemented with new capabilities such as 8M$ 5eb services.
Microsoft introduced 5indows DN2 %/// to provide a scalable architecture for
enterprise;scale9 distributed applications. !' utili:ing the n;tier computing model
prescribed b' the 5indows DN2 %/// model9 developers have been able to use
5eb technologies to reduce deplo'ment costs9 achieving levels of scalabilit' not
possible under previous architecturesK architectures which had a more monolithic
and des7top;centric approach. .NET does not change 'our application logic or
functionalit' itself but provides new and flexible wa's for applications to expose their
functionalit' as a set of 5eb services. urrent 5indows DN2 %/// applications can
be extended to expose 5eb services9 which can then be integrated and
orchestrated with other 5eb services using the .NET platform.
If 'our existing applications follow the 5indows DN2 %/// model9 Microsoft .NET
ma7es application development easier in a number of respects and also allows 'ou
to run new applications built using 0isual "tudio .NET along side 'our existing
applications built with 0isual "tudio -./. .NET provides sophisticated interoperabilit'
services allowing 'ou to exploit 'our existing applications and components.
14 Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
IMPRO!IN
TECHNOLOY
De6el-pin/ We+ Appli2a)i-n(
?or 5eb;based applications9 .NET provides 2"*.NET <an advanced version of
toda'#s 2ctive "erver *ages=9 which allows 'ou to build traditional browser based
5eb applications and also 8M$ 5eb services. 2"*.NET features technolog' that
ma7es it eas' to develop 5eb sites using server;side controls that automaticall'
render the appropriate DTM$ depending upon the client#s browser capabilities.
Toda'9 this has to be done manuall' and as a result 2"*.NET saves developer
effort and ensures that 'ou won#t lose potential clients.
2"*.NET also supports a variet' of enhanced features including improved
scalabilit' and performance9 easier deplo'ment and superior state management
options tailored for 5eb farm configurations.
)sing the 8M$ 5eb services model to develop applications enhances 'our wa' of
creating enterprise applications. The association of internal and external services
enables the simplified creation of applications that bring together corporate data
with related data from vendors and partners9 resulting in an unprecedented depth of
functionalit' for the benefit of end users and customers ali7e.
Appli2a)i-n Depl-4.en)
The term @xcop' deplo'mentA refers to the eas' wa' b' which .NET applications
can be deplo'ed. To install an application9 'ou simpl' cop' the relevant files to a file
s'stem director'. There is no registration of separate configuration reEuired.
2pplication configuration options are transported along with the application using
8M$ based configuration files. Easier deplo'ment and management of new
software releases enables IT professionals to be more responsive to changing
business needs.
The new deplo'ment model also supports the coexistence of different versions of
an application or component on the same machine at the same time. 2s an
example9 a new version of a 5eb application can be deplo'ed next to the existing
version. 2"*.NET will route new user reEuests to the new version9 while continuing
to service the reEuests of existing clients with the old version. 5hen the existing
reEuests have been handled9 the old application is shut down.
The new deplo'ment model minimi:es the problems associated with releasing new
software b' simplif'ing the installation process and protecting against versioning
problems9 all of which helps 'ou reduce the time reEuired to ta7e an application to
mar7et.
En)e*p*i(e Mana/e.en) Pla)5-*.
2 7e' premise of Microsoft .NET is integrating applications. 2s a result managing
integration is critical to its success. !' enabling customers to better monitor and
control their computing resources9 Microsoft is providing the basis for managing
distributed computing as an integral part of all 5indows;hosted environments. This
Management *latform for 5indows consists ofB
Microsoft Gperations Manager. This focuses on the event and performance
Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
16
management of 5indows %/// "erver and the .NET Enterprise "ervers. To
deliver Gperations Manager9 Microsoft has licensed NetIR#s Gperations
Manager product9 which is alread' built on top of the management services
available in 5indows %///. Microsoft has further enhanced Gperations
Manager9 and NetIR is offering additional solutions to Microsoft#s new
management products9 including support for other operating s'stems and non;
Microsoft applications.
.NET Management "ervices. This is an extended range of infrastructure
services including a management portal supporting 8M$ and "G2*9 created
for the development of solutions that integrate with the .NET platform.
Microsoft Management 2lliance. This is a new program to help independent
software vendors develop management products for 5indows. ?or more
information about the Microsoft Management 2lliance9 see
httpBCCwww.microsoft.comC5INDG5"%///CmanagementCarticlesCmmafaE.asp.
3n-1led/e and S,pp-*) 1i)7 Mi2*-(-5)
Microsoft provides worldwide support not onl' for its products9 but also for its
strateg'9 solutions and industr' partners. Fou can contact Microsoft and as7 for
informational meetings at different stages during 'our proJect development c'cleB
5ith a Microsoft#s 2ccount Manager who understands Microsoft#s business
strateg'9 and can refer 'ou to other Microsoft customers for reference
purposes.
5ith "'stems Engineers <from industr' *artners or Microsoft itself= or
consultants <from Microsoft onsulting "ervices <M"=9 or ertified *artners= to
provide education about Microsoft#s Technolog' "trateg'9 and how 'our
business can benefit from it.
5ith industr' *artners who are aware of hardware and software solutions
based on Microsoft technolog' alread' in the mar7et place9 and how 'ou might
ta7e advantage of them.
5ith M" or Microsoft#s *artners to design and build 'our strateg' with
Microsoft solutions.
5ith the different support groups and partners for specific support needs. ?or
example M"9 *"" <*roduct "upport "ervices=9 and M"DN <developer#s and
product#s specific assistance=
?or a listing of more support resources see httpBCCsupport.microsoft.comCdirector'9 or
contact 'our nearest Microsoft office at httpBCCwww.microsoft.comCworldwide.
2lternativel'9 learn about Microsoft onsulting "ervices in the SEnterprise "ervices#
topic at httpBCCwww.microsoft.comCtrainingandservicesCdefault.asp. ?or more
information about wor7ing with Microsoft9 see
httpBCCwww.microsoft.comCbusinessCmicrosoftCdefault.asp.
5ith .NET9 the Internet more full' becomes a platform for business. Microsoft .NET
addresses most of toda'#s computing deficiencies to reali:e the vision of enabling
%/ Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
CONCLUSIONS
access to all user#s data and applications an'where and from an' deviceK allowing
users to interact with their data through handwriting9 speech9 and vision
technologies.
5ith .NET9 user#s data lives securel' on the Internet or Intranets so that the' can
access it from their *s at home and at wor79 from their cell phones or pagers9 from
their *D2s and *oc7et *s. 5ith this access9 applications are able to adapt the
functionalit' the' offer to the limitations and opportunities presented b' the device
with which the user is interacting. ?urthermore9 applications are able to act on a
user#s behalf using a predefined set of preferences and directives.
Therefore9 businesses benefit from radicall' increased efficienc' and productivit' as
.NET brings emplo'ees9 customers9 data9 and business applications into a coherent
and intelligentl' interactive whole.
Microsoft#s vision for this new generation of distributing computing on the Internet is
one where software is delivered as a service9 accessible b' an' device9 an' time9
an' place9 and is full' programmable and personali:ed. To enable this vision9
Microsoft is delivering the .NET platform and .NET experiences9 built on public
Internet standards and protocols9 with tools and services that integrate computing
and communications in productive new wa's. The Microsoft .NET platform is
explicitl' designed to enable the rapid development9 integration9 and orchestration
of an' group of 8M$ 5eb services and applications into a single solution.
l-((a*4
Ass%*'$yB This is the fundamental building bloc7 of program components in .NET
and represents the unit of versioning and deplo'ment. 2ssemblies ma' consist of a
single D$$9 or can comprise numerous D$$s and resources in multiple files.
2ssemblies provide a different view of applications within the .NET ?ramewor7.
LRB ommon $anguage 3untime. This is the runtime that provides the foundation
for .NET services. 5hile an application or component is running9 the $3 manages
ever' aspect of its execution9 including memor' management9 enforcing securit'
polic'9 as well as satisf'ing an' dependencies that the component ma' have on
other components.
$+st%rB "everal servers interconnected to provide redundanc' support to the
applications the' host. If one of the servers fails9 the others automaticall' ta7e over
its responsibilities <applications or functionalit'= until it comes bac7 on;line.
/TT(B D'perText Transfer *rotocol. This is a standard protocol defining the wa'
data transfer occurs between 5eb "ervers <such as Microsoft Internet Information
"erver= and 5eb browsers <such as Microsoft Internet Explorer=.
Sca$%0U,B This approach to improving scalabilit' involves adding or upgrading
hardware components in 'our servers to increase processing power. The
Microsoft .NET Enterprise "erver programs include 7e' partnerships with hardware
Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
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APPENDI'
providers including I!M9 ompaE9 D* and )nis's that provide the best scale;up
solutions.
Sca$%0O+tB This approach to providing improving scalabilit' involves adding more
servers to a solution to increase its overall processing power. The Microsoft .NET
Enterprise "ervers include built;in support for lusters of servers and 5eb ?arms
which allow 'ou to grow 'our application#s processing power incrementall'.
SOA(B "imple GbJect 2ccess *rotocol. This is a protocol defining the wa' that
applications <5eb services= communicate with one another over the Internet. 2
"G2* reEuest includes all the information reEuired to call a remote procedure over
the Internet. It is transmitted to the server9 using DTT* as the transport protocol. 2s
firewalls are generall' configured to allow DTT* reEuests to pass through9 "G2*
reEuests will also usuall' be allowed to pass through firewalls.
U!!IB )niversal Description9 Discover' and Integration. This is a standard
specification that allows companies to centrall' publish information about the 5eb
services the' offer in a )niversal !usiness Director' that is accessible b' an'one. It
contains contact9 product and service information about the standards and
technologies that a compan' uses in conducting online business. It also provides a
search engine to locate potential sellers of specified products or services9 and
defines the rules for contacting them.
W%' 1ar*B "everal 5eb servers wor7ing together to provide a scalable 5eb
application solution9 using load;balancing techniEues. $oad balancing evenl'
distributes the reEuests of multiple users among the servers9 to avoid or minimi:e
stressing a single server.
2MLB e8tensible Mar7up $anguage. This is a flexible9 platform independent and
standard wa' to represent data sent between 5eb "ervers or 5eb services.
Lin8( )- Re(-,*2e(
The following list is not a complete9 exhaustive list of articles9 but it provides 'ou
pointers to the most clarif'ing .NET articles.
IT Mana/e.en)
The value of .NET to the businessB @!usinessA section atB
httpBCCwww.microsoft.comCnetC
5indows Datacenter *rogramB
httpBCCwww.microsoft.comCwindows%///CguideCdatacenterCoverviewCdefault.asp
.NET Enterprise "erversB
httpBCCwww.microsoft.comCserversCnetCdefault.htm
Te27n-l-/4
Microsoft "hare*oint *ortal "erverB
httpBCCwww.microsoft.comCserversCsharepointCdefault.htm
%% Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
5indows DN2 evolutionB
httpBCCmicrosoft.comCbusinessCproductsCwebplatformCdefault.asp
IT *rofessional sectionB
httpBCCwww.microsoft.comCnetC
8M$ ?ramewor7B
httpBCCmsdn.microsoft.comCxmlCdefault.asp
GM informationB
httpBCCwww.microsoft.comCnetCdeveloperCframewor7Tcom.asp
)DDIB
httpBCCwww.uddi.org
httpBCCwww.microsoft.comCpresspassCfeaturesC%///Csept//C/6;/-uddi.asp
M"DN 5hite papersB
httpBCCmsdn.microsoft.comClibrar'Cdefault.aspQ)3$UClibrar'CtechartCnetanchor.htm
ene*al Si)e( )- !i(i)
httpBCCwww.microsoft.comCnet
httpBCCmsdn.microsoft.comCnet
httpBCCwww.(otDotNet.com
(otDotNet was created to promote fran7 discussions and open collaboration
between the .NET developer communit' and the Microsoft .NET ?ramewor7 team.
(otDotNet is a communit' 5eb site where .NET developers can showcase their
samples and receive information about the .NET ?ramewor7. It was designed
specificall' to be a raw9 unfiltered loo7 inside the .NET ?ramewor7 and at the team
within Microsoft that is responsible for writing9 testing9 releasing and managing the
different technologies that comprise .NET. ?or this reason it differs from and is
complimentar' to sites such as httpBCCwww.microsoft.com and
httpBCCmsdn.microsoft.com.
httpBCCwww.asp.net
httpBCCcommnet.pdc.mscorpevents.com
httpBCCwww.microsoft.comCserversCnetCdefault.htm
httpBCCwww.ibu'sp'.com
Microsoft 2rchitecture (uideC"olutions (uide
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