FOSS ASP.Net Session Replication Solution?

Question

I've been searching (with little success) for a free/opensource session clustering and replication solution for asp.net. I've run across the usual suspects (indexus sharedcache, memcached), however, each has some limitations.

• Indexus - Very immature, stubbed session interface implementation. Its otherwise a great caching solution, though.
• Memcached - Little replication/failover support without going to a db backend. Several SF.Net projects - All aborted in the early stages... nothing that appears to have any traction, and one which seems to have gone all commercial.
• Microsoft Velocity - Not OSS, but seems nice. Unfortunately, I didn't see where CTP1 supported failover, and there is no clear roadmap for this one. I fear that this one could fall off into the ether like many other MS dev projects.

I am fairly used to the Java world where it is kind of taken for granted that many solutions to problems such as this will be available from the FOSS world.

Are there any suitable alternatives available on the .Net world?

Answer 1

As far as Velocity is concerned I have heard some great things about that project lately. It's still in the developing stages and probably not primetime ready yet. But I think the project has a solid footing and will become a strong mature product from Microsoft and not fall off into the ether like you predict.

Recently I've heard podcasts from Scott Hanselman and Polymorphic Podcast regarding Velocity.

Answer 2

Although Velocity has made progress from CTP1 to CTP2, it still leaves much to be desired. It will be some time before they provide all the important features in a distributed cache and even longer before it is tested in the market. I wish them good luck.

In the meantime, NCache already provides all CTP2 & V1, and many more features. NCache is the first, the most mature, and the most feature-rich distributed cache in the .NET space. NCache is an enterprise level in-memory distributed cache for .NET and also provides a distributed ASP.NET Session State. Check it out at Distributed Cache.

NCache Express is a totally free version of NCache. Check it out at Free Distributed Cache.

Answer 3

Just a quick update on this thread for the sake of completion.

Velocity (now known as Windows Server AppFabric) is already out in the production and offers a great distributed caching platform. More details are available on the msdn site

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsserver/ee695849.aspx

Answer 4

BTW Windows Server AppFabric is out of beta. That's what i mentioned in my previous post.

here is the link on general availability;- http://blogs.technet.com/b/appfabric/archive/2010/06/07/windows-server-appfabric-now-generally-available.aspx

which specific features do you think one can get on NCache and not on AppFabric?