Installing a Web Server
Installing a Web Server
Microsoft Speech Server (MSS) requires one or more Web servers to host speech-enabled Web applications. Web server software can be installed on the same computer running MSS Standard Edition or Standard Edition 180-Day Evaluation. However, it is recommended that the Web server software be installed on a dedicated computer separate from computers running MSS. Load balancing is also required if installing Web server software on multiple computers. For more information, see Load Balancing and Availability.
As defined here, Web servers run Internet Information Services (IIS) version 5 or 6 and ASP.NET on Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2 or the Windows Server 2003 family operating system. Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 SP1 must be installed if not using Windows Server 2003.
Only the World Wide Web Publishing service, ASP.NET and the IIS Admin service of IIS is required. There is no need to enable FTP, NNTP or other IIS services for the Web server to function.
Note An MSS deployment should consist of a minimum of two Web servers for availability reasons.
To install a Web Server
Run Windows Setup. During Windows Setup, when prompted, select NTFS as the file system.
After Windows Setup is complete, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Configure Your Server Wizard.
Follow the on-screen instructions.
On the Server Role page, select Application Server from the list, and then click Next.
Ensure that IIS and ASP.NET are enabled. (See Configuring Windows with IIS and ASP.NET.)
Click Finish to complete the wizard.
If not running Windows Server 2003, install Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1. See the Windows Update home page to download and install Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 SP1.
(Optional) Install a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate using the Certificates MMC snap-in. For more information, see Windows Help.
Important This optional step applies only to HTTPS deployments.
Create a separate virtual directory for each application.
Modify security permissions as needed to run the application.
Install the Speech Controls runtime. For more information, see Preparing the Web Server.
Remarks
An SSL certificate is required to secure communications (using the HTTPS protocol) on the Web server.
Web servers should be configured to serve files containing sensitive information, such as that contained in prompt databases, only to known Speech Engine Services (SES) servers. For more information on enhancing security for Web servers, see Windows Server Help.
For a Web server farm, all Web servers that host the same application must have identical virtual directory and permissions settings for each Web server.
Pausing the World Wide Web Publishing service, or changing the default settings of IIS, may cause Speech Engine Services (SES) to drop calls and sessions and otherwise perform in an unpredictable manner.
If the Web server is running Windows XP Professional SP2, enhanced security settings may prevent the system from accepting resources being served through HTTP and HTTPS. You can remedy this by opening ports for HTTP and HTTPS connections. In the Control Panel, double-click Security Center, click Windows Firewall, and then click the Advanced tab. Under Network Connection Settings, select the connection you want to change, and then click Settings. Select Secure Web Server (HTTPS) and Web Server (HTTP), and then click OK. For more information, see "Allowing a program to communicate through Windows Firewall" in Windows Help and Support.
As a security measure, ASP.NET limits the size of file uploads to approximately 4 MB. (This is to prevent denial of service attacks.) To enable support for larger files, add the following configuration setting to the web.config file for the application, or the machine.config file of the computer:
<configuration> <system.web> <httpRuntime maxRequestLength="insert value here" /> </system.web> </configuration>
Enter a value for maxRequestLength, in kilobytes, that specifies the desired upper size limit, for example, "8000."