1. Web Service Software Factory MSDN Webcast
Stan Schultes
VBNetExpert.com
June 21, 2007
The Web Service Software Factory (WSSF, or Service Factory) is a technology toolkit from the Microsoft Patterns & Practices group that focuses on building the server side of a web services infrastructure. WSSF takes advantage of several modules in the Microsoft Enterprise Library 2.0, and uses a software factory model to generate the application from database to service implementation through a set of wizards. WSSF comes in two flavors at the moment - one each for ASMX-based and WCF-based development. This session focuses on the ASMX technology which is in common use today.

2. Stan Schultes Enterprise Architect / Developer
Speaker, Author, Trainer, Mentor
Contributing Editor, Visual Studio Magazine
Microsoft MVP in Visual Basic
Website:
Download this slide deck from my Visual Studio 2005 download page

3. Agenda What is the Web Service Software Factory? Why use WSSF
WSSF Architecture, Layers & Relationships
Getting Started & Using WSSF
Application Development Process
Demo – WSSF in Action
Major Benefits of WSSF
Current Release Status, Project Futures
Tips & Tricks, Resources
Slides will go quickly – a demo is the best way to get a feel for this awesome technology

4. What is the WSSF? Web Service Software Factory (Service Factory)
Collection of Software Assets That Helps Architects and Developers Efficiently Build Instances of Web Service Endpoints (both ASMX and WCF)
Goal: Identify and Document Best Practices in Web Services Development
Guidance Automation Packages
Integrated collection of tools, patterms, source code, and prescription instructions that guide developers throughout the application development process. Includes:
How-to topics (step-by-step instructions that describe how to implement recommended practices)
Patterns (documented solutions to common architectural, design, and implementation challenges)
Reference Implementations (Global Bank)
Guidance Package (extensions to Visual Studio 2005 that automate common development activities)

5. Why Use WSSF? Focus development efforts on business logic
Generates consistent application infrastructure, style and logic
Intrinsic separation of data, business logic, & service layers
Incorporates common design patterns
Eases migration to WCF through architecture, services
Services are easily configured and managed
Uses Enterprise Library modules
WCF: Security & exception shielding mechanisms are built-in
Assets can be customized and extended with GAT
Patterns:
Layered Apps – abstraction of an app into physical layers
Service Interface –Services available and messages for interacting with the service
Async Service – service calls use Begin/End operations with events
Entity Translation – mapping of business objects to message contents & vice versa
Repository – decouples business components from data access components
Exception Shielding –exception detail is logged internally, sanitizes external exposure to details
Transaction Script (Business Actions) – business operations are very granular (one call per operation)
Talking points:
Enables a process
Enhances the relationship between Architects & Developers
Infrastructure is created through templates & recipes
EL modules: Exceptions, Logging, Data Access, Caching, Security

6. WSSF – Architecture
See Aaron Skonnard’s Dec06 MSDN article for a great overview of the layers (p.4)
Service Layer:
Service Contract – defines operations, but doesn’t include behavior. Define interfaces, message types, and data types.
Service Adapter – implements the service contract exposed on a endpoint, adapts the endpoint to the underlying business layer.
Business Layer:
Business entities – classes that model domain-specific objects, including behavior and state.
Business logic – implements the actual business behavior.
Business workflows – handle long-running processes, typically implemented in BPM systems such as BizTalk or WF
Resource Access Layer:
Data access logic – interact with the underlying data store
Service Agents – interact with external web services
Image from Microsoft Patterns & Practices

7. WSSF – Layers and Relationships
Compare this to the Reference Implementation to see where the components live.
Image from Microsoft Patterns & Practices

8. Getting Started with WSSF
Install Visual Studio 2005
any except Express Edition
SQL Server 2005 – Express or Developer Editions
Install in the Following Order:
Enterprise Library v2 (ELv2, Jan06)
Guidance Automation Extensions (GAX, Jun06 or Feb07)
Guidance Automation Toolkit (GAT, Jun06 or Feb07)
Web Service Software Factory (WSSF, Jul06 or Dec06)
VB = Jul06 (ASMX only), C# = Dec06 (also includes WCF)
Unit testing: need VSTS or nUnit (v2.2.7)
SQL Server – be sure to update connection strings for SQL 2005 (defaults to SQL Express)
GAT only needed if you’ll be creating your own Guidance Packages
GAX Implemented as an add-in to Visual Studio 2005.

