• Web Services Description Language (Wsdl.exe) is a tool used to generate code for XML Web services and Web service clients from WSDL, XSD schema files, and discovery documents.
• Use the XML (Extensible Markup Language), SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol), XSD (XML Schema Definition), and WSDL (Web Services Description Language) protocols to create a Web service.

Use MessageName property to implement two Web methods with the same name and ensure that each of these two Web methods is uniquely identified when it is called separately.

• Use the CacheDuration property of the WebMethod attribute to specify the number of seconds for which the response should be held in the cache.
• Use the Namespace property of the WebService attribute to specify the namespace of a proxy generated by Visual Studio .NET 2005.
• Use the BufferResponse property of the WebMethod attribute to serialize the Web method response into a memory buffer until the response is completely serialized and returned back to the Web service clients over the network.

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• Use the EnableSession property of the WebMethodAttribute class to enable session state for an XML Web service method.
• Use the MessageName property of the WebMethod attribute to give an alias name to an XML Web service method and it is generally used to uniquely identify overloaded Web methods.
• Use the [WebMethod(TransactionOption = TransactionOption.RequiresNew)]
  statement to indicate that an XML Web service method requires a new transaction. Whenever any request is made and processed, an XML Web service is created within a new transaction.
• Use the following code segment to create an XML Web service:
  [System.Web.Services.WebService(
  Namespace=http://MyServer/SampleReport)]public class Service : System.Web.Services.WebService
• Use the @ OutputCache directive to control the output caching policies of an ASP.NET page or a user control contained in an ASP.NET page. The Duration attribute of the @ OutputCache directive specifies the amount of time (in seconds) for which a control is cached.
• Use the MessageName property of the WebMethod attribute to give an alias name to an XML Web service method. It is generally used to uniquely identify overloaded Web methods. By default, the MessageName property for a Web method is set to the name of the method.
• Use the TransactionOption property of the WebMethod attribute to support a transaction for a Web method. This property enables a Web service method to participate as the root object in a transaction.
• Use the SoapDocumentMethodAttribute and SoapRpcMethodAttribute classes of the System.Web.Services.Protocols namespace to provide the SoapDocumentMethod and the SoapRpcMethod. These methods are used to format SOAP messages and allow setting the value of the OneWay property. This property accepts a boolean value that indicates whether the Web service client has to wait for a response from the Web server.
• Use the [WebMethod()] attribute to declare a method within an XML Web service that makes the method callable from remote Web clients.
• Use the CacheDuration property of the WebMethod attribute to specify the number of seconds for which the response should be held in the cache. The default value for this property is zero.
• Use the Cache object to store the product information in the memory of the computer to enhance the performance of MyWebService.
• Create a Web service and use Web service discovery to locate Web service descriptions.
• Deploy a Web service and ensure that its components (Web application directory, .asmx file, Web.config file) are published on the Web.
• Use an XML Web service to open wire formats to communicate between different systems. Open wire formats are the protocols that support common Web standards, such as HTTP and SOAP.
• Use the DiscoveryDocumentReference class to discover the available XML Web services at a given URL. The URL must point to the discovery document that has the .disco file extension.
• Use a discovery file to automatically generate when a Web reference is added to the Web service from a client ASP.NET application.
• Create an XML Web service to publish the XML Web service within the company’s Intranet.
• Install a setup package on a computer, based on a condition. Add a search for the registry key in the Launch Condition tab in the Project Properties dialog box.
• Use an XML Web service to provide a particular element of functionality, such as application logic. It can be used internally by an application or externally over the Internet by any number of applications using Internet standards, such as XML and HTTP.
• Use the Web Setup Project template to create installation packages for deploying Web-based applications such as ASP.NET Web applications, and XML Web services. The Web Setup Project creates an installer package of an application and installs various files to a virtual directory on the Web server.

Configuring and Customizing a Web Service Application

• Use the element of the application’s Web.config file to ensure that the trace output is appended to the bottom of each page.
• Use the Trace.axd Http handler to view the trace details of an application by setting the value of requestlimit=”[n]” in the application’s configuration file.
• Use the pageOutput attribute to set the value to true if the trace information is displayed both on an application’s pages and in the .axd trace utility, otherwise it sets the value to false.
• Use the Web Services description Language (Wsdl.exe) tool to define the format of messages that a Web service understands.
• Enable tracing for an application by using the element. The enabled attribute of the element specifies whether or not tracing is enabled for an application. By default, this attribute is set to false.
• Use the customErrors element to provide information about custom error messages for an ASP.NET application. The mode attribute of the customErrors element specifies whether custom errors are enabled, disabled, or shown only to remote clients.
• Use the customErrors element to provide information about custom error messages for ASP.NET applications. The mode attribute of the customErrors element specifies whether custom errors are enabled, disabled, or shown only to remote clients.
• Use the WebServiceBindingAttribute class to allow declaring one or more bindings for a Web service. Bindings represent a method of ensuring that the Web service conforms to certain specifications.
• Use HTTP-GET, HTTP-POST, and HTTP-SOAP protocols to test the WebService application from a Web browser by using ASP.NET.
• Use the TcpChannel, TcpClientChannel, and TcpServerChannel classes to authenticate as well as to encrypt data for secure data communication.
• Use the Custom Authentication by using SOAP headers. For user authentication, the user credentials in encrypted format are passed within the SOAP header of the SOAP message. The Web server, without regarding the platform hosted by the Web service, implements Custom Authentication.
• Implement the Style and Use format options to format the SOAP message. The Style attribute is used while formatting the Body element. The Use attribute is used with the Web method parameters and return values.
• Use SOAP 1.1 to allow additional elements to be added after the body part but the SOAP 1.2 does not allow additional elements to be added after the body part.
• Use the HttpMethodAttribute class to apply this attribute to an XML Web service client using HTTP-GET or HTTP-POST.
• Use the SoapDocumentServiceAttribute class to apply the optional SoapDocumentServiceAttribute to an XML Web service that sets the default format of SOAP requests and responses sent to and from XML Web service methods within an XML Web service.
• Use the SoapHeaderAttribute class to apply the SoapHeaderAttribute on an XML Web service method or an XML Web service client to specify a SOAP header that the XML Web service method or an XML Web service client can process.
• Use Session object to create a variable that will be available as long as the session is active. The Session object pertains to an individual user’s session with the Web service.
• A session cookie can be used as a user preference so that important information of a Web site is provided to the users.
• The Cache object implements the cache for a Web application. The Session object pertains to an individual user’s session with an application. It is used to store and retrieve information during a specific session for the user.
• The mode=”InProc” attribute is used in the element of the application’s Web.config file to configure the session state settings for an application.
• Use the EnableSession property of the WebMethod attribute to specify whether or not the data stored in the Session object is available.
• Create an array of data containing the user’s session and use the Session object for data storage. If the Session object is enabled, only users of a particular session will be redirected to other Web pages to view them. The server destroys the session object when the session of a user expires.
• Use the Session and Application objects to provide state management. The EnableSession property of the WebMethod attribute make data stored in the Session object available to the clients.
• Use the EnableSession property of the WebMethodAttribute class to enable session state for an XML Web service method.
• Use the SoapUnknownHeader class to handle the data received from a SOAP header but not understood by any recipient Web service.
• While defining and processing SOAP headers, a class representing data in a particular SOAP header needs to be defined. The class must be derived from the SoapHeader class.
• Use the SoapHeaderAttribute class to specify a SOAP header so that the Web methods that implement the class are able to process data passed to the SOAP header.
• Use MemberName property of the SoapHeaderAttribute class to specify the member of the XML Web service that represents the SOAP header contents.
• Use the SoapException class to throw SoapException when an XML Web service method is called over SOAP and an exception occurs.
• Develop a Web application and use exception handler to handle exceptions. When a response is not formatted correctly for a request, a CLR SOAP Exception is thrown. The SOAP Exception occurs in the XML Web service method.
• Create a SOAP extension to log the SoapMessageStage. Use the AfterSerialize to insert output to a log file. The AfterSerialize stage occurs just after a SoapMessage is serialized but before the SOAP message is sent over the wire.
• Use Soap (Simple Access Protocol), UDDI (Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration), and WSDL (Web Services Description Language) protocols to discover Web Services and interfaces on the Internet for a WebService.
• Use the GetInitializer method of the SoapExtension class to initialize the data used by the SOAP extension class and use the ChainStream method to access the incoming stream from the SOAP message.

Creating, Configuring, and Deploying Remoting Applications

• Use IIS to deploy the .NET Remoting object and use SSL to encrypt the HTTP traffic. The HttpChannel object is used to provide an implementation for a sender-receiver channel that uses the HTTP protocol for transmitting messages. The SoapFormatter object is used to serialize and deserialize an object in the SOAP format.
• Use the SerializableAttribute attribute to specify whether or not a class can be serialized. Use the MarshalByValue objects that are remotable objects and implement the ISerializable interface.
• Use the element to configure ASP.NET authorization support. It contains sub elements. These sub elements are used to allow or deny access to a resource based on specific users or roles.
• Properties set by one of the client applications can be accessed by all the applications using object of the application. Configure Object as a server-activated Singleton object. Mark the Object class with the Serializable attribute. Implement the ISponsor interface in the Object class.
• Use the SerializableAttribute attribute to identify whether or not a class can be serialized. Making a class serializable will make all the twenty properties available to the client applications. Using the SerializableAttribute attribute is the easiest way to make a class serialized.
• Use the System.Runtime.Remoting and System.Runtime.Remoting.Channels.Tcp namespaces in the Web service application that enable encoding Objects in binary format while transmitting data to a remote client computer by using the TCP protocol.
• Create an object, which is used by multiple applications and ensure that the properties set by one of the client applications can be accessed by all the applications using the object.
• Create Utils as a SingleCall object whenever a user makes a call to the service.
• Use breakpoints while debugging an application. A breakpoint specifies a line in a method or sub procedure at which Visual Studio .NET automatically suspends execution.
• Develop an XML Web service and use the User Interface Editor during installation.
• Develop a server application for hosting Object. Create a Windows service to execute in the background and register the object as a client-activated object.
• Use the Configuration property to debug and generate a program database file (.pdb) that contains information about symbols used within the application on compiling the project. It also lets breakpoints invoked on debugging.
• Debug a Web service by the Services Control Manager, the Visual Studio .NET Server Explorer, or code, and then add a debugger to the process in which the service is running.
• Use the element to use a client application that can test an object.
• Use the element to specify that an application configures the channel through which it communicates with remote objects. A new channel, which is not a channel template, can also be declared and configured.
• Use the following code segment to secure a method from unauthorized users:
  GenericIdentity GenIdentity = new GenericIdentity(“Generic”, “Custom”);
  string[] GeoRoles = {“GeoSurvey”};
  GenericPrincipal GeoPrincipal = new GenericPrincipal(GenIdentity, GeoRoles);
  Thread.CurrentPrincipal = GeoPrincipal;
• Use the BinaryFormatter class and FileStream class for serialization to serialize and deserialize an object.
• Develop an application and use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol before application is sent to remote computer using WebResponse and WebRequest classes.
• Use the MarshalByRefObject class to specify the initial span of time that an object should remain in memory before the lease manager begins the process of deleting the object.

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Implementing Asynchronous Calls and Remoting Events

• Use asynchronous processing, multiple processes run at the same time. The two main tasks that must be handled in order for asynchronous processing to work: The server component and the Client application. The server component must be able to send a message to the client application when the process is complete. Client applications must be able to receive messages.
• Use the object pooling COM service to save the resources that are used during object creation. The objects are created at each method call in a non-pooled environment, and on activation, the object is extracted from the pool. Similarly, the object is returned to the pool on deactivation.
• Create a Web service and use the Web service to create a remote method by using the System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging namespace.
• Create a Web service application and declare a synchronous method and then convert the same method to the asynchronous method.
• Create a Web service application and a OneWay WebMethod, and declare a class in which it will call a remote method asynchronously, and finally test the result.
• Create a Web service and use the Web service to create a remote method by using the System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging namespace.
• Develop an XML Web service to use the FileIOPermission class and the PermitOnly method.
  The GetChanges method of the DataSet class returns a copy of the DataSet containing all changes made to the DataSet since it was last loaded, or since the AcceptChanges method was last called.
• Use the FileIOPermission class to control the ability to access files and folders. The PermitOnly method is used to prevent callers higher in the call stack from using the code that calls a method to access resources that are not specified by the current instance.
• Use the EventLogTracelistener object to provide a listener that directs debugging or tracing output to an EventLog.
• Use AutoLog property of the ServiceBase class to determines whether or not a service automatically logs the entries in the event log when events such as Start, Stop, Pause, and Continue occur.
• Use the EventLog class to interact with Windows event logs and use the Source property of the EventLog class to specify the source name to register and use when writing to the event log.
• Use the CreateEventSource() method of the EventLog class to create an event if the event log does not already exist and register a Web service with this event log.
• Use the CreateEventSource method of the EventLog class to establishe an application as a valid event source for writing event information to a particular event log on a computer.
• Use the CanHandlePowerEvent property and the OnPowerEvent() method to handle an InvalidOperationException exception.
• Use the element to specify that a value of an attribute must be unique within the specified scope.
• Use the element to contain an XML Path Language (XPath) expression and specify that the location in which the values are specified must be unique. Use the element to specify the field on which the values must be unique.

Implementing Web Services Enhancements (WSE) 3.0

• Implement interfaces belonging to the System namespace in application code using the TreeView window.
• Use the WSE 3.0 features by changing the inheritance chain. Instead of inheriting from the System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapHttpClientProtocol class, the proxy class needs to inherit from the Microsoft.Web.Services3.WebServicesClientProtocol class.
• Create a proxy class derives from SoapHttpClientProtocolthat derives from the abstract WebClientProtocol class. Now, write code that will generate the proxy class.
• Use the Web service application to create a configuration file and define the structure of the configuration file and how it relates to WSE 3.0.
• Use a Web service to create a SOAP message and use the AsynchronousOperationException class to throw an exception when the format of a SOAP message is invalid.
• Use the AsyncState property of the AsyncResult class to get a user-defined object that contains information about the asynchronous operation.
• Use a Web service application to create a policy for digital signatures and choose all the appropriate namespaces that can be used to create a policy for digital signatures.
• Use the X509Certificate class to create an X509Certificate class object in a Web service application and fill the object of the X509Certificate object with data by using overloaded Import method.
• Use the GetRawCertData method to get the data from the X509Certficate class object as a byte[] array and Use the GetRawCertDataString method to get the data from the X509Certficate class object as a string.
• Use the GetKeyAlgorithmParameters method to get the key algorithm parameters for the X.509v3 certificate from the X509Certficate class object as a byte[] array and Use the GetKeyAlgorithmParametersString method to get the key algorithm parameters for the X.509v3 certificate from the X509Certficate class object as a string.
• Use the overloaded constructors of the BinarySecurityToken class to encrypt the SOAP message.
• Use the overloaded constructors of the DerivedKeyToken class to encrypt the SOAP message.
• Use the overloaded constructors of the EncryptedKeyToken class to encrypt the SOAP message.
• Use the overloaded constructors of the KerberosToken class to encrypt the SOAP message.
• Use the overloaded constructors of the UsernameToken class to encrypt the SOAP message.
• Use System.Net.WebException class to handle exceptions. Set the timeout value for a Web service call to -1, when a debugger is attached to an XML Web service.
• Use the Attributes to validate XML document. Develop an XML Web service to validate the contents of an .xml file by connecting an XML schema to the XML file.
• Create a policy file with the help of WSE 3.0.. Initially write three steps to create and implement a policy file and use the structure of the policy file to inject input filters, output filters, or both, into the processing pipeline.
• Add policy assertions to a policy using the WSEConfigEditors3 dialog box. In the WSEConfigEditor3 dialog box, specify the policy name and in the WSE Security Settings Wizard, use Client Authentication methods: Anonymous, Windows, Username, and Certificate.
• Use a Windows service to execute in the background and in its own process space, with a specific user identity. Usually, it does not involve any user interaction.
• Create a secure SOAP message in the Web service and use the SoapFilter class in the Web service to filter the SOAP message.
• Create a secure SOAP message in the Web service and use the ReceiveSecurityFilter class in the Web service to handle the receiving and securing of SOAP messages.
• Create a secure SOAP message in the Web service and use the SendSecurityFilter class in the Web service to handle the transmission and securing of SOAP messages.
• Develop a Windows application and use Microsoft SQL Server as a backend database to perform declarative and imperative security checks.
• Use a Web service to implement an application to send messages and create a new object of the SoapSender class, and implement the required namespaces.
• Create a new handler class that inherits from the SoapReceiver class and override the Receive method, and process the message parameter according to the requirement.
• Use a Web service to create a SOAP message to define a messaging connection that allows messages to be received from a given endpoint using HTTP with the help of the SoapHttpInputChannel class and perform asynchronous receive operation.
• Use a Web service to create a SOAP message to define a messaging connection that allows messages to be sent a given endpoint using HTTP with the help of the SoapHttpInputChannel class and perform.
• Configure the WSE router application by adding one or more elements. These elements are added to the Web.config file for the WSE router Web service.
• Create a WSE router application using a Web service. The router serves as an intermediary between the outside world and a Web service.
• Create a referral cache file for a WSE router application using a Web service and ensure that the user account under which WSE runs has accessed to this file. Now, Add a configuration section to the Web.config file for the WSE router.
• The FileAuthorizationModule module is used when the authentication mode attribute is set to Windows in the element and checks against the access control list (ACL).
• The UrlAuthorizationModule class of the System.Web.Security namespace is used to provide URL-based authorization services to allow or deny access to specified resources.
• Use integrated windows authentication to ensure that the authentication used should not work over HTTP proxies. Integrated Windows authentication is a method of authentication that uses the security features of Windows clients and servers.

Creating and Accessing a Serviced Component and Using Message Queuing

• Use the Regsvcs.exe tool to load and register assemblies as well as generate, register, and install a type library into a COM application.
• Create a serviced component and use an assembly to deploy the Component after registering the assembly.
• Register a serviced component using manual registration, dynamic registration, or programmatic registration.
• Use a publisher policy configuration file to contain compatibility information issued by the publisher of a shared component. It ensures that the latest version of the shared component is used by all applications using the component.
• Use the Server Application of the COM application to provide high-level security to the component.
• Use ComponentAccessControl, ApplicationAccessControl, SecureMethod, and SecurityRole attributes to configure security of a COM component.
• Create a proxy class for a Web service manually and createed methods for calling the XML Web service method asynchronously using Wsdl.exe tool.
• Use the .NET Framework to allow sharing of an assembly among multiple applications after installing it into the global assembly cache.
• Host the serviced component in a COM application by assigning a strong name to the assembly, registering the assembly in the Windows registry, and registering and installing the type library definitions in a COM application.
• Use the [ClassInterface(ClassInterfaceType.AutoDual)] attribute to define the COM based component class to ensure that component class is built without any error.
• Use the InterfaceQueuing attribute when message queuing is done at the component level. COM calls client requests on the components that are to be recorded and stored in the queue even when the server component is unavailable.
• During the Manual registration, the assembly fails to load error type occurred due to which the error message that describes the reason for the failure is displayed as output.
• Use the SecurityRole attribute of the [assembly] element to allow the COM security configuration for the library or server application.
• Use the AutoComplete attribute of System.EnterpriseServices namespace to apply to the methods of the serviced component class.
• Use the Sn.exe tool to sign a component. Strong Name (Sn.exe) is a tool used to sign assemblies with strong names. It also provides signature generation, signature verification, and key management.
• Use the Just-in-Time Activation service to minimize the amount of time for which an object is created and consumes resources and services on the server. With JIT activation, a client can hold a reference for an object on the server.
• Use the Web References dialog box to refer to XML Web services published on either a local Intranet or the Internet.
• Use the Gacutil.exe tool to view and manipulate the contents of the global assembly cache. It allows developers to install or remove assemblies from the cache, and to display the contents of the cache.
• Use the AutoComplete attribute to apply to methods of a class that derives from the ServicedComponent class. It enables an object that is participating in a transaction to vote in favor of completing the transaction if the method calls returns normally.
• Use the ServicedComponent class of the System.EnterpriseServices namespace. A serviced component is a .NET component that uses component services of COM, such as object pooling, transaction management etc.
• Use the [ClassInterface(ClassInterfaceType.AutoDual)] attribute to define a component class. The class interface exposes public properties, methods, fields, and events that are explicitly exposed on a .NET object.
• Use the PrincipalPermissionAttribute class or method to declaratively demand that users running code within the class or method belong to a specified role or have been authenticated.
• Use the Union method of the PrincipalPermission class to create a permission object that is the union of the current permission object and a target parameter permission object.
• Use the GenericPrincipal class and the GenericIdentity in conjunction with each other to create an authorization scheme. These two classes can be used to prompt users for their user names and passwords, to check these values against a database, and to create principal and identity objects.
• Use the MessageQueue and Message classes to set up the message queue programmatically. The static method of the MessageQueue class is used to check whether the queue already exists. If it does not, create the queue and set the label to match the name of the queue.
• Create public and private message queues using MessageQueue class.
• Create a public transactional message queue using the MessageQueueTransactional class.
• Create a private transactional message queue using the MessageQueueTransactional class.
• Use the Web service application to create a message queue and set permission on it using the MessageQueue class.
• Implement the BeginReceive and the EndReceive methods of the MessageQueue class. Use the BeginReceive method to initiate an asynchronous operation and a MessageQueue object to begin receiving a message and notifies the ReceiveCompleted event handler when the operation is finished. Use the EndReceive method to call it when the ReceiveCompleted event is raised. The method completes the specified asynchronous operation received by the MessageQueue object.
• Use the Express Messaging to deliver the message successfully. The Express Messaging is a type of message delivery method that stores messages in the Random Access Memory (RAM).
• Use overloaded Send method of the MessageQueue class to send message to a message queue.
• Create a message queue and insert messages in it. Now, delete all the messages that were inserted into the public and private message queues using the Purge() method of the MessageQueue class.
• Use the EncryptionRequired enumeration to specify the privacy level. It consists of three members: Body, None, and Optional.
• Use the XmlMessageFormatter class to serialize and deserialize objects to or from the body of a message.
• Use the properties of the certificate to see whether a trusted user publishes it.
• Use the UseAuthetication property with the SenderId property to verify the sender’s authentication. The UseAuthentication property specifies whether the message needs to be authenticated.
• Implements the StreamReader class in the application. Use Peek method of the StreamReader class to go to end of the file. The Peek method returns an integer type value to determine whether or not the end of the file or an error has occurred. It returns value -1 if no characters are available on the stream or the end of file has reached.
• Use overloaded Receive method of the MessageQueue class to receive message from a message queue.
• Use overloaded ReceiveById method of the MessageQueue class to receive message from a message queue that matches the given ID.
• Use overloaded ReceiveByCorrelationId method of the MessageQueue class to receive message from a message queue that matches the given correlation ID.
• Use overloaded BeginPeek method of the MessageQueue class to begin peeking a message from a message queue.
• Use overloaded BeginReceive method of the MessageQueue class to begin receiving a message from a message queue.
• Use Basic authentication to authenticate users on the Internet and enables a browser to prompt the user for a username and password.
• Use the MessageQueue class to create a queue and then send a message to the MessageQueue using the Message class. Specify access rights for a trustee (user, group, or computer) to perform application-specific implementations of common tasks.
• Use the MessageQueue class to create a queue and then send a message to the message queue using the Message class. Specify access rights for a trustee (user, group, or computer) to perform application-specific implementations of common tasks by using the overloaded AccessControlEntry constructor.
• Use the MessageQueue class to create a queue and then send a message to the queue using the Message class and allow code access permissions for messaging by using the overloaded constructors of the MessageQueuePermission class.

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• Source Control Events: These events occur when a mouse pointer triggers some action on a source control. The following are the source control events:. To get a glimpse of these PrepKits, you can download its free demo version (which contains 15 free practice questions) from:

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  1. MouseDown Event: It occurs when the mouse button is pressed and the mouse pointer is over the source control. A method that handles this event calls the DoDragDrop method of the source control.
  2. GiveFeedback Event: It occurs when a drag-and-drop operation is initiated. The appearance of the mouse pointer can be modified by the source of a drag event. In this event, a user can obtain the visual feedback during the operation. This event provides a custom mouse pointer to a user.
  3. QueryContinueDrag Event: It occurs during a drag-and-drop operation. It is raised when the keyboard or the mouse button state changes during the operation. It also enables the drag source in order to determine whether the drag-and-drop operation is cancelled.
• Target Control Events: These events occur when a mouse pointer triggers some action on a target control. The following are the source control events:
  1. DragEnter Event: It occurs when an object is dragged into the bounds of the target control. It is raised when the mouse cursor is first dragged over the target control during a drag-and-drop operation.
  2. DragOver Event: It occurs when an object is dragged over the bounds of the target control. It is raised when the mouse cursor is within the bounds of the control.
  3. DragDrop Event: It occurs when the mouse button is released over the target control and a drag-and-drop operation is completed.
  4. DragLeave Event: It occurs when the an object is dragged out of the bounds of the target control. It occurs when the current drag-and-drop operation is cancelled.

Sequence of a Drag-and-Drop Operation

The following is the general sequence of events that take place in a drag-and-drop operation:

1. The drag-and-drop operation is initiated by calling the DoDragDrop method within the MouseDown event handler on the source control. The method contains two parameters, namely the Object data that specifies the desired data to pass and the DragDropEffects data value that specifies a particular drag operation on a control. The method determines under which control the current mouse cursor is located. It then checks whether the valid drop target operation has been performed. In this sequence, a new DataObject object is automatically created.
2. The GiveFeedback event is raised when a custom mouse pointer is displayed during the dragging operation. The QueryContinueDrag event is raised to determine whether the drag operation should be continued or aborted.
3. The drop-and-drop operation is allowed when the AllowDrop property is set to true in the Properties window at design time. The property can be set to true programmatically in the Form_Load event of a Windows form.
4. The DragEnter event for a target control is raised when the mouse cursor is first dragged over the control. The DragOver event takes place when a mouse pointer stays over the bounds of a control.
5. Finally, the DragDrop event is raised when the mouse button is released over a valid target control. In the Windows form, the event handler extracts the appropriate data from the DataObject object. Data is then displayed in the target control.

DragDropEffects Enumeration Values

The DragDropEffects enumeration identifies the effects of a drag-and-drop operation in a Windows Forms application. It contains the FlagsAttribute attribute that enables a user to perform a bitwise combination of its member values. It is used by the DragEventArgs, GiveFeedbackEventArgs, and Control classes. The following are the member values that can exist in this enumeration:

Implementing Drag-and-Drop Operations between Applications

Generally, a drag-and-drop operation is performed within a single Windows Forms application. This operation can also be implemented between two applications. The following conditions should be fulfilled in order to enable a drag-and-drop operation between applications:

• A target control should allow one of the drag effects being specified when the DoDragDrop method is called.
• A target control should accept data in the same format that was set when the DoDragDrop method is called.

Implementing Drag-and-Drop Operations by using a TreeView Control

The implementation of a drag-and-drop operation in a TreeView control is slightly different from other controls. When a drag operation is initiated on a TreeView node, the ItemDrag event is raised. The event passes an instance of ItemDragEventArgs to a method that handles this event. The ItemDragEventArgs object contains a reference that is copied to the DataObject object in the DoDragDrop method.

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1. Create a new Web application and add Web Forms pages to the application.
2. Add Web server controls to a Web Form and configure their properties programmatically.
3. Create event handlers for a page or control at design time.
4. Manage state of an application by using client-based and server-based state management options.

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5. Maintain state of an application by using database technology.
6. Implement globalization and accessibility.
7. Use the SiteMap Web server control to display a representation of a Web site’s navigation structure.
8. Use validation controls to perform Web Forms validation.
9. Write an ASP.NET handler to generate images dynamically for display on a Web page.
10. Configure settings for a Web application in the Web.config file.
11. Manage a Web application’s configuration by using the Web Site Administration Tool.
12. Implement cross-page postbacks.
13. Convert HTML server controls to HTML elements.
14. Use tabular and hierarchical data source controls to return tabular and hierarchical data respectively.
15. Display data by using simple, composite, and hierarchical data-bound controls.
16. Configure a connection to a database graphically by using the Connection Wizard, Server Explorer, and the connection class.
17. Enumerate through instances of Microsoft SQL Server by using the DbProviderFactories.GetFactoryClasses method.
18. Control connection pooling by configuring ConnectionString values based on database type.
19. Perform transactions by using the ADO.NET Transaction object.
20. Retrieve data by using a DataReader object and build SQL commands visually in Server Explorer.
21. Perform database operations by using a command object.
22. Store and retrieve binary large object (BLOB) data types in a database.
23. Create an instance of the DataSet class programmatically.
24. Add and navigate a relationship between tables.
25. Populate a DataSet and update a database by using a DataAdapter.
26. Manage XML data with the XML Document Object Model
27. Read and write XML data by using the XmlReader and XmlWriter.
28. Create a composite Web application control.
29. Create a custom Web control that inherits from the WebControl class.
30. Develop a templated data-bound control.
31. Use a Web setup project to deploy a Web application to a target server.
32. Copy a Web application to a target server by using the Copy Web tool.
33. Precompile a Web application by using the Publish Web utility.
34. Troubleshoot a Web application by using ASP.NET tracing.
35. Optimize performance by using the ASP.NET Cache object.
36. Implement a consistent page design by using master pages.
37. Customize a Web page by using themes and user profiles.
38. Implement Web Parts in a Web application.
39. Establish a user’s identity by using forms authentication.
40. Implement Microsoft Windows authentication and impersonation.
41. Use login controls to control access to a Web application.
42. Create a mobile Web application project.
43. Use device-specific rendering to display controls on a variety of devices.
44. Use adaptive rendering to modify the appearance of Web server controls.

Check out 70-528-CSHARP, .NET 2.0 Web-based Application Development certification PrepKit>

Microsoft’s MCTS: .NET Framework 2.0 Web Applications certification has been designed for professionals who have a thorough knowledge and expertise in .NET Framework 2.0. These professionals have in-depth knowledge in Web application technology and data access in Web applications. This certification is a pre-requisite for the more advanced Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD) certification.

MCTS: .NET 2.0 Web Applications certification core exams

• 70-528: VB.NET 2.0 Web-based Application Development
• 70-536: VB.NET 2.0 Application Development

OR

• 70-528: C#.NET 2.0 Web-based Application Development
• 70-536: C#.NET 2.0 Application Development

What is .NET 2.0 Application Development (70-536) exam?

Microsoft’s 70-536 is designed to test your knowledge of the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 fundamentals. The 70-536 exam measures your skills that include Developing applications, Implementing service processes, threading, and application domains, embedding configuration, diagnostic, management, and installation features into a .NET Framework application, etc. After passing this test along with another core exam, you will become an MCTS: .NET 2.0 Web Applications, MCTS: .NET 2.0 Windows Applications or MCTS: .NET 2.0 Distributed Applications.

What is .NET 2.0 Web Application Development (70-528) exam?

Microsoft’s 70-528 measures your ability to develop and implement Web-based applications using Visual Basic language on the Microsoft .NET Framework. The exam proves that you have working knowledge of Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 and ASP.NET 2.0. You should pass this test along with exam 70-536-VB, for completing the requirements for the MCTS: .NET 2.0 Web Applications certification.

Code languages

When the exam begins, you can choose the programming language in which the code segments will appear. The available code languages for this exam are:

• Microsoft Visual Basic 2005
• Microsoft Visual C# 2005
• Microsoft Visual C++ 2005

Benefits of MCTS: .NET 2.0 Web Applications certification

• Microsoft products are most widely used today and the MCTS: .NET 2.0 Web Applications certification proves expertise on the Microsoft products and technologies.
• Professionals holding the MCTS: .NET 2.0 Web Applications certification are preferred by the employers and they also get preference in promotions.
• MCTS: .NET 2.0 Web Applications certification is helpful for professionals who have entry-level certifications in related technologies to upgrade their credentials and get recognition from the industry.
• MCTS: .NET 2.0 Web Applications Certified professional can find appropriate job easily and get paid more.

Job Roles for MCTS certified professionals

The job roles for MCTS certified professionals typically include:

• Web developers
• Windows developers
• Enterprise software developers

How uCertify helps you get MCTS: .NET 2.0 Web Applications certified?

We provide quality training products to help you pass the MCTS: certification exam in the first attempt. The MCTS: .NET 2.0 Web Applications certification preparation kit (PrepKit) consist of full-length practice tests, containing realistic questions and detailed study notes along with technical articles and step-by-step, fully illustrated ‘How tos’ to impart in-depth knowledge of the subject. In addition to the predefined simulated tests, there is also an option for customized and adaptive testing to help you prepare efficiently for the real exams. At the end of each exam, detailed performance reports shows the status of preparedness and help you to prepare accordingly. In other words, we provide you everything you need to become MCTS: .NET 2.0 Web Applications certified.

For More Information, please visit http://www.ucertify.com/>

Get the inside on how to crack computer based certification tests from those who have years of experience developing computer assisted learning software…

Preparing for the Exam

These certification exams check your knowledge and experience on their subject. So the best way to get through is to learn and master each and every aspect of the product/subject and get hands on experience on it. You should follow these steps to prepare for any such certification exam:

• Identifying the exam objectives: for that you need to go through the product vendors site because these objectives keep on changing from time to time.
• Study the suggested reading material and make sure you understand everything and also perform the tasks they suggest.
• If you feel the need, you can also go for instructor-led or online training courses.
• Nothing beats a test better than taking it beforehand. Buy good test simulation software and test your skills on it.
• Register for the test at least two weeks before, this helps in building the tempo.

Before the test

• Be confident and relaxed.
• Sleep well the night before the exam.
• Arrive early at the test center with at least two forms of identification.
• If you need a quick drink of water or a visit to the restroom, take time before the exam, because once started the exam will not be paused for these needs.

At the Testing center

• You will be asked to present your ID and sign the log as you arrive at the testing center.
• The center in-charge will explain the rules that you have to follow during the exam and will ask you to sign a paper stating that you understand the rules of the exams and will follow them.
• You are not allowed to take in any sort of written or printed material with you to the exam. You will be provided with the scratch paper, pencils and anything you need for the exam.
• Before the test you will have an opportunity to take a practice exam that is not related with the subject but will give you an orientation of the exam process.
• If you have any problem regarding the testing process you can ask the test administrator.

Test Taking Approach

• As you start the test be calm and read the question and ALL its options carefully even if you think you know the answer.
• If you are taking an adaptive test REMEMBER you will not get a chance to change your answer once you move on, so be sure before you mark the answer. In a linear test you will have a chance to change the answer.
• If you know the answer, answer the question and move on, if you are not sure still mark your best guess and move on. If it is a linear test, you should also book mark the question so that you can return to it afterwards.
• Sometimes related questions also provide answer for the questions you were unsure of, so it is always a good idea to book mark the question.
• If you are unsure of the correct answer, read all options and eliminate options that are obviously wrong. Then choose from the options left.
• Once you finished answering all the questions, check the time left. If you have time, review the book marked questions.
• Never leave a question unanswered. All certification tests that we know are timed and count unanswered questions as wrong. If you don’t have time, take a blind guess.

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Microsoft�s MCTS: .NET Framework 2.0 Windows Applications has been designed for professionals who have a thorough knowledge and expertise in .NET Framework 2.0. These professionals have in-depth knowledge in Windows Forms technology and data access in Microsoft Windows applications. This certification is a pre-requisite for the more advanced Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD) certification. For the current MCAD or MCSD .NET certified professionals, this certification is not required to upgrade to MCPD as they can take the upgrade exam (s) to achieve the MCPD status.

MCTS: .NET 2.0 Windows Applications certification core exams

• 70-526: VB.NET 2.0 Windows-based Application Development
• 70-536: VB.NET 2.0 Application Development

OR

• 70-526: C#.NET 2.0 Windows-based Application Development
• 70-536: C#.NET 2.0 Application Development

What is .NET 2.0 Application Development(70-536) exam?

Microsoft’s 70-536 is designed to test your knowledge of the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 fundamentals. The 70-536 exam measures your skills that include Developing applications, Implementing service processes, threading, and application domains, embedding configuration, diagnostic, management, and installation features into a .NET Framework application, etc. After passing this test along with another core exam, you will become an MCTS: .NET 2.0 Windows Applications, MCTS: .NET 2.0 Windows Applications or MCTS: .NET 2.0 Distributed Applications.

What is .NET 2.0 Windows Application Development(70-526) exam?

Microsoft’s 70-526 measures your ability to develop and implement Windows-based applications using Visual Basic language on the Microsoft .NET Framework. The exam proves that you have working knowledge of Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 and ASP.NET 2.0. You should pass this test along with exam 70-536-VB, for completing the requirements for the MCTS: .NET 2.0 Windows Applications certification.

Code languages

When the exam begins, you can choose the programming language in which the code segments will appear. The available code languages for this exam are as follows:

• Microsoft Visual Basic 2005
• Microsoft Visual C# 2005

Benefits of MCTS: .NET 2.0 Windows Applications certification

• Microsoft products are most widely used today and the MCTS: .NET 2.0 Windows Applications certification proves expertise on the Microsoft products and technologies.
• Professionals holding the MCTS: .NET 2.0 Windows Applications certification enhances employment opportunities for programmers.
• MCTS: .NET 2.0 Windows Applications certification is helpful for professionals who have entry-level certifications in related technologies to upgrade their credentials and get recognition from the industry.
• MCTS: .NET 2.0 Windows Applications Certified professional get special offers and discount on Microsoft products and other selected products from Microsoft.

Job Roles for MCTS certified professionals

The job roles for MCTS certified professionals typically include:

• Web developers
• Windows developers
• Enterprise software developers

How uCertify helps you get MCTS: .NET 2.0 Windows Applications certified?

The uCertify MCTS: .NET 2.0 Windows Applications certification preparation kits (PrepKits) provide a comprehensive preparation package fulfilling each and every objective for the exams. The tests come with challenging practice questions that reflect the format, topics and difficulty of the real exams. They also include step-by-step: “How Tos”, technical articles, quiz and fully customizable tests with in-depth answer explanations to help you learn practical skills. In other words, we provide you everything you need to become MCTS: .NET 2.0 Windows Applications certified.

For More Information, please visit http://www.ucertify.com/>

Technology Series (MCTS)

The Technology Specialist certifications enable professionals to target specific technologies, and are generally the first step toward the Professional-level certifications. There are currently 20 MCTS certifications, which can be roughly grouped into the following specializations, each requiring certain examinations to be passed:

Office Specializations

Managing Projects with Microsoft Office Project 2007

• Exam 70-632: Microsoft Office Project 2007, Managing Projects

Enterprise Project Management with Microsoft Office Project Server 2007

• Exam 70-633: Microsoft Office Project Server 2007, Managing Projects

Forefront Client and Server, Configuration

• Exam 70-557: Microsoft Forefront Client and Server, Configuration

Office SharePoint Server 2007, Configuration

• Exam 70-630: Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, Configuring

Office SharePoint Server 2007, Application Development

• Exam 70-542: Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 – Application Development

.NET Framework Specializations

.NET Framework 2.0 Web Applications

• Exam 70-528: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 – Web-Based Client Development
• Exam 70-536: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 – Application Development Foundation

.NET Framework 2.0 Windows Applications

• Exam 70-526: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 – Windows-Based Client Development
• Exam 70-536: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 – Application Development Foundation

.NET Framework 2.0 Distributed Applications

• Exam 70-529: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 – Distributed Application Development
• Exam 70-536: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 – Application Development Foundation

SQL Server Specializations

SQL Server 2005

• Exam 70-431: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 – Implementation and Maintenance

SQL Server 2005 Business Intelligence

• Exam 70-445: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Business Intelligence – Implementation and Maintenance

Business Intelligence Specializations

BizTalk Server 2006

• Exam 70-235: Developing Business Process and Integration Solutions Using Microsoft BizTalk Server

Live Communications Server 2005

• Exam 70-262: Office Live Communications Server 2005-Implementing, Managing, and Troubleshooting

Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Configuration

• Exam 70-236: Exchange Server 2007, Configuring

Windows Specializations

Windows Mobile 5.0 Applications

• Exam 70-540: Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 – Application Development

Windows Mobile 5.0, Implementing and Managing

• Exam 70-500: Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0, Implementing and Managing

Windows SharePoint Services 3.0, Application Development

• Exam 70-541: Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 – Application Development

Windows SharePoint Services 3.0, Configuration

• Exam 70-631: Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0, Configuring

Windows Server 2003 Hosted Environments, Configuration and Management

• Exam 70-501: Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Hosted Environments, Configuring and Managing

Windows Vista and 2007 Microsoft Office System Desktops, Deploying and Maintaining

• Exam 70-624: Deploying and Maintaining Windows Vista Client and 2007 Microsoft Office System Desktops

Windows Vista Configuration

• Exam 70-620: Windows Vista, Configuring

Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Configuration

• Exam 70-640: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuring

Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure Configuration

• Exam 70-642: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuring

Windows Server 2008 Applications Infrastructure Configuration

• Exam 70-643: Windows Server 2008 Applications Infrastructure, Configuring

Professional Series

Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD)

These certifications are designed for .NET software developers and are based around .NET 3.5, Visual Studio 2008 and SQL Server 2005/2008.

Windows Developer 3.5

• Exam 70-536: Microsoft .NET Framework – Application Development Foundation
• Exam 70-505: Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5, Windows Forms Application Development
• Exam 70-563 (PRO): Designing and Developing Windows Applications Using the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5

ASP .NET Developer 3.5

• Exam 70-536: Microsoft .NET Framework – Application Development Foundation
• Exam 70-562: Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5, ASP.NET Application Development
• Exam 70-564 (PRO): Designing and Developing ASP.NET Applications Using the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5

Web Developer, Visual Studio 2005

• Exam 70-528: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 – Web-Based Client Development
• Exam 70-536: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 – Application Development Foundation
• Exam 70-547 (PRO): Designing and Developing Web Applications by Using the Microsoft .NET Framework

Enterprise Applications Developer 3.5

• Exam 70-503: TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5, Windows Communication Foundation Application Development
• Exam 70-505: TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5, Windows Forms Application Development
• Exam 70-536: TS: Microsoft .NET Framework – Application Development Foundation – applicable to both .NET 2.0 and .NET 3.5
• Exam 70-561: TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5, ADO.NET Application Development
• Exam 70-562: TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5, ASP.NET Application Development
• Exam 70-565 (PRO): Designing and Developing Enterprise Applications using Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5

Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP)

The Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) credential is the leading certification for Microsoft. It provides widely recognized, objective validation of your ability to perform critical, current IT job roles by using Microsoft technologies to their best advantage.

These certifications are designed for IT professionals including administrators and support personnel in addition to database specialists (both administrators and developers).

Business Intelligence Developer

• MCTS: SQL Server 2005 Business Intelligence
• Exam 70-446 (PRO): Designing a Business Intelligence Infrastructure by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005

Consumer Support Technician

• MCTS: Windows Vista Configuration
• Exam 70-623 (PRO): Supporting and Troubleshooting Applications on a Windows Vista Client for Consumer Support Technicians

Database Developer

• MCTS: SQL Server 2005
• Exam 70-441 (PRO): Designing Database Solutions by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Open License 6.0
• Exam 70-442 (PRO): Designing and Optimizing Data Access by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005

Database Administrator

• MCTS: SQL Server 2005
• Exam 70-443 (PRO): Designing a Database Server Infrastructure by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005
• Exam 70-444 (PRO): Optimizing and Maintaining a Database Administration Solution by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005

Enterprise Messaging Administrator

• MCTS: Exchange Server 2007 Configuration
• Exam 70-237 (PRO): Designing Messaging Solutions with Microsoft Exchange Server 2007
• Exam 70-238 (PRO): Deploying Messaging Solutions with Microsoft Exchange Server 2007

Enterprise Project Management with Microsoft Office Project Server 2007

• MCTS: Managing Projects with Microsoft Office Project 2007
• MCTS: Enterprise Project Management with Microsoft Office Project Server 2007
• Exam 70-634 (PRO): Microsoft Office Project Server 2007, Managing Projects and Programs

Enterprise Support Technician

• MCTS: Windows Vista Configuration
• Exam 70-622 (PRO): Supporting and Troubleshooting Applications on a Microsoft Windows Vista Client for Enterprise Support Technicians

Server Administrator

• MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Configuration
• MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure Configuration
• Exam 70-646 (PRO): Windows Server 2008, Server Administrator

Enterprise Administrator

• MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Configuration
• MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure Configuration
• MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Applications Infrastructure Configuration
• MCTS: Windows Vista Configuration OR MCTS: Windows Vista and 2007 Microsoft Office System Desktops, Deploying and Maintaining
• Exam 70-647 (PRO): Windows Server 2008, Enterprise Administrator

Master Series

Architect Series

The Architect Series is completely different from the Technology Specialist and Professional series, composed of a five-week training session, at a cost of $25,000. Candidates are paired with an existing Microsoft Certified Architect for the duration of the program who mentor and provide guidance to complete a series of tasks. At the conclusion the candidate must submit a report and pass a Review Board interview.

The Architect Series is very similar to other industry professional certification programs, such as the Certified Practicing Engineer (CPEng) offered by Engineers Australia.
There are two primary tracks in the Architect Program:

Technology-based Architecture

There are two MCA Certifications in the Technology-based Architecture track:

• Messaging (Microsoft Exchange Server)
• Database (Microsoft SQL Server focused on OLTP

Broad Architecture

This track is designed for professionals that use a variety of Microsoft and non-Microsoft technologies to deliver customer solutions. Again there are two primary tracks:

• Infrastructure certifications
• Solutions certifications

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With the introduction of the Professional Series your MCTS, MCITP, or MCPD certifications will retire when Microsoft discontinues mainstream support for the related technology. Typically, mainstream support is discontinued 7 to 10 years after the initial product release. When support ends, your related certification will retire.

Microsoft’s initial communications about the Professional Series certifications was announced that a “refresh” or recertification of the MCITP and MCPD credentials would be required within three years. This policy has changed. To address the needs of the worldwide customer base, the updated policy is to retire a certification when mainstream support for the related technology retires. There is no action required from you if you earned a Professional Series certification before the policy change; the updated policy applies to your certification, which will be valid until mainstream support for the related technology retires.

Technology Specialist Series (MCTS) Upgrades

There are no upgrade paths that lead only to an MCTS certification. All prior certification paths lead to either an MCPD or MCITS certification, which will indirectly confer the relevant prerequisite MCTS certification on the successful candidate.

Professional Developer (MCPD) Upgrades

The upgrade paths for the Professional Developer series require that candidates have a minimum existing Microsoft Certified Application Developer certification, although since this is a prerequisite for the Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer series, this also qualifies. Generally candidates who specialized in Windows Forms development in the MCAD would upgrade to the MCPD: Windows Developer, Web developers would take the MCPD: Web Developer path, and MCSD holders would upgrade to the MCPD: Enterprise Applications Developer. However, there is no actual restriction enforced and a candidate holding any variant of the MCAD three MCAD to MCPD paths, and an MCSD can take any of the four MCSD to MCAD paths.

MCAD/MCSD to MCPD: Web Developer

This certification requires that one pass the following examination:

• Exam 70-551: UPGRADE: MCAD Skills to MCPD: Web Developer by Using the Microsoft .NET Framework

MCAD/MCSD to MCPD: Windows Developer

This certification requires that one pass the following examination:

• Exam 70-552: UPGRADE: MCAD Skills to MCPD: Windows Developer by Using the Microsoft .NET Framework

MCAD to MCPD: Enterprise Applications Developer

This certification requires that one pass the following examinations:

• Exam 70-551: UPGRADE: MCAD Skills to MCPD: Web Developer by Using the Microsoft .NET Framework
• Exam 70-552: UPGRADE: MCAD Skills to MCPD: Windows Developer by Using the Microsoft .NET Framework

MCSD to MCPD: Enterprise Applications Developer

This certification requires that one pass the following examinations:

• Exam 70-553: UPGRADE: MCSD Microsoft .NET Skills to MCPD Enterprise Application Developer by Using the Microsoft .NET Framework: Part 1
• Exam 70-554: UPGRADE: MCSD Microsoft .NET Skills to MCPD Enterprise Application Developer by Using the Microsoft .NET Framework: Part 2

IT Professional (MCITP) Upgrades

MCDST to MCITP: Enterprise Support

This certification requires that one pass the following examination:

• Exam 70-621: PRO: Upgrading Your MCDST Certification to MCITP Enterprise Support

MCDBA to MCITP: Database Administrator This certification requires that one pass the following examination:

• Prerequisite: MCTS: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 – Implementation and Maintenance
• Exam 70-447: UPGRADE: MCDBA Skills to MCITP Database Administrator by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005

MCSA and MCSE Transitions

MCSA and MCSE certifications will not be retired. Microsoft has introduced a transition path to allow MCSA/MCSE holders to obtain MCITP certification. Both certifications require a common transitional exam (70-649), as well as two additional exams for MCITP: Server Administrator and three additional exams for the MCITP: Enterprise Administrator.

Microsoft Certification Resources

There are several courses, boot camps and practice tests from different vendors offering preparation material for Microsoft certification exams. Boot camps normally provide residential program that includes food and lodging. These courses are meant for busy professionals who do not have enough time for self preparation or wish to get trained by professional trainers. Microsoft Press provides several books towards Microsoft certification exams preparation. Books are normally the first place to explore Microsoft certification options, and preparation. Apart from Microsoft Press books, there are other reputed publishers like Sybex, and others. In addition to books, Microsoft Learning also offers courses for each of the exams.

Apart from books, there are several practice tests vendors that offer pre-certification exams. These mock exams almost mimic actual exams, and normally priced much less than the actual exam. Several user forums are available for certification preparation where most questions are answered by other forum users.

Experts and past candidates recommend not only reading more than one book, but spending a good amount of time practicing the concepts on computers on a test environment. After practicing and reading, it’s also recommended to take sample exams before taking the Microsoft exam.

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1. Configuring providers.
2. Configuring authentication, authorization, and impersonation.
3. Configuring projects, solutions, and reference assemblies.
4. Configuring session state using Microsoft SQL Server, State Server, or InProc.
5. Publishing Web applications.
6. Configuring application pools.
7. Compiling an application using Visual Studio or command-line tools.
8. Implementing data-bound controls.
9. Loading user controls dynamically.
10. Creating and consuming custom controls.
11. Implementing client-side validation and server-side validation.
12. Consuming standard controls.
13. Reading and writing XML data.
14. Manipulating data using the DataSet and DataReader objects.
15. Calling a Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) service or a Web service from an ASP.NET Web page.
16. Implementing a DataSource control.
17. Binding controls to data using data binding syntax.
18. Configuring debugging and custom errors.
19. Setting up an environment to perform remote debugging.
20. Debugging unhandled exceptions when using ASP.NET AJAX.
21. Implementing tracing of a Web application.
22. Debugging deployment issues.
23. Monitoring Web applications.
24. Implementing Web Forms using ASP.NET AJAX.
25. Interacting with the ASP.NET AJAX client-side library.
26. Consuming services from client scripts.
27. Creating and registering client script.
28. Accessing device capabilities.
29. Controlling device-specific rendering.
30. Adding mobile Web controls to a Web page.
31. Implementing control adapters.
32. Customizing the layout and appearance of a Web page.
33. Working with ASP.NET intrinsic objects.
34. Implementing globalization and accessibility.
35. Implementing business objects and utility classes.
36. Implementing session state, view state, control state, cookies, cache, or application state.
37. Handling events and control page flow.
38. Implementing the Generic Handler.

Download link: http://www.ucertify.com/exams/Microsoft/70-562-CSHARP.html>

1. Configure providers.
2. Configure authentication, authorization, and impersonation.
3. Configure projects, solutions, and reference assemblies.
4. Configure session state using Microsoft SQL Server, State Server, or InProc.
5. Publish Web applications.
6. Configure application pools.
7. Compile an application using Visual Studio or command-line tools.
8. Implement data-bound controls.
9. Load user controls dynamically.
10. Create and consume custom controls.
11. Implement client-side validation and server-side validation.
12. Consume standard controls.
13. Read and write XML data.
14. Manipulate data using DataSet and DataReader objects.
15. Call a Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) service or a Web service from an ASP.NET Web page.
16. Implement a DataSource control.
17. Bind controls to data using data binding syntax.
18. Configure debugging and custom errors.
19. Set up an environment to perform remote debugging.
20. Debug unhandled exceptions when using ASP.NET AJAX.
21. Implement tracing of a Web application.
22. Debug deployment issues.
23. Monitor Web applications.
24. Implement Web Forms using ASP.NET AJAX.
25. Interact with the ASP.NET AJAX client-side library.
26. Consume services from client scripts.
27. Create and registering client script.
28. Access device capabilities.
29. Control device-specific rendering.
30. Add mobile Web controls to a Web page.
31. Implement control adapters.
32. Customize the layout and appearance of a Web page.
33. Work with ASP.NET intrinsic objects.
34. Implement globalization and accessibility.
35. Implement business objects and utility classes.
36. Implement session state, view state, control state, cookies, cache, or application state.
37. Handle events and control page flow.
38. Implement the Generic Handler.

Download link: http://www.ucertify.com/exams/Microsoft/70-562-CSHARP.html>

Although studying at your own speed and taking the exam “when your ready” has its merits, it doesn’t work sound for millions of people who tend to postpone, or whose busy lives are filled with distractions. When you begin your studies, set a real schedule for yourself including how much you will read every day, when you will start with studying review questions, lab time, etc., depending on the amount of study time you have available and your level of experience.

Pick a training method that works for you

Not everyone learns the same approach. Formal classroom training has its advantages, but it’s not an option for many people because of price, availability, and scheduling conflicts. Self-studying with books is cheaper and more flexible, but it can be monotonous and very boring. So what’s left? uCertify offers an excellent computer based training curriculum that is well below the cost of classroom training. uCertify offers an excellent and reasonable software prep kit-training program that is very similar to classroom instruction. You will get a combination of theory and practical instruction as you progress through the lessons.

Be prepared for the new test format

To discourage memorization of answers, use of “Brain dumps”, and to make the exams a little more significant to real world environments Microsoft has redesigned the test format for all the exams. Expect of lots of troubleshooting questions, complex scenarios, and interactive questions that require you to execute a specific task on a simulated control panel.

Always read 2 books on every exam topic

This guidance has served me sound. Always read a certified study guide and a real world guide during your studies. This will give you the information you need to pass the exam. Begin by reading the real world version without highlighting or taking reams of noted. The suggestion is to get an essential understanding of the topic and a general idea of how everything works. When you are finished, start up with the certified study guide of your choice. Go through the review questions and lab scenarios in each chapter taking notes as you go.

Use the best study matter you can afford

Your choice of study guides will depend on how you study, and your rank of experience. In our opinion the best Prepkit is of uCertify, which is developed by highly qualified employees. Although the Microsoft certified syllabus is a favorite of trainers, we found the writing technique too dry for self-study and the books do not include the number and quality of review questions offered by the other series.

What to focus on

You obviously cannot remember the entire book when preparing for the exam, so what do you focus on? Microsoft publishes an instruction for each exam that lists the topics they expect you to know, and this is a good suggestion of what you will be tested on. But that still leaves a lot to chance. Fortunately, most of the books do a honest job of creating review questions that covers the exam topics very well. They also offer callouts of “exam tips” or “Alerts” for trick questions. Test prep software can also be useful, and there are also a number of ‘Certification Prep” books available that focus on review questions and their justification.

Staying motivated

Procrastination is a huge setback for many people, so if you are having a stiff time staying motivated to study, you are not alone. You can fight this tendency by getting a study partner, and or starting a friendly contest of who can pass their exams first (or with the highest score). You should be careful to pick and choose your partners, and if possible get a group of 5-7 people collectively as a study crowd. Meet on a regular basis, and talk about exam topics and review questions.

Take plenty of Test simulators

Some people are very brilliant, but just terrible at taking tests. And some of the test questions can be complicated and catch you off guard. By taking some of the prep tests available, you will be well prepared for the actual exam and more probable to pass. If you have the finances, we suggest the uCertify Exams. There are also plenty of free practice exams available on the web.

Schedule the exam for your peak time

Give yourself the leading edge possible by scheduling the exam at your peak time. For most people, this is between 10am – 2pm. If you are more of an evening person, try scheduling after 7pm. clearly weekdays will be less crowded then Saturdays. This will give you less of a distraction during the exam. Try to give yourself a small number of hours of free time before the actual exam to run through your review questions and study sheets just before you take the test.

Get a good nights sleep

Fatigue will kill you on the tougher exams. Study as much as you like in the week before the exam, but staying up late the night before your test can corrupt your performance. Also, do not eat a big breakfast or lunch that may make you sleepy during the test. Have a healthy drink to increase your blood glucose levels, and reward yourself with a good food after you pass the exam.

Come prepared

Be about 15 minutes early, bring 2 forms of photo ID, and an additional pen if you need one. Take the spare time to clear your head in the testing hub. Some people arrange a “study sheet” of important exam concepts and review in the parking lot just before they take the exam. Printing out test questions and reviewing them just before the exam can be helpful as well.

Before you start…

The test does not start until you start on the computer. Take blank sheets of paper and note down any tables or additional information you believe you may “draw a blank on” throughout the test. If you have not at all taken a Microsoft test before, there is a trial test available that does not count towards your score or your time. It features the different types of questions you will come across, as well as the new interactive and drag and drop questions. Be calm before you start. When you are ready to start the real exam, take a deep breath, and calm down before you begin. It is simply a test.

Test Taking Strategy

When looking at a multiple choice questions, keep in mind to read the entire group of answers before just clicking on the first right one you come across. Microsoft is looking for the “most correct” answer, and there may be 2 near correct answers. If you are confused on a question, try to eliminate the obviously wrong answers first. This will improve your probability of selecting the right answer from the remaining options.

If you fail, retake the test within 2 weeks

It is important to get back on the horse if you failed by a slight margin. Observe the test as a learning experience. As soon as you go away from the testing center, mark the questions that confused you while they are still new in your head. Study some more, and retake the test as soon as you feel comfortable. If you outright “bombed” the test, then you have a lot more studying to do.

Tell us about your experience

If you can take a small number of minutes to let us know about your testing experience, it will help to provide good study aides and help others all along the way. What areas confused or amazed you? What study guides helped? Which one’s did not? Did you think was hard or easy? How long did you study? Send your comments to support@ucertify.com

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• The [OperationContract] attribute is applied to a method indicating that the method implements a service operation as part of a service contract. This attribute should be defined before each method specified in a WCF application code.
• The TransactionTimeout property of the [ServiceBehavior] attribute gets or sets the time in the format “HH:MM:SS” within which a transaction must complete.
• The [Service Contract] attribute is used to an interface or a class to define a service contract in a WCF application.
• The TransactionFlowOption enumeration specifies the transaction flow policy for a service operation. It is used with the TransactionFlow attribute that specifies whether a service operation accepts incoming transactions from a client. The OperationBehaviorAttribute.TransactionAutoComplete property gets or sets a value to indicate whether the current transaction scope has been automatically completed if no unhandled exceptions occur.
• Uploading the XML file in as a stream will work better for uploading large files. Streams can load large amounts of data, or large files that are read into most programs. Therefore, you should create the following operation contract:
  [OperationContract()] void UploadFile(Stream xmlData)
• In order to handle complex data types, you should use the [KnownType(typeof())] attribute with the data contract. The [KnownType] attribute is specifically meant to be used with structures, classes, interfaces, and other complex data types.
  • 70-502-CSHARP, MCTS: C# .NET 3.5 C# Windows Presentation Foundation Application Development
  • 70-503-CSHARP, MCTS: C#.NET Framework 3.5 – Windows Communication Foundation Application
  • 70-504-CSHARP, MCTS:.NET C# 3.5 – Windows Workflow Foundation Application Development
  • 70-536-CSHARP, C# .NET Framework Application Development Foundation
  • 70-561-CSHARP, TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5, ADO.NET Application Development

Pass MCTS: Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 in a first attempt:

• You must define a data contract for all complex data types that you require so that they can be serialized. A data contract can explicitly be created by using the DataContractAttribute (or [DataContract] qualifier) and DataMemberAttribute (or [DataMember] qualifier) attributes.
• The [DataMember] attribute, when applied to a member of a type, it specifies that the member is part of a data contract. When this attribute is applied to a field or a property explicitly, it specifies that the member value will be serialized by an DataContractSerializer object.
• In order to allow the interface to be passed to the clients, you should use the [KnownType(typeof())] attribute with your data contract. The [KnownType] attribute is specifically meant to be used with structures, classes, interfaces, and other complex data types.
• Create code including the [DataContract] attribute with the [DataMember] attributes for using services both simple as well as complex data types.
• The [DataMember] attribute, when applied to a member of a type, specifies that the member is part of a data contract. When this attribute is applied to a field or a property explicitly, it specifies that the member value will be serialized by an DataContractSerializer object.
• If a WCF application makes extensive use of services and require data to be transferred from a client to the service and visa versa, then the [KnownType(typeof())] attribute should be used with the data contract.
• The following steps should be taken if you wish to implement a service so that it can be used by applications:
  • Create a service contract and define it by using an interface.
  • Create a class that implements the interface.
  • Compile the code.
  • Run the service, which involves three steps namely configuring, hosting, and opening the service.
  • Then, deploy and implement the service to be used by applications.
• The [ServiceContract(SessionMode=SessionMode.Required)] code statement specifies that the service contract requires a session-based binding and hence must be run within a session.
• The TransactionScopeRequired property should be set to true to require the operation to execute within a transaction scope.
• Setting the SessionMode to Required means that the service contract requires a session-based binding and hence must be run within a session.
• The TransactionFlowOption enumeration is set to Allowed value to require the operation to execute within the scope of a transaction.
• The TransactionTimeout property of the ServiceBehaviorAttribute class is used to get or set the period within which a transaction must complete. The transaction timeout should be set in the hours:minutes:seconds format.
• Setting the TransactionFlowOption enumeration to Allowed and the ProtectionLevel property to ProtectionLevel.None ensures that the flow of a transaction is not blocked for security reasons such as authentication.
• The [MessageContract] attribute creates a message contract enabling a user to use a type for a parameter or return value that serializes directly into a specified SOAP message structure.
• A messaging operation contract has at most one parameter and one return value, where both the parameter value types and the return value types are either void or message types. A message type may be any type marked with the MessageContractAttribute or the Message type.
• In a message contract, the [MessageBodyMember] attribute is applied to those members of the class type that you want to make into parts of the SOAP body of the message.
• An Operation contract cannot return an integer return type, as this return type is not a message type.
• The Action property of an operation contract is used to control the action of the method’s input message. Its property value is specified to “*” to indicate that a service operation will handle all messages received by the service, but cannot be directed to a service operation. Then, the operation contract should define a function (that returns a void) in order to process the message.

Exposing and Deploying Services

• All communication with a WCF service occurs through service endpoints. An endpoint consists of four properties, namely an address, a binding, a contract and a set of behaviors.
• If the includeExceptionDetailInFaults attribute in the element is set to true, it specifies that unhandled execution exceptions are to be converted into a FaultException of type ExceptionDetail and are sent as a fault message. Microsoft recommends you to set this attribute to true when debugging a WCF service.
• Marshalling cannot be a requirement for configuring WCF endpoints. Marshalling is an older concept of COM and is not used in WCF services.
• The following are the steps to configure service bindings:
  • Define a service contract for a user-defined WCF service.
  • Implement the service contract in a custom service class.
  • Create a Web.config file to configure a service endpoint for the service class. This service class uses the BasicHttpBinding class that represents a binding used by a WCF service to configure and expose endpoints.
  • Create a .svc file and place it in the Internet Information Services (IIS) virtual directory.
• The AutomaticSessionShutdown should be set to false, when a custom control is used over the lifetime of the session. So, you must turn off the automatic shut down.
• The System.ServiceModel.SessionMode.Required setting specifies that the service contract requires a sessionful binding.
• The IsTerminating property of the [OperationContract] attribute gets or sets a value to indicate whether the service operation causes the server to close the session after a reply message is sent.
• In the [ServiceBehavior(ConcurrencyMode=ConcurrencyMode.Multiple, ReleaseServiceInstanceOnTransactionComplete=true)] code, setting the ConcurrencyMode to Multiple will allow multiple threads to concurrently access the service. Secondly, setting the ReleaseServiceInstanceOnTransactionComplete to true will allow the instance to be released as soon as a transaction is complete.
• Setting the AutomaticSessionShutdown property of the [ServiceBehavior] attribute to false prevents the server from automatically closing the session and also enables the custom control of the lifetime of a session.
• The Required value of the SessionMode enumeration specifies that the service contract requires a sessionful binding.
• The System.ServiceModel.SessionMode.Allowed setting specifies that the contract can support sessions if the incoming binding supports them. This setting simply let the service to use sessions optionally and not always use them.
• In order to host a WCF service inside a managed application, you must take the following steps:
  • Embed the service code inside the managed application code.
  • Define a service endpoint for the service. This can be done either imperatively in code or declaratively through configuration.
  • Create an instance of the ServiceHost class that provides a host for services.
• A WCF service is deployed inside a managed application, as it is the least robust hosting option and requires the least infrastructure to support deployment.
• You need to call a constructor of the ServiceHost class in order to programmatically add the base address to a service.
• The best deployment strategy would be to deploy the service inside a managed application, as it is the least robust hosting option and also requires the least infrastructure to deploy.
• The following are the steps to host a WCF service within a managed Windows service:
  • Include a service implementation of the service contract, a Windows Service class, and an installer class for the WCF service code.
  • Implement the managed Windows service by inheriting it from the ServiceBase class.
  • Override the OnStart method of the ServiceBase class to create and open a ServiceHost object.
  • Override the OnStop method of the ServiceBase class to stop and dispose the ServiceHost object.
  • Inherit a custom installer class from the Installer class and allow the service to be installed by the Installutil.exe tool.
  • Provide a base address for the Windows service to be configured in application settings.
• A WCF service that is hosted in IIS includes the following tasks during its deployment:
  • Guarantees that the IIS, WCF, and the WCF activation component are correctly installed and registered.
  • Reuses an existing ASP.NET application or creates a new IIS application.
  • Creates a .svc file for a WCF service.
  • Deploys the WCF service implementation to the IIS or ASP.NET application.
  • Configures the WCF service.
• The @ServiceHost directive is used to associate the service host factory with the WCF service to be hosted. This directive is required to access or compile the service hosting code provided in a .svc file.
• In order to host the WCF service on the IIS Web server, you have created a new folder for your application files. Then, you have used the IIS management tool to create a Web application in the new folder. Next, you need to perform the following actions:
  • Create a Web.config file that contains the appropriate configuration code. Place this file in the application folder.
  • Create a service file containing the @ServiceHost directive information for the service. Place this file in the application folder.
  • Create an App_Code folder within the application folder for your code files. Put the code file that defines and implements the service contract in this folder.
• The aspNetCompatibilityEnabled attribute of the element should be set to true because the requests are made to WCF services that flow through the ASP.NET HTTP communication pipeline, and the communication over non-HTTP protocols is prohibited.
• A new IIS application can be created for hosting WCF services. Alternatively, A WCF service can be deployed into an existing ASP.NET application. Before deploying a WCF service implementation to the IIS or ASP.NET application, it is necessary to create a .svc file for the WCF service. Then the WCF service can be configured.
• The @ServiceHost directive is used to associate the service host factory with the WCF service to be hosted. This directive is required to access or compile the service hosting code provided in a .svc file.
• In order to host the WCF service on the Web server, you must use the @ServiceHost directive information for the service.
• The ServiceHost servicehost = new ServiceHost(/*Add Parameters */); servicehost.Description.Behaviors.Add(/*Add Service Behavior */); code instantiates the service and then uses the Description.Behaviors.Add method of the ServiceHost object in order to add custom behaviors to the service.
• If you need to create a custom service behavior that throws an exception if the list of endpoints that are configured is not complete, you should write the following code segment:
  class CustomBehavior : IServiceBehavior
  {
  public void Validate(ServiceDescription desc, ServiceHostBase myservicehost)
  {
  MyValidationMethod();
  }
  }

Pass MCTS: Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 in a first attempt:

• 70-502-CSHARP, MCTS: C# .NET 3.5 C# Windows Presentation Foundation Application Development
• 70-503-CSHARP, MCTS: C#.NET Framework 3.5 – Windows Communication Foundation Application
• 70-504-CSHARP, MCTS:.NET C# 3.5 – Windows Workflow Foundation Application Development
• 70-536-CSHARP, C# .NET Framework Application Development Foundation
• 70-561-CSHARP, TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5, ADO.NET Application Development

Instrumenting and Administering Services

• The element of the
  element is used to specify a listener that collects, stores, and routes messages. This element directs the tracing output to an appropriate target. The sub-element of the element adds a listener to the Listeners collection.
• WCF provides some namespaces (such as System.IO.Log, System.ServiceModel, System.ServiceModel.MessageLogging, and System.Runtime.Serialization) that define trace sources for each assembly. The traces generated within such an assembly are accessed by the listeners defined for that trace source.
• The valid source levels of trace messages that are filtered by the source switch and event type filter are Off, Critical, Error, Warning, Information, Verbose, ActivityTracing, and All.
• The valid values for the performanceCounters attribute are All, ServiceOnly, and Off.
• Setting the performanceCounters attribute to All will enable all category counters such as ServiceModelService, ServiceModelEndpoint, and ServiceModelOperation.
• The tracing levels from Verbose to Critical are stacked on top of each other except the Off level. Therefore, the Verbose tracing level can handle the Critical, Error, Warning, and Verbose trace events. The Verbose tracing level is useful for debugging purposes or for application optimization.
• The logEntireMessage attribute of the element defines a Boolean value that specifies whether the entire message including the message header and body is logged.
• The IClientMessageInspector.BeforeSendRequest method enables you to inspect or modify a message before a request message is sent to a WCF service. The IEndpointBehavior.ApplyClientBehavior method is implemented to view, modify, or add custom extension to the client runtime across all messages, which can be used with an endpoint or for specific operations such as including custom headers.
• If the System.Diagnostics.XmlWriterTraceListener trace listener as its type is used in the configuration file, then the output file location and name must be specified in the service configuration file. This can be done by setting the initializeData attribute to the name of the log file. Otherwise, an exception will be thrown.
• In order to identify the cause of the error that had occurred in the application, you must examine the application event log. One reason for logging application event is to help in debugging issues that arise in the application.
• The valid sub elements of the element are , , , , , , , , and . Each of these sub elements determines a different item for the service model.
• The IDispatchMessageInspector interface is used to implement the service side message inspection. It defines the methods that enable custom inspection modification of application messages for a WCF service.
• Setting the isClientSide property to true establishes the client-side inspector.
• The IClientMessageInspector interface implements the client-side message inspection and defines an instance of message inspector to be added to the MessageInspectors collection to view or modify messages.

Consuming Services

• The following command line that uses the Service Model Metadata Utility Tool (SvcUtil.exe) tool with the appropriate switches (to create the client code) generates a code file and a configuration file for the service:
  svcutil.exe /language:cs /out:generatedProxy.cs /config:app.config http://localhost:8000/ServiceModelSamples/service
• The Svcutil.exe utility tool is used to generate a service proxy. The output of this tool is a class that implements the service interface.
• The ServiceModel Metadata Utility Tool (Svcutil.exe) is used to automatically create the service proxy class. Therefore, you do not have to manually create a class that implements the service interface.
• The element of the main element specifies contract, binding, and address properties of the channel endpoint. The valid attributes of the element are address, binding, contract, name, bindingconfiguration, and behaviorconfiguration.
• The required attributes of the element are address, binding and contract. The optional attributes of the element are bindingConfiguration, behaviorConfiguration, and name.
• The name optional attribute is used to uniquely identify an endpoint for a given contract. Though, the name attribute is optional, it is required when it works with a ChannelFactory object. The ChannelFactory object uses this attribute in order to specify which endpoint in the client configuration is being targeted and must be loaded when a channel is created to service.
• The address, behaviorConfiguration, and contract are valid endpoint attributes.
• You do not use the binding and bindingConfiguration endpoint attributes when working with the ChannelFactory class, as a ChannelFactory object does not use these attributes to specify the endpoint.
• The steps to use a WCF client are as follows:
  • Create an endpoint address and a WCF client object.
  • Call the service operations from within the client object.
  • Close the client connection once the operation call is completed.
• In a scenario where you have already created the service proxy. Now, you should take the following steps to call the functions of the service:
  • Create a client class that implements the service interface.
  • Instantiate the class and call its methods.
  • Use the Svcutil.exe utility tool in order to create and use the client object.
• You do not call the Open method on the client. Once you have instantiated the client proxy, you simply call its methods. You can call the Close method if you wish to end all communications with the client.
• The CommunicationException class is used on the client or the server side to catch a communication related exception, such as address not found, or connectivity related exceptions between endpoints. In order to catch CommunicationException on the client side, you can use the traditional exception handling such as a try/catch block.
• The TimeoutException exception is the best option to use, which will handle slow response time. This exception is thrown specially when the time allotted for a process or operation has expired.
• If you have created a client for a WCF service and have appropriate error handling in the client for all expected exceptions. However, you find that if an exception occurs, the client is sometimes not usable after that. In order to rectify this problem, you should check the State property to verify if the client is still opened.
• The ServiceActivationException class does not represent an expected WCF client exception, as this class represents an exception that is thrown when a service fails to activate.
• The following are the steps to configure a WCF service endpoint to be interoperable with .NET Web service clients:
  • Create a new instance of the BasicHttpBinding class.
  • Optionally enable transport security for the WCF service endpoint binding by setting the security mode for the binding to Transport.
  • Add a new application endpoint to the service host by using the binding instance being created.
  • Enable an HTTP/GET metadata endpoint for the WCF service.
• The valid contract types that can be specified with a COM Object are Typed contract, WSDL contract, and MEX contract.
• You do not create contracts for .NET Web Service clients in order to configure a WCF service endpoint.

Securing Services

• Transport level security is implemented using secure HTTP also called HTTPS.
• An SSL can be implemented in a WCF application depending on how the application is hosted. The following are the methods in which SSL can be implemented:
  • Use the IIS infrastructure to set up an SSL service if IIS is used as the WCF host.
  • Bind an SSL certificate to the address using the HttpCfg.exe tool if a self-hosted WCF application is created.
• Transport-level security is implemented using secure HTTP also called HTTPS and therefore uses SSL.
• You will use the transport security mode, as it uses a transport-level protocol, such as HTTPS that would support all clients. This security mode is available on many platforms and less complex.
• Message level security actually secures every single message and provides true end-to-end security.
• Message security allows you to sign or encrypt only parts of the message, instead of the entire message.
• The endpoint identity of a WCF service is a value that is generated from the service Web Services Description Language (WSDL). The endpoint identity that is propagated to any client is used to authenticate the service.
• In order to configure the service identity, a service endpoint is created and its identity is set to the certificate’s DNS by using the WSHttpBinding object.
• Security demands are used to ensure that only callers that have been granted a specified permission can call a user’s code.
• In order to implement the Security Token Service (STS) authentication, you must use a WSFederationHttpBinding object with the default security mode.
• The SupportingTokenParameters class is a collection of token properties and methods used to create security binding elements and a set of tokens of the same type.
• You must enable the role manager in the application by setting the enabled attribute to true, as in the following code:
• You will set the defaultProvider attribute of the element to SqlRoleProvider in order to match with the SQL Server roles.
• You should not use the BasicHttpBinding class, as it does not use Windows authentication and creates a session in impersonating a client. Setting the Impersonation property to ImpersonationOption.Allowed will not cause a client impersonation, but it will merely allow the possibility of impersonation.
• The following are the steps in impersonating a client on a WCF service:
  • Create a WCF service.
  • Use a binding class such as NetTcpBinding or WSHttpBinding that uses Windows authentication and creates a session.
  • Apply the [OperationBehavior] attribute (or the OperationBehaviorAttribute class) to a method that requires client impersonation, when implementing the interface of the service.
  • Set the Impersonation property of the [OperationBehavior] attribute to ImpersonationOption.Required.
• The appropriate binding classes that uses Windows authentication and creates a session are NetTcpBinding and WSHttpBinding.
• The following are the steps to set the allowed impersonation level on a client, after enabling the WCF client impersonation on a service:
  1. Create a service client code by using the ServiceModel Metadata Utility Tool (Svcutil.exe) utility tool to create the WCF client.
  2. Set the AllowedImpersonationLevel property of the WindowsClientCredential class to one of the TokenImpersonationLevel enumeration values that include None, Anonymous, Impersonation, Identification, and Delegation.

Managing the Service Life Cycle

• Setting the value to PerSession of the InstanceContextMode property means that once the client connects, the same instance will be used for all calls from that client until the session ends.
• Setting the value to PerCall of the InstanceContextMode means every single call from the client to the service gets a new instance of the service object.
• The SessionMode.Required value specifies that the service contract requires always to use sessions.
• The NetMsmqBinding class represents a queued binding suitable for cross-machine communication. This class provides support for queuing by leveraging Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) as a transport.
• A dead-letter queue contains messages that failed to reach the target queue, which may be due to reasons, such as expired messages and connectivity issues.
• The following are the steps required to enable a reliable session to send messages:
  • Create the configuration element that contains the bindingConfiguration attribute. This attribute references a binding configuration by giving it a name say MyBinding1.
  • Reference the binding configuration name in the configuration element.
  • Enable the reliable session by setting the enabled attribute of the element to true.
• The code statement enables the reliable session so that the messages should arrive in the same order in which they were sent.
• The SessionMode.Allowed value will let the service contract to use sessions if possible and not always use them.
• The properties of a transaction used in WCF are atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability.
• Setting the transactionFlow attribute to true and the transactionProtocol attribute of the configuration element to the specified transaction protocol is to configure the binding in a WCF service to accept incoming transactions.
• The receiveTimeout and maxConnections attributes of the element are valid binding settings, but are irrelevant when a transaction is implemented in the binding.
• The WsatConfig.exe -network:enable -port:443 -endpointCert: -accountsCerts: -restart command line is used to enable the WS-AT protocol service inside MSDTC by using port 443 and an X.509 certificate with a private key installed in the local computer.
• The valid concurrency modes are single, multiple, and reentrant.
• In the [ServiceBehavior( InstanceContextMode=InstanceContextMode.Single, ConcurrencyMode=ConcurrencyMode.Multiple)] code, InstanceContextMode is set to Single to handle all the required client requests, and ConcurrencyMode is set to Multiple to have multiple threads processing messages concurrently.
• You should set the instancing mode to PerCall, the session mode to Required, and the concurrency mode to Single, if you require to run a WCF service within a session, an instance for each client call, and also allow each instancing object to have one thread.
• Setting the ConcurrencyMode to Multiple will allow multiple threads to concurrently access a WCF service. Secondly, setting the ReleaseServiceInstanceOnTransactionComplete to false will not allow the instance to be released as soon as a transaction is complete. Instead, this will allow the same instance to reuse for each call.

Pass MCTS: Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 in a first attempt:

• 70-502-CSHARP, MCTS: C# .NET 3.5 C# Windows Presentation Foundation Application Development
• 70-503-CSHARP, MCTS: C#.NET Framework 3.5 – Windows Communication Foundation Application
• 70-504-CSHARP, MCTS:.NET C# 3.5 – Windows Workflow Foundation Application Development
• 70-536-CSHARP, C# .NET Framework Application Development Foundation
• 70-561-CSHARP, TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5, ADO.NET Application Development

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