There are several articles showing how to host non-http protocols on IIS7. Some steps are like black box while others could easily be misconfigured.
The tasks is complicated additionally by obscured error messages returned in the browser :)
So let’s started (the example below is in Windows Server 2008. In Vista/Windows7 is similar but not exactly same):
Phase 1: Prepare server (prerequisites)
1. Add Web Server Role
- Select following features as a minimum:
- Common HTTP Features - all
- Application Development
- ASP.NET
- .NET Extensibility
- ISAPI extensions
- ISAPI Filters
- Security – all
2. Add Application Role
Add Application Server role and select all features (confirm all dependencies):
With this Phase 1 is complete. We should be able to navigate to Internet Information Services (IIS) Manage console in Administrative tools.
Phase 2: Deploying WCF application
1. Build WCF application with netTcpBinding :) (kindda obvious). For service endpoints leave address relative or empty.
1: <services>
2: <service name="Microsoft.Test.Service" behaviorConfiguration="Service.ServiceBehavior">
3: <!-- Service Endpoints -->
4: <endpoint name="netTcp" address="" binding="netTcpBinding" bindingConfiguration="bigMessages" contract="Microsoft.Test.IService" />
5: <endpoint name="mexNetTcp" address="mex" binding="mexTcpBinding" contract="IMetadataExchange"/>
6: </service>
7: </services>
2. Create website that will host it in IIS
Since it is not a challenge to create it via IIS Manager here is how it can be achieved via script (JS). This can be used as custom action in WiX/MSI as well
1: var adminManager = new ActiveXObject('Microsoft.ApplicationHost.WritableAdminManager');
2: adminManager.CommitPath = "MACHINE/WEBROOT/APPHOST";
3:
4: var sitesSection = adminManager.GetAdminSection("system.applicationHost/sites", "MACHINE/WEBROOT/APPHOST");
5:
6: var sitesCollection = sitesSection.Collection;
7:
8: var siteElement = sitesCollection.CreateNewElement("site");
9: siteElement.Properties.Item("name").Value = "WcfNetTcp";
10: siteElement.Properties.Item("id").Value = 7;
11:
12: var bindingsCollection = siteElement.ChildElements.Item("bindings").Collection;
13:
14: var bindingElement = bindingsCollection.CreateNewElement("binding");
15: bindingElement.Properties.Item("protocol").Value = "http";
16: bindingElement.Properties.Item("bindingInformation").Value = "*:80:";
17: bindingsCollection.AddElement(bindingElement);
18:
19: var siteCollection = siteElement.Collection;
20:
21: var applicationElement = siteCollection.CreateNewElement("application");
22: applicationElement.Properties.Item("path").Value = "D:\\Hosting\\WcfApp";
23: applicationElement.Properties.Item("applicationPool").Value = "DefaultAppPool";
24: siteCollection.AddElement(applicationElement);
25:
26: sitesCollection.AddElement(siteElement);
27:
28: adminManager.CommitChanges();
29:
3. Add net.tcp protocol:
Here is how it should look from GUI:
And the script for it
1: var adminManager = new ActiveXObject('Microsoft.ApplicationHost.WritableAdminManager');
2: adminManager.CommitPath = "MACHINE/WEBROOT/APPHOST";
3:
4: var sitesSection = adminManager.GetAdminSection("system.applicationHost/sites", "MACHINE/WEBROOT/APPHOST");
5:
6: var sitesCollection = sitesSection.Collection;
7:
8: var siteElementPos = FindElement(sitesCollection, "site", ["name", "WcfNetTcp"]);
9: if (siteElementPos == -1) throw "Element not found!";
10: var siteElement = sitesCollection.Item(siteElementPos);
11:
12:
13: var bindingsCollection = siteElement.ChildElements.Item("bindings").Collection;
14:
15: var bindingElement = bindingsCollection.CreateNewElement("binding");
16: bindingElement.Properties.Item("protocol").Value = "net.tcp";
17: bindingElement.Properties.Item("bindingInformation").Value = "809:*";
18: bindingsCollection.AddElement(bindingElement);
19:
20: adminManager.CommitChanges();
4. Enable net.tcp for website (Virtual Application) that hosts Wcf Service – in this example we’re hosting in the root of website
And of course the script:
1: var adminManager = new ActiveXObject('Microsoft.ApplicationHost.WritableAdminManager');
2: adminManager.CommitPath = "MACHINE/WEBROOT/APPHOST";
3:
4: var sitesSection = adminManager.GetAdminSection("system.applicationHost/sites", "MACHINE/WEBROOT/APPHOST");
5:
6: var sitesCollection = sitesSection.Collection;
7:
8: var siteElementPos = FindElement(sitesCollection, "site", ["name", "WcfNetTcp"]);
9: if (siteElementPos == -1) throw "Element not found!";
10: var siteElement = sitesCollection.Item(siteElementPos);
11:
12: var siteCollection = siteElement.Collection;
13:
14: var applicationElementPos = FindElement(siteCollection, "application", ["path", "/"]);
15: if (applicationElementPos == -1) throw "Element not found!";
16: var applicationElement = siteCollection.Item(applicationElementPos);
17:
18: applicationElement.Properties.Item("enabledProtocols").Value = "http,net.tcp";
19:
20: adminManager.CommitChanges();
Warning: Do not put any spaces in “Enabled Protocols” field. Although it might works for HTTP it doesn’t for net.tcp.
5. (Optional) Run in elevated mode (As Administrator):
1: “%WINDIR%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.0\Windows Communication Foundation\ServiceModelReg.exe" –i
I will cover why it is optional in next posts.
Note: Scripts are generated using IIS 7.5 IIS Management console and Windows 7
Hope that helps.
P.S. Here is the helper js function FindElement(). It is slightly modified from original generated by IIS Manager so it will compare values in case insensitive way.