9. Using the WSSF Reference Implementation, Hands-on Labs
Guidance Packages:
Data Access – create CRUD SPs, business entities, repostories & factories
ASMX – build the service interface, messages, & translators to domain entities
Customize for your needs with GAT
Recipes and Templates:
Created/customized by Architects
Developers run to automate processes
Generates Service Host and Test Client
HOL – Coho Winery (follow instructions carefully).
Be sure to install with short paths
Updated for WCF
Originals required much forum support for correct operation.
Reorganizes the project – I recommend you don’t
RI (& enhanced version) – Global Bank
Data access guidance:
not O/R mapping, rather helps to reduce effort in DA implementation.
Alternatives: CodeSmith, NetTiers
Simple data relationships today. More complex coming in future, community.

10. Development Process Create Application from Template
Includes Host, Client
Data Access guidance package:
Add DB connection
Create Business Entities (BEs) from database
Create CRUD SPs
Create Repositories from BEs
ASMX guidance package:
Define Data Types
Map BEs to Data Types
Define Message Types
Define and Implement Service Contracts
Expose Services
Recipes notes:
Create Data Types can use existing XML Schemas
Expose Service – creates ASMX endpoint
CRUD – Create, Read, Update, Delete

11. WSSF in Action Demo: HOL walkthrough (C#)
Scenario: Coho Winery’s wine club
Service: membership database update
Open StartHere.doc (HOL directory) – show Domain/Information model (p.3)
Start menu items
Guidance Package Manager
Guidance Navigator
Code structure walkthrough
Generic classes for repositories/factories
Reference Implementation, RI-enhanced
Fiddler demo, \\localhost.:port

12. WSSF – Major Benefits Improve quality of implementation
Tested and reusable assets, unit testing, examples
Increase predictability
Best practices, ensures a migration path
Enhance productivity
Code generation, patterns, infrastructure
More flexibility
Customizable to your conventions & practices
Ease of operation
Enterprise Library Configuration Manager
Major benefits:
Reduce risk – baseline app is created for you
Accelerated start – agile
Quality – reusable assets
Productivity – automation and patterns
Adoption – extensible toolkit

13. Project Status & Futures
WSSF is currently “v2” and still at CTP status:
VB, ASMX only: Jul06 CTP
C#, ASMX & WCF: Dec06 CTP
Jul07 “v3” release for VS 2005, Nov07 for Orcas:
Themes: Modeling, Customization, Service Agents, Health & Instrumentation
ELv2 today, ELv3 future
Data Access – to be removed & released later:
More complex data (relational)
Migration to LINQ (VS Orcas)
FW3 support, WF, etc.
V3 Themes:
Modeling – developer models the logical components of the app & services using designer. Code skeleton is generated from the model, business logic is still provided by the developer.
Customization – enhancing the ability to customize the software factory.
Service Agents – creating a higher level of abstraction around SAs, better handling of caching, offline awareness, type sharing, instance management, etc.
Health & Instrumentation – better support of ws operations, such as the ability to track service levels.

14. WSSF – Tips & Tricks
Initial learning curve is steep, payback comes with repeat usage
P&P team webcasts & reference implem’s provide a great jumpstart
Create a naming convention for classes & methods
Wizards are ‘fire once’, then maintain manually
BE wizards only create data classes from tables, no O/R mapping
Wizards don’t create array/list types (ASMX)
Wizards don’t handle parent/child data
Handle Nulls in database SPs
Output parameters on SPs aren’t handled, use multiple resultsets
Delete the VS .suo file to reduce load times (examines all history)
Manually add web method description attributes in SC Interface files
Create XML output with XmlTextWriter vs. serializing structures
Use Fiddler (HTTP proxy) to examine messages
Customize guidance, recipes for your needs using GAT
Install HOL using short paths

15. Resources Hands-on Lab, Webcast: Reference Implementations:
WSSF – C#, ASMX version from Dec 2006 CTP
Service Factory Intro Webcast by Don Smith
Reference Implementations:
Best Practices Illustrated with Source Code
WSSF & community enhanced version by Fidel Hobayan:
Software Factories:
Occasionally connected smart client (SCSF)
Transactional web service (WSSF)
Web client (WCSF)
Mobile client (MCSF)
Clarius Software Factories Toolkit -
MSDN Articles (Service Station column by Aaron Skonnard)
Web Service Software Factory (Dec. 2006)
The Service Factory for WCF (Feb. 2007)
Blogs: Don Smith, Pablo Galiano, Hernan de Lahitte

16. Learn More WSSF Overview: WSSF VB Download – ASMX (July 2006):
WSSF VB Download – ASMX (July 2006):
WSSF C# Download – ASMX & WCF (Dec 2006):
Hands On Labs (ASMX and WCF with C#):
WSSF Intro Webcast:
WSSF Communities – Service Factory project home:
Microsoft Patterns & Practices:
Web Services Developer Center:
GuidanceAutomation.net

17. Contact Presentation downloads available from
VS 2005 page
Web Site: