Active Server is the server-side and script-based programming model that allows developers to easily create server and Web server applications. Active Server is the server component of the Active Platform that is built into IIS version 3.0.
Active Server technologies include the following:
Active Server technologies make the development of Internet and intranet component software faster and easier because they offer a unique language-independent approach that separates business logic from display generation.
Active Server Pages (ASP) An ASP is an HTML page with script embedded in the page. When IIS receives a page with an .asp extension, script within the HTML page is interpreted and presented back to the browser as HTML. Any language can be implemented as the script language, but most commonly the language will be either VBScript or JScript. Script is designated by <SCRIPT> or <%..%> tags.
For more information about ASP, see "Microsoft Collaboration Applications Platform" earlier in this chapter.
Collaboration Data Objects (CDO) Collaboration Data Objects is a technology that provides objects that add messaging functionality to applications. For example, CDO and ASP enable the developer to add script to a Web site to provide support for creating, sending, and receiving e-mail, as well as participation in discussions and other public folder applications.
Note Collaboration Data Objects (CDO) was previously referred to as OLE Messaging and, most recently, as Active Messaging.
Collaboration Data Objects Libraries CDO is available through the two Active Messaging libraries: Collaboration Data Objects Library and Collaboration Data Objects Rendering Library. These libraries expose programmable messaging objects, including folders, messages, recipient addresses, attachments, and other messaging components that can be called from Microsoft Visual Basic, VBScript, JavaScript, JScript, Java, and any application that supports Visual Basic for Applications such as Microsoft Office.
Microsoft Outlook Web Access Microsoft Outlook Web Access for Microsoft Exchange Server provides secure access to e-mail, personal calendar, group scheduling, and collaboration applications on Microsoft Exchange Server using only a Web browser.
Microsoft Transaction Server Microsoft Transaction Server is designed to simplify the development of the middle tier of multi-tier applications by providing much of the infrastructure needed to carry out the business logic that runs there. Microsoft Transaction Server insulates developers from issues such as connectivity, security, directory, process and thread management, and database connection management. The infrastructure provided by Microsoft Transaction Server supports robust, production-class, business-critical Internet, intranet, or internal local area network (LAN) applications.
Microsoft Message Queue Server (MSMQ) MSMQ accomplishes communication between applications over a network by using transaction messages. For example, if a Microsoft Exchange Server computer needs to communicate with an unavailable remote Microsoft Exchange Server computer, the messages destined for the remote server will be stored in a queue and forwarded when the remote server is back online. This functionality provides the reliability required by applications that are critical to an organization's operation